Fadumo and her doughter live in
the Mandeeq village with Somali hut made of shabby clothes and plastic sheets
who at present in desperate condition lacking all necessaties for life. she lost
both of her parents and lives with her aunt who also is a lone mother house hold
with eighty children.
With tears in her eyes she mentioned that her aunt was the breadwinner for their
family. Now, children and the whole family are remaining in a miserable
condition with no food, cloth etc.
It is hard to forget any achievement in one’s life, especially the people who
manage to make a difference in their society, and who change and improve the
lives of many others. Despite her young age, Fadumo Bihi, a double ambutee has
achieved more than many others have done in a life time.
At the age of 6yrs, Fadumo Bihi lost her two legs with a bomb explosion at her
Mandeq Village in Hargeisa. Fadumo’s parents were worried about the health
condition of her daughter’s disability. They took her in Somaliland
Rehabilitation Center -The only place of disability services is available in the
town. But, unluckily the case couldn’t be solved in the country therefore
doctors advised to send abroad to have further medical facilities. . Fadumo’s
parents were thankful to almighty Allah for the will and acceptance of their
daughters disability.
In abroad Fadumo was build artificial limbs to walk as normal person. Fadumo was
invited to participate an international conference on mine elimination which was
held at Switzerland in 1996. In that meeting Fadumo was real example of mine
victims. She was asked what she likes to do by the United Nations; she answered
bravely “I want to build a school at the same place where the mine exploded to
me”. The school was built by the United Nations and works probably serving the
needs for the community.
Today, more than 1200 students which came from poor families are the
beneficiaries of the Fadumo Bihi primary and intermediate school. The school has
13 teachers in both morning and afternoon shifts with less office equipment and
educational facilities. One latrine shared by all students and lack of
recreational centers characterized Fadumo Bihi’s students.
While 3 batches of students graduated upper primary school grade eight, few of
them able to join a higher school and still there is no any record of a single
student from Fadumo Bihi’s school managed to be university students, except
Fadumo who learnt a scholarship in her first year from Lucy University Colledge.
She always attended social activities in her school and never left out from
community functions. She is an active member of Community Education Committees
of her school.
Inspite of the challenges of having physical disability, Fadumo managed to live
a normal life, and yet be productive to her society. She attended to Lucy
University College and studying faculty of ICT with the help of enjoyable
university life. She had many friends, loved relating with them on every level.
She believes to succeed in this field despite her condition.Fadumo got married
and become mother of one child; she looks after her child in the morning and in
the afternoon, she starts 4 kilometers journey to the University in order to
fulfill her university day life education. Imagine being disabled, Mother and
Student who lives one of the poorest of the poor. Dear reader what goes through
your mind when you read this story? We Somali Landers who are luck enough to be
physically fit and have parents who support us financially possibly wouldn’t
understand what it feels like to be double amputee, mother and student. My
brothers and sisters of Somaliland, it is the time to set your own decisions and
helps Fadumo Bihi to turn her dreams in to reality and can lead an easy going
and better life. Knowing her physical limitations, she needs special car to lead
in her double life in terms of studying in the university and life at home with
her family.
Fadumo Bihi is an amazingly optimistic individual person, who has shining in
many aspects of her life despite her physical limitations. She represents a
motivational role model to ordinary people like us, proving that disability is
not inability. Truly, she is an asset to Somaliland community and an important
part of many people’s lives. May Allah keep Fadumo for her strong passion by
helping the neediest people through voluntary work.