u/MurkyLevel8420

One thing I’ve noticed about this Reddit community: I’m genuinely not trying to be the Reddit police. I appreciate the support—the upvotes, comments, shares, messages, and people engaging with my posts. Seriously. But at this point, I’m starting to wonder if I should just start gatekeeping some of the information I’m sharing, and I really don’t want to do that. My entire reason for creating this Reddit account was to help a brother out. I had Reddit years ago, deleted my account, and honestly had no intention of coming back until I discovered this community. After seeing the discussions here, I felt obligated to create an account and contribute. I’m not here to make up stories, advertise myself, or post BS. Everything I’ve been sharing is public. You can literally click on my profile, look at my posts and comments, and see everything I’ve written since I created this account. I have nothing to hide. I even posted short-term vs. long-term land investment specifically because I wanted to test a theory. That post got plenty of shares, and I understand why—I’m trying to provide information that actually has value.

But this is exactly what I’m talking about: can we make this Reddit more organized and more valuable? If you have a question, ask it. If you disagree with someone, debate them. If you have information that adds to the conversation, contribute it. That’s literally what Reddit is supposed to be. If we want this community to actually become a valuable place where people can learn about Somaliland, invest, build businesses, discover opportunities, and help each other, then we all have to participate. I’m not asking everyone to agree with me; I’m asking people to engage constructively. Some of the information I’m sharing is information I could simply keep to myself. I could use it before everyone else realizes the opportunity exists, but I’ve deliberately chosen to share it because I want all of us to win. I’m already in a position where I’m doing well, but I’m not going to stop learning. I’m going to keep evolving, improving, gaining experience, and becoming more knowledgeable. I’m a student of life. At the same time, some of you genuinely need to wake up and recognize the opportunities around you. Nobody is coming to save you. I can’t save you. I can give you information, share what I’ve learned, point out opportunities, and tell you what I’m seeing on the ground, but ultimately, you have to take action yourself.

I’ll also be putting up a poll soon with different subjects, and I genuinely want people to vote on what they want to see discussed here because I really want this Reddit to become something valuable. So please—cooperate, engage, ask questions, share information, debate respectfully, and contribute. I’m not trying to be the Reddit police. I’m simply saying that if the community doesn’t want to engage and make this place better, eventually I’m going to stop putting so much energy into sharing information. Not because I don’t have more to say, but because I’m not going to exhaust myself trying to build something that nobody else wants to help build. Let’s make this community valuable.

For the past three months, I’ve mostly been observing this Reddit instead of posting my thoughts right away. I wanted to understand the community first before making any conclusions. During that time, I’ve seen a lot of great discussions, genuine questions, and thoughtful posts that made me stop and think. I’ve also seen plenty of posts that, in my opinion, don’t really add much value. I’m not saying this to act like the Reddit police because that’s not my intention at all. I’m just wondering if we can be a little more organized about the kind of conversations we want to have. Over the past couple of months, many of you have supported my posts with comments, shares, and discussions, and I’m genuinely grateful for that. I’m not asking anyone to post like me or agree with me. What I’m hoping for is a community where people share ideas, ask meaningful questions, challenge one another respectfully, and post things that make the rest of us learn something new. Whether it’s business, engineering, agriculture, history, infrastructure, education, technology, or experiences from the diaspora, those are the kinds of conversations that can help all of us grow.

One thing I’ve learned after spending nearly two months in Somaliland is that real progress starts with good conversations. We have people here from different backgrounds with different skills and experiences, so why not make better use of that? Instead of only reacting to whatever is happening that day, why don’t we start discussing solutions, sharing projects we’re working on, asking for advice from people with experience, or helping each other solve real problems? I plan on creating a poll soon so everyone can suggest topics they’d like to see discussed regularly. I think that would make this community even stronger. I also know not everyone will agree with everything I post, and that’s perfectly fine. Different opinions are healthy as long as they’re respectful. Now that I’m back in the United States after my trip to Somaliland, I’ve had time to reflect on everything I experienced, and one thing I keep coming back to is that strong communities are built by people who contribute something of value. That’s all I’m encouraging here. Let’s continue building a Reddit page that people visit because they know they’ll leave having learned something they didn’t know before.

Please Upvote if you made this far :)

I honestly don't even know where to begin. Before I came here, my uncle kept telling me, "You have to see it for yourself." Every time I talked about visiting Somaliland after being away for nearly a decade, he would say the same thing. At the time, I understood what he meant, but now, after spending nearly two months here, I can finally say I truly understand it. Over the past several weeks, I've written 18 posts about everything I've experienced, and every single one came from something I personally saw, experienced, or thought about while living here. Some people agreed with me, others disagreed, and that's completely fine. My goal was never to convince everyone to think the way I do. It was simply to share the reality that I experienced with my own eyes. My intention was never to paint Somaliland in a bad image. If that had been my goal, I could have spent every day recording only negative things, posting only the worst parts, and ignoring everything else. Instead, I chose to write honestly about both the positives and the challenges because I believe you can't truly love a place if you're afraid to talk about the things that need to improve. This is home. I met hardworking people who wake up every morning trying to earn an honest living, spoke with people from different backgrounds, spent time with family I hadn't seen in years, and saw just how much potential this country has. I also witnessed the everyday struggles that many people don't see from abroad: unemployment, rising living costs, weak infrastructure in some areas, and how difficult life can be for families simply trying to get by. Seeing our housekeeper almost become a victim of robbery, watching young children ask strangers for help, and hearing the stories of people trying to build a better future reminded me that these aren't statistics—they're real people living real lives. Even when I tried to contribute in a small way by arranging to have a road cleaned with a bulldozer, the negotiations became far more complicated than I expected. It was another reminder that, as someone from the diaspora, people will often see you as an opportunity. At first, that frustrated me, but eventually I accepted that this was part of the reality I was experiencing. Rather than let it consume me, I chose to learn from it and move forward. Every experience, whether good or bad, taught me something I couldn't have learned by watching YouTube videos, scrolling through social media, or reading articles online.

If there's one lesson I hope people take away from everything I've written, it's this: perspective can completely change the direction of your life. Coming here made me appreciate opportunities that I had started taking for granted. It reminded me that nobody is coming to save you. You have to prepare yourself, learn valuable skills, build multiple sources of income, and take advantage of the opportunities you already have while they're still in front of you. One of the strongest impressions I came away with is that you have to take responsibility for your own future. Too often, I felt that many people in positions of influence were more focused on their own interests than on solving the everyday problems ordinary citizens face. Whether you agree with me or not, that's the conclusion I reached after spending nearly two months here. At the same time, I also believe every generation will one day be judged by the choices it makes, including ours. Complaining alone won't build roads, create jobs, lower prices, or improve people's lives. The next generation has a responsibility to think differently, prepare differently, and build differently. To everyone in the diaspora, my advice is simple: stop underestimating the opportunities you already have. Build your future while you have access to education, stable institutions, and resources that millions of people around the world would love to have. Then come back to Somaliland—not because you think you'll fix every problem, but because you'll understand your home in a way that no screen can ever teach you. Observe, listen, ask questions, meