Knowledge Transfer from Highly-Skilled Somali Diaspora

 Abdulkadir Gure

'' I always wished to go back to Somalia to transfer the knowledge and skills I gained from Europe. Personally, I felt the CD4D programme is extremely rewarding, due to its challenging opportunities. The courses I was delivering at the Somali National University offered me multiple opportunities and I really loved delivering them as I found them an opportunity for both self-development and knowledge transfer’’

After the collapse of the central government in 1991, a large proportion of the Somali population spread out across the continents, with each year, bright and optimistic Somalis (mostly under the age of 30) leaving home to pursue higher education or search for a better economic life abroad for themselves and their families. Arguably, a majority of them never return home due to few opportunities in their home country. However, in recent years, many from the Somali diaspora have started to return home to contribute the re-building of the nation.

Through IOM's Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D) project, Mr Abdulkadir Gure (a Somali water expert) was assigned to contribute to the enhancement and strengthening of the capacity of the Somali National University (SNU) by transferring his knowledge, skills and experiences to the university's  Water Resources Management Department, particularly the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Science and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Husbandry.

The courses delivered by Mr. Gure were an opportunity for the students academically and for their future careers. SNU is tremendously satisfied by the cooperation with IOM  for the implementation of the program and is extremely pleased with the way Mr. Gure conducted his assignment while he was with SNU. The University found him to be a great resource and his passion for the subject was evident in the delivery of his lessons.

It is also important to mention that Mr. Gure has produced a variety of Somali maps with SNU's logo using the Geographic Information System (GIS) software to enhance SNU's visibility.

All in all, SNU students' understanding of water management greatly increased. This was made evident from the group discussions they took part in and presentations they had to deliver. However, without a good follow up strategy, the courses which were delivered  will resemble the harvesting of a big crop only to let it spoil out on the field.

He (Mr.Gure) has made an outstanding contribution during his attachment period. He has provided a technical advice and workshops, on assessing climate change impacts and adaptation in Somalia as the country has been alternating from droughts to floods for the past decades." __ Dr. Mohamed Rasheed, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Somali National University (SNU).