Champions of Change Blog

Fostering Diaspora Mobilization in Humanitarian Action and Beyond

One of my earliest memories as a child was seeing the weak bodies of Somali children displayed on television during the famine in 1991.  Twenty years later in the summer of 2011, I again witnessed these painful images. I am currently a first-year student law student deeply interested in international humanitarian law, human rights and global security. With the specter of death looming for East African children, my interest in studying the law and public health grew with urgency. These images galvanized me to act.

Back in 2009, I co-founded the organization Iftiin to provide mentorship and promote networking within the Somali-American community. Using this platform, I spearheaded efforts to mobilize a response to the East Africa famine. I reached out to my networks to raise awareness about the crisis and organized nation-wide fundraisers with other volunteers. Iftiin members reached out to aid groups, hospitals and experts in Southern Somalia to inform our fund-raising efforts, and learn of  avenues to reach vulnerable children. Together, we raised thousands of dollars and coordinated one of the first aid convoys inside extremist controlled territory. We also communicated with State Department staff who were proactive in engaging with Diaspora initiatives, and participated in conference calls hosted by the White House. Our efforts in strategizing with small non-profits and providing fund-raising tips to concerned communities throughout the Diaspora underscored how a small group of energetic people can have meaningful impact. Each of these local volunteers is a “Champion of Change”, and I am very honored to be representing our activism at the White House.

Bridging the Business Gap Between the U.S. and Africa

A little over four years ago, a few friends and I sat around the dining table drinking tea (classic activity in the home of most people of Kenyan origin).  As always, debate ensued around the state of affairs in Africa, and we touched on politics, education, health, AID, trade, AIDS, assembly plants, and tourism. After discussing business models that effectively bring about change in international trade, we determined that we needed a mechanism that could bridge the gaps in business between the US and Africa. Needless to say, our tea went cold as we contemplated what needed to be done!  After months of planning and advice, we established the Sub-Saharan Africa Chamber of Commerce, (SSACC, www.ssachamber.org). So here we are today thankful for all the champions who have supported the conversion of a problem statement into a solution that enables trade and investment between the US and Africa with strong ties that bring together over 1500 public and private institutions.

The question around why Africa didn’t seem a good business destination was raised continuously throughout our debate, and we recognized that we needed to change the lenses through which businesses looked at Africa, by telling Africa’s story and creating awareness around the bustling business community on the continent. 

Rarely when questioned would a business person describe Africa as the continent that yields a minimum of 8% Returns on Investment, has 85% cell phone penetration in some countries, develops innovative banking solutions such as MPESA in Kenya, boasts robust stock exchanges in Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi or that the origins of PayPal are in South Africa. An acknowledgement of overhauled governance structures as is seen in Rwanda, enhanced gender empowerment, and increased health and education access throughout Africa are usually distant thoughts. 

Many are not cognizant of the African designers working for the coveted Italian, French or even American branded lines using African leather and organic cotton, nor is there a realization of the state of the art manufacturing facilities all over the continent.  The burgeoning middle class with high buying power is always missed. It is the rare business person who will mention the 6-12 lane highways, a super successful FIFA 2010 in South Africa, large malls scattered throughout the continent, brain surgeries in state of the art hospitals, beautiful golf courses that attract many business people, African naval oranges and pineapples in our grocery stores, wholesome and variant meals, college students chatting on facebook, rich beer that has even the Germans wondering what they could do to augment their ale, vibrant cities with young entrepreneurs, ice skating rinks at hotels, rural life that doesn’t evoke tears. 

The tall cranes dotting the landscapes due to the density of construction that is going on throughout the continent don’t get mention.  Universities that have thousands of faculty who were either trained locally or abroad are usually overlooked as hubs of innovation and creativity, yet they are pumping out students that deck the halls of Ivy league colleges, World Bank, Wall Street, United Nations, biotech companies, Centers for Disease Control, and even NASA.