Ali Hussein Ahmed

  Every few years, headlines announce devastating droughts in the Horn of Africa. Crops fail, livestock die, millions require humanitarian assistance, and governments appeal for international aid. However, why do droughts continue to return ? Is it simply bad luck, or are deeper environmental, economic, and political factors at play ? The Horn of Africa is among the most susceptible areas in the world, with the countries of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.  Drought has grown from being a local and seasonal farming problem into a worldwide crisis that has significant environmental, social, and economic impacts. It now occurs on about 40% of the world's land surface and is becoming more common and severe, and the area affected has doubled since 1900. More than a third of all disaster-related deaths are caused by drought, and the average economic loss from a drought has more than doubled since 2000. Meanwhile, agriculture, which uses approx...

 Samsun, the beauty of the Black Sea, stands for Türkiye civilization and natural richness. The city is also famous for as it is the beginning place of Turkish War of Independence where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived on May 19, 1919, to start the independence battle of what today known as Republic of Türkiye.  The city has so many historical sites as it is the home of some ancient civilizations including the Pontics, Romans, and Byzantines. During the medieval period, the Seljuks and Ottomans left their mark with beautiful mosques and historic buildings. In this blog, I will share with you some historical sites that I have paid visits since I came here. It is a great honor and experience for me to be witnessed and see these extraordinary places where so many tourists come to see and experience the long history and preserved for so many years. The Atatürk Monument locally knows as Onur Aniti is the one and most iconic of Samsun's historical landmarks and symbol of modern Turkis...

On October 14, 2025, I traveled from Somalia — my very first flight. It was a new experience and a life-changing step forward. It’s never easy to leave your country, your family, your friends, and the people who have always been part of your daily life. It was emotional, even heavy at times, but I was full of ambition and excitement for this new chapter. Around 5:40 a.m., I left home for the airport. I went through many checks before reaching my flight counter. After passing the visa and boarding pass desks and completing passport control, I finally sat down and ordered a cup of coffee. It felt like everything was finally falling into place — I was moments away from beginning this long-awaited journey. While sipping my coffee, I thought to myself, “This might be the last one before everything changes.” I finished it, paid the bill, and headed to the boarding gate. A girl from Kenya, as I guessed, started a short conversation with me — a small but nice moment before takeoff. After an...

  Yesterday, June 26th, marked a special day — the anniversary of the Northern region of Somalia gaining independence from British colonial rule. To celebrate this important day and enjoy the beautiful weather, my friend and I decided to explore the historic sites of Hamarweyne, one of the oldest districts in Mogadishu. Press enter or click to view image in full size It was my first time visiting these historic places, and I was genuinely amazed. As we walked through the narrow alleyways, old stone buildings, and ancient mosques, I felt like I had stepped back in time. Every corner of Hamarweyne tells a story — stories of trade, culture, resistance, and resilience. The scent of the sea mixed with the aroma of traditional Somali foods being cooked in nearby homes gave the whole area a nostalgic and welcoming feel. When we first arrived, we stopped to grab cappuccinos from a well-known street vendor in the area — a small but famous corner spot that locals love. The coffee was rich an...

Yesterday afternoon, I and two of my colleagues were leaving from the work. At the time we were coming out of the office, each one of us had his plan of going home. We reached where it was supposed to take the Bajaj, one of us stopped by conversing with another friend. I and the other friend talked separately and said, “what if we have coffee and take time?” I said, “great, let’s have coffee together”. Our third friend reached out to us and apparently, we informed him that we have going to have coffee there. She smiled and said, “I have to be with you”. It was cool to hear that. That friend was special to me because I am very interested in his conversation and his jokes. We reached the top of Banadir Mall, Lyton Coffee. At the moment we had our seats, we were captivated by the incredible atmosphere. It was truly amazing. There were no more crowds. Couples were sitting around us. They also having their best time at there.    Also, we had. I started to think about what is more...

  Aniga iyo Qoraalka “Qalinkaa wax suureeya Kugu sima halkaad doonto Saaxiib kal furan weeye Sunto fara-ku-hayntiisa Weligaa ha sii deynin” Badaha qoraalka waxaa ugu tun weyn labada badood: Qoraal akadeemig ah iyo mid farsamo ( non-academic writing ). Waa marka aan ka eegno dhanka qabdhismeedka, se siyaalo badan oo kale ayaa qoraalka loo kala saaraa, iyadoo ay ku xirantahay ujeedka laga leeyahay. Waxaa ka mid ah qoraal wax lagu soo bandhigayo, mid wax looga raaridayo qofka, iyo mid wax lagu werinayo. Qoraalku waa xujo. Waa xujo qofka lagu xujeysto in uu garaadkiisa shiilo, kadibna uu weel ku shubo sidaasna dadka u hordhiga. Qoraalku is isku mid ah dadka uma saameeyo. Dadka qaar waa la koraan, sida Geoge Orwell uu ku sheegay buuggiisa Why I Write . Dadka qaar waxa ay wax u qoraal si aan dareen ku lammaaneyn. Qaar ayaa u qora madadaallo iyo marxalad ku mood. Qaar ayaa u qora si ay kaga bogsadaan xaalad ay markaas la tacaalayaan. Qaar ayaa jecleysta xanuunka maskaxeed e...

  Falling in love with someone whom you cannot find is like wandering a vast desert and searching for a flower. A painful and tearful moment I have gone through took me to the last stage; to write down my tears into words. There have been days I thought to tell you how truly I loved you, but an inner voice held me back, cautioning against uttering such foolish words that might disrupt your feelings and may drive you away from me. I silenced all my emotions so as not to lose you or drift far away from me. I suppressed myself and my inner emotions. It was hard to control such a temper that had love feelings. I did everything to conceal any feelings that would reveal my love for you. The only goal I had was to see you smiling, coming and going being happy. I want you to be happy all the time; that's all I wanted. I am sorry to tell you that you took from me the best thing I had ever. I am sorry that these words are coming into your mind and feel sorrow about this. I am sorry that it...