Inspirational Somali Woman from Cali Encouraging the Diaspora to Return and Build

[Inquisitive_]

You’re completely mistaken , there are ''plenty'' of Somali professional networks in the diaspora, many of which are thriving and often led by Gen Z and millennial professionals.

Just to name a few:

Global Somali Diaspora (GSD) A well-established global platform that regularly holds conferences and networking events across Europe, North America, and Africa.
https://global-somalidiaspora.com

SNABPI – Somali North American Business and Professional Incubator, recently held its national conference in the U.S. bringing together Somali-American professionals from various fields.

‘Not your typical networking event’: Somali professionals showcase talent at inaugural national conference

Somali North American Business and Professionals Inc. began mostly as a loose project in 2017 on Facebook. It quickly grew to become one of the most popular Facebook groups for Somalis. With more than 15,000 members, it has now officially transitioned from mainly having online interactions to...

sahanjournal.com

SPNEA – Somali Professional Network of East Africa (Kenya)


Somali Professionals Network – Australia

SomaliPN on Instagram: "Final Announcement! Brought to you by SomaliPN and Darusalam Society Inc, our NDIS Networking and Business Expo is happening TODAY! Join us for an amazing lineup of speakers and businesses that you won’t want to miss. Book

10 likes, 0 comments - somali_pn on June 21, 2024: "Final Announcement! Brought to you by SomaliPN and Darusalam Society Inc, our NDIS Networking and Business Expo is happening TODAY! Join us for an amazing lineup of speakers and businesses that you won’t want to miss. Book your tickets...

www.instagram.com

Somali Professionals – Canada

Somali Professionals on Instagram: "🚀 Meet the powerhouse speakers for our first panel discussion of the evening! 🎤 Munassar Ali – Engagement Manager, Automation @ IBM Consulting 🎤 Abdi Hersi – Director, Payment Strategy & Partnerships @ Wealthsimpl

35 likes, 0 comments - somaliprofessionals on February 13, 2025: "🚀 Meet the powerhouse speakers for our first panel discussion of the evening! 🎤 Munassar Ali – Engagement Manager, Automation @ IBM Consulting 🎤 Abdi Hersi – Director, Payment Strategy & Partnerships @ Wealthsimple 🎤 Zakaria...

www.instagram.com

In the UK, there are multiple specialized associations:
– British Somali Medical Association @TheBSMA
– British Somali Educators Association @bsomeducators
– Somali Lawyers Association (SLA) @Sla_network
– Association of Somali Engineers – UK LinkedIn

These aren’t just symbolic groups , many of their events are backed by Somali-owned businesses, banks, fintech firms, universities, and diaspora investors. They connect professionals across sectors and age groups and foster serious initiatives in entrepreneurship, education, healthcare, and tech.

So before making broad, defeatist claims like “we can’t even form a network,” maybe take a second to look around. The networks are there. The collaboration is happening. Just because you're not plugged in doesn't mean it doesn’t exist.

Instead of leaning into “we’re too individualistic” narrative, maybe ask yourself what role you could play in strengthening these networks , or better yet, join one.

I have never heard of them nor has anyone I have asked and looking at the links you posted the last tweet was last year with incredibly meagre following, views and zero engagements, no updates whatsoever, not a single worthwhile project that benefits Somalis done or even claimed.

The website still references 2024, you yourself didn't know about them until you just googled it to respond to me.

Looking around can't see any significant achievements made or claimed, just high ticket priced endless conferences, typical money making schemes, I can post you a 100 of these.

Look as I said to you before, I really admire your optimism in fact I am in awe of it knowing the indefensible position your trying to defend.

My post is not about defeatism, although it appears so, but this is how you talk to a people steeped in false arrogance and pride, you give them the bitter truth and shame them, it's the only way you can illicit action, self reflection and hopefully change from them.

Your post gives the false impression that everything is going really well, and what worries me most is that your not cognisant of the existential danger we are really in as a country, which I have discussed many times and you was unable to counter, but of course your hopium posts sells better.

 

[Idilinaa]

I have never heard of them nor has anyone I have asked and looking at the links you posted the last tweet was last year with incredibly meagre following, views and zero engagements, no updates whatsoever, not a single worthwhile project that benefits Somalis done or even claimed.

The website still references 2024, you yourself didn't know about them until you just googled it to respond to me.

Looking around can't see any significant achievements made or claimed, just high ticket priced endless conferences, typical money making schemes, I can post you a 100 of these.

Look as I said to you before, I really admire your optimism in fact I am in awe of it knowing the indefensible position your trying to defend.

My post is not about defeatism, although it appears so, but this is how you talk to a people steeped in false arrogance and pride, you give them the bitter truth and shame them, it's the only way you can illicit action, self reflection and hopefully change from them.

Your post gives the false impression that everything is going really well, and what worries me most is that your not cognisant of the existential danger we are really in as a country, which I have discussed many times and you was unable to counter, but of course your hopium posts sells better.

You haven’t heard of them because you’ve never looked for them. That’s not a reflection of their nonexistence , it’s a reflection of your passivity. These organizations aren’t going to knock on your door. If you’re not actively engaged or curious, of course you’ll remain unaware.

Frankly, this isn’t the first time you’ve dismissed something without checking. In another thread, you confidently claimed Somali conglomerates like Hormuud weren’t investing in renewables and that prices remain high among other things, I directly showed that wasn’t true. You didn’t acknowledge the correction, you just went quiet, only to resurface later and recycle the same defeatist narrative. That’s not critical thinking , that’s intellectual dishonesty, or worse, an emotional grudge disguised as “realism.”


