Fadumo Dayib is a woman on a mission and she is ready to risk her life to achieve her dreams.
Once a Somali refugee, Fadumo has grand plans for her country as she runs to become Somalia’s first female president and she is undaunted by the odds that are against her. Having lived as a refugee for most of her life, Fadumo is not afraid of any kind of challenge. Her strong belief that she can one day become Somali’s first female president is proof of this.
Born to illiterate Somali parents in Kenya, Fadumo and her family were forcefully deported to Somalia. She became a refugee in Somalia after the civil war broke out, after which she had to move to Russia before settling down in Finland. She obtained a bachelor’s in nursing, and two master’s from a university in Finland. Fadumo also has a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard and is currently working on a Ph.D.
Aware of the risks inherent in her pursuit, Fadumo remains resilient. In an interview with NPR.org, she shares the reason why she is vying to become Somalia’s first female present;
“My mother lost 11 children. I am the first of her children to survive. And that means to me there is something much bigger than me being on this earth and doing other things. And so my children accept that. And when I was going to Mogadishu in January, I sat them down and I told them that I’m leaving you, but I’m not sure I might come back. And if I don’t, then you have to know that you are also expected to do this. When the day comes and you have the capability to do so, you must fight for democracy. We must not let evil overcome goodness. And they understand why we need to do this for Somalia because they share the love that I have for Somalia.”
You can read the full interview here.
