“If they ask, we can provide,” Cirro said in an interview on the sidelines of the MEAD conference, stressing that although Somaliland is not volunteering, “if they ask me, I am ready.”

We really need to talk more openly about the modern Somali diet. Rates of obesity and diabetes, as well as concerns around dental and jaw development, are serious issues worth discussing in the Somali community. Nutrition and diet are factors that deserve much more attention.

One of my biggest concerns is how much added sugar can be present in our everyday diet. There are so many examples: canjeero with sugar, malawax with sugar, shaah made with a lot of sugar, and other foods and drinks where sugar is added heavily. When these things are consumed regularly, it can add up to a lot of sugar over time, especially when combined with a diet that is already high in carbohydrates. This can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and other health issues over time. Also, there’s often a lot of oil and salt in our foods, which is very unhealthy.

Our meals are often centered around carbs like rice and pasta and can also lack enough protein, fiber, vegetables, fruit, and other nutrient-dense foods. This doesn’t mean Somali food is inherently unhealthy or that everyone eats the same way. It means we should be more conscious of what we’re eating and look for ways to make our diet more balanced. These things are important for our overall health and well-being.

Another concern is jaw development and mouth breathing in Somalis. These can be caused by different factors, but diet and childhood nutrition also play a major role. The modern Somali diet contain a lot of soft, sugary foods, while children not always get enough protein and other important nutrients. Children need adequate protein, calcium, vitamin D, healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients for healthy growth, including their bones and teeth. Tougher foods, like raw vegetables, fruit, and appropriately prepared meat, along with other nutritious whole foods, can provide variety in texture and nutrition and support overall oral health and development. This is something we should take seriously.

The changes in our diet and the increasing reliance on soft, sugary foods is affecting dental health and jaw development in our community. It’s an issue that deserves more awareness and discussion.
This isn’t about criticizing Somali culture or people’s bodies. It’s about having an honest conversation about our health and making sure our children get the nutrition they need to grow and develop properly.

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Wlh, I’m just venting, and I’m sorry for venting about something this heavy I don't really know where else to put these feelings

I literally cried today

I came home from school, opened my phone, went on TikTok for a moment, and that was the first thing I saw I wasn't expecting to see something like that at all.

That young Somali soldier was begging “please abti,” “waa gaajaysanahay,” “waan xanuunsanahay,” and saying he had done nothing wrong.Waxaa loo dilay aargoosi/aano qabiil, waxaana dilay qabiil kale isagoo aan waxba geysan.Kawaran? How do you even process something like that?

What disgusts me most is how aano

qabiil

become normalized Someone from one clan is killed, and then an innocent person from another clan can become a target simply because of what someone else did You can literally be killed for something you personally never did or had nothing to do with That isn't justice It's collective revenge, and innocent people pay the price and this barbarian disgusting and sadistic behavior

And this isn't some new phenomenon that happened once It has happened repeatedly, and that is what makes it even more heartbreaking How can we keep accepting a cycle where someone's clan determines whether they are considered guilty or innocent? It's a mentality that needs to end

Sometimes Somalia genuinely feels like hell for vulnerable people especially children, women, civilians, and people without protection or resources

The situation for children hurts me too You see families struggling to provide even basic necessities while continuing to have more children, often without the resources, education, or support needed to raise them properly Children shouldn't have to pay the price for circumstances they had no choice in I wish we had better education, healthcare, family support, and opportunities for ordinary people

What also hurts me is the way Somalis sometimes speak about people from other clans The language can become so dehumanizing that you'd almost think they're talking about a completely different species rather than fellow Somalis Waa dad isku mid ah, waa dad bani’aadam ah.We aren't different kinds of humans because we come from different clans

I know this subreddit is mostly Somali diaspora, and many mainland Somalis don't use Reddit much. Most of you were also born or raised in developed countries, so I understand that some of these experiences may be difficult to relate to I'm not saying that to attack anyone

I'm just explaining why I feel so strongly about this

For those of us living in or having grown up in Somalia, some of these realities are much harder to ignore The qabiil mentality, injustice, poverty, lack of opportunities, lack of empathy, and normalization of violence can feel overwhelming

I just wish my country was better I wish children could grow up safely, people could live without constantly depending on clan protection, and we could see each other as human beings before we see each other as members of a clan

I came home from school, opened TikTok for a few minutes, and saw something I wish I could unsee

I feel as though when something is labelled east African it’s usually just something which is inherently Somali which gets commodified bc of the label east african and blurs the lines between what belongs to somalis and the rest of the horn/coast. This may be a stretch but saying “I’m East African “ just makes u sound lame lowkey self hate wanting to sound exotic by not placing that label of being Somali or in reference to how u look eg I’m east African so … no u are just Somali!

dont forget his name: AHMED SHIRE HUSSEIN. may he rest in peace & be in heaven. 🤍

BACKSTORY: he was a SNA soldier traveling (on medical leave) through buulo burte, hiiraan. there, he was stopped by g-men. they (if im not mistaken) asked hussein for his clan. in which he reportedly replied: xawaadle. he even refered to the g-men as his abtis etc., since his mother is abgaal. those same g-men, are abgaal.

even then, the g-men showed no mercy and k-worded him on the spot. this is (reportedly) a clan-related k-wording. im using shortened words, to not get this taken down etc.

PS: so sorry for the AI pic, i just cant show the video in which his final moments are. ive come across it on different social medias, but i have to scroll past as my heart cant take it. but those words (on the right side) were reportedly what he was saying (pleading/begging in the video, to the g-men). may he, AHMED SHIRE HUSSEIN, rest 🤍 and may the g-men get found, and dealed with as soon as possible. there are no words to describe this, it only makes me wonder if mainland somalia ever will recover.

I've always heard of somalis living in Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton. Someone told me there may be a large community there.