As for the Global Somali Diaspora (GSD), yes , their last major conference was in 2024, and like every year, the 2025 one is set for September. That’s why the website reflects the last event.

If you had taken even five minutes to explore it , you’d see they’ve hosted conferences and initiatives since 2011. They’re not a “money scheme” , they’re a platform coordinating diaspora efforts globally, including resource mobilization, investment matchmaking..

and even emergency response campaigns (like their El Niño fundraiser for 2022–2023 which mobilized millions). This is all covered in their project pages.

And this isn’t just about GSD. In my original post, I listed ''multiple'' active Somali professional networks across the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and Kenya. Many of them , like SNABPI in the U.S. , are fully Gen Z and millennial-led and have thousands of participants.

SNABPI, for example, has 30,000 registered professionals across North America and has held multiple national conferences since 2017. Yet you dismiss all of this because they don’t have a huge Instagram or Twitter following? That’s a shallow metric for impact , most real networking and collaboration happens offline.

‘Not your typical networking event’: Somali professionals showcase talent at inaugural national conference

Somali North American Business and Professionals Inc. began mostly as a loose project in 2017 on Facebook. It quickly grew to become one of the most popular Facebook groups for Somalis. With more than 15,000 members, it has now officially transitioned from mainly having online interactions to...

sahanjournal.com

And this also not a money making scheme that sells high tickets, its all non-profit and volunteer based.

And much like GSD they have actual projects where they mobilize funds , connect organizations/businesses and workshops they set up.

What they are in actuality are nonprofit organizations that takes talents from around the world and connects them to emerging markets, and provides knowledge exchange, capacity building, research and seed money to Somali startups and businesses.

You also keep mischaracterizing my position. Nowhere did I say “everything is going great.” I’m pointing to what ''is'' being done, to show that the picture isn’t as one dimensional as you make it seem. Recognizing success doesn’t mean denying problems. But your strategy seems to be doomposting until someone cries , and then claiming that’s the only way to “wake people up.”

Let’s be real, shame and cynicism aren’t what built Somali resilience , cooperation, trust, and initiative are. If you genuinely care about Somalia’s trajectory, then challenge yourself to contribute or collaborate. Otherwise, at least stop standing in the way of those who are.

 

[Aseer]

This part here about the seed sector is very important. Because it show's you how Somalia is self-reliant and making agricultural innovations and rapid technological adoptions.

That Cali girl that you showed benefited immensely from seed distribution networks and local agricultural markets. Thats how she can quickly set up farmland and production in places like Lascaanod.


Just to elaborate more on whats mentioned here. In Somalia, agricultural growth is entirely private-sector driven , with local seed companies, farmers’ cooperatives, and diaspora-funded ventures leading the charge.
View attachment 361212

For example: In Somalia, 12+ private seed companies like Filsan and HornAgro are supplying hybrid maize and improved pasture crop seeds. In contrast, many African countries still depend on government parastatals or foreign NGOs for inputs.
View attachment 361213

Another difference i've found from my research is that indigenous knowledge guides farming, not donor playbooks.

Elsewhere in Africa, large-scale agricultural planning often follows donor-led blueprints or World Bank-style policies that may not align with local realities.

Somali farmers and pastoralists rely on centuries of ecological adaptation, water management, and crop-livestock balancing strategies that are context-specific and field-tested.

These companies are strategically located to serve diverse agro-ecological zones. They respond to actual farmer demand, unlike one-size-fits-all aid models.


Somalia's farmers serve commercial and export markets:

In much of Africa, farmers are locked into subsistence farming due to lack of market access, infrastructure, or poor pricing structures.

Where as in Somalia, despite infrastructure challenges, farmers grow for:

- Local urban markets

- Export demand

- Diaspora funded-trade chains

Even forage crops for pastoralists (like Berseem and grass) are being produced commercially, which is rare across much of the continent. An estimated 25% of Somalia’s farmers are pastoralists whose livestock requires access to quality pasture crops, which are also propagated from seed.

Driven by flexible innovation and rapid technological adoption:

In Somalia , private actors are quick to adopt:

- Solar-powered irrigation

- Drip systems

- Hybrid seed varieties

- Mobile banking for ag-financing

In contrast, in many African countries, farmers wait for government programs or NGO pilots to test new methods.


What makes this even more significant is that Somalis had to build this from the ground up through trial and error. Since the looting and destruction of Somali seed banks occurred during the collapse 91.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1993/01/30/somali-seed-banks-have-been-looted/c0c4deb7-50aa-4a05-9fb1-26e44231e18d/

Since then major advancements have been made. Now Somalia has a wide variety of local seeds and advanced ones adapted to their local climates and ecology. Lead by CSET and HornAgro who are being pushed by market momentum to introduce advanced, stress-resistant varieties.

Backed by support for crop research trials, these firms aren’t just retailers , they’re becoming key players in local R&D.

TDLR:

-This shows that Somalia’s agricultural sector is modernizing from within, not through top-down aid dependency.

- Pastoralists and farmers are beginning to access high-yield, stress-resistant seed varieties, increasing food security, resilience, and potential for surplus production , a critical factor for both domestic food supply and rural incomes

- It reflects a broader truth: Somalia’s private sector , even in agriculture , is quietly evolving into a major economic driver.

- This story reframes Somalia not as a place of despair, but as a hub of adaptation, agronomic knowledge, and market-driven recovery.

Most of the rivers in the north are seasonal do you reckon they can be made perrenial and be utilised for agriculture? Either that or tapping into groundwater reserves also seems like a good option to help support agriculture in the lands.