Somali refugees hope to build community center

Date: 5/5/2009

By Lori Szepelak

Correspondent



SPRINGFIELD -- Yasmin Ahmed and Nasra Ali have a dream -- to build a community center in the city as a meeting and educational site for Somali refugees.

Their dream came to light on the evening of April 27 at an informative lecture, hosted by the Women's Leadership Network (WLN), at NUVO Bank & Trust Company at Tower Square.

Both Ahmed and Ali have worked tirelessly for several years to help fellow Somali refugees assimilate into life in Western Massachusetts.

Their roles as coordinators of the Somali Women's Project, also known as "Walaloo," sound daunting but they are committed to empowering Somali women and teenage girls by linking their arts and talents with groups and organizations in the Pioneer Valley. Walaloo means "sister" in the Somali language.

"If we can do it, you can too" is their motto as they canvas neighborhoods of Somali refugees on a regular basis.

Ali noted during the networking lecture session that refugees "miss the weather, the people and their culture."

"Women break down and cry and we hug and cry with each other," Ahmed added.

Since Ali too understands their situation, she tries to help them find ways to keep their culture and values alive as well as how to learn and thrive from western culture. During the past six years, more than 100 Somali refugee families have resettled in the Greater Springfield area.

Carla Oleska, Ph.D., executive director of the Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts (WFWM), praised both women for their dedication and commitment to the Somali Women's Project, now in its fourth year. Oleska is also on the board of directors of the WLN.

"The Somali Women's Project is one of the most successful projects we've funded," Oleska said during her opening remarks.

"The WFWM sees the Somali Women's Project as a wonderful example of a collaborative approach to improving the lives of an entire community by investing in the activities and projects of the women of the community," Oleska said. "It is also a great example of collaborative efforts across all types of boundaries -- the project has brought together the efforts of religious groups, human service organizations, the New WORLD Theater at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and community volunteers."

Oleska noted that the project also improves the lives of a community by building upon its own culture and arts, and the arts collaborative project through New WORLD Theater has grown into a collaborative business endeavor.

"The Somali Women's Project has used creativity and the arts to also bring healing to women who have had horrific experiences, and those experiences were turned into a powerful tool of strength through the Somali Women's major performance," Oleska added.

Last November, an original theater presentation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst titled Shekadii Walaalo, Sister-Story, featured the Pioneer Valley's Somali community in a vibrant evening of dance, music, storytelling, poetry and video.

In addition to neighborhood visits and weekly meetings with Somali women at 250 Albany St., Ahmed and Ali have set their sights on working with teenage Somali girls to educate and guide them on their future.

"We want to reach teenage girls now and show them they can become someone, instead of being forced into marriage by their parents at an early age," Ali said.

Both women explained that in Somalia, teenage girls are either "married off" or are encouraged to complete their education depending on the will of the girl's parents.

The WLN meets quarterly at locations throughout the region. Upcoming meetings include June 9 at Elms College, Chicopee, where a round table discussion is planned on local community problems and politics, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

"The WLN is purposely designed for women to stay connected without having to assume major responsibilities," Oleska said. "Women are able to attend whichever of the gatherings fit their schedule and/or whose topic appeals to them."

Oleska added that the WLN is creating a giving circle which enables individuals to choose a focus for philanthropy whose strength lies in the model of combining one's giving with other women who have a similar interest.