The Contribution of Women to Peace and Reconciliation

INTERVIEW WITH
SHUKRIA DINI, NAIROBI
I was born in 1969 and grew up in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. It
used to be such a beautiful and peaceful city where I could visit my cous -
ins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents. I grew up with my extended family
and felt fortunate to be surrounded by a large family. I lost my mother
when I was four years old. My father was in prison, and so my grandparents
became my caregivers. My father, grandparents and my other
extended family were a strong sources of strength in my childhood. I
was very fortunate to have the care and love of my extended family.
My grandmothers were great storytellers and they told me many inter -
esting tales. Older generations tell stories to their young generations to
pass on wisdom and family values. The stories that my grandmothers
told me as a young girl are a precious treasure, and I will pass them on
to my children one day.
I attended primary and secondary schools in Mogadishu and had many
friends. On my first day to school, it was my grandfather Dini who held
my hand and accompanied me since my father was in prison. I cried my
eyes out because I did not want him to leave me behind at the school.
Even though I was too young to understand the importance of education,
my grandfather told me about its importance. He understood the
essence of education for a young girl like me. Today I feel indebted to
him and grateful that he instilled in me a love for education. My grandfather
was a unique man indeed because, he took his granddaughter to
her first day in school, which inspired and energized me to obtain higher
education. Until his eighties, he was a nurse by profession; nursing was
and still is a male dominated profession in Somalia. He worked in a big
hospital in the city of Beledweyne, in Hiiraan region. He was and still is
my hero and a great role model, although he passed on more than two
decades ago, just before the start of the conflict. He was also a farmer
and loved farming and nature. My grandfather was kind man and he
loved helping people.
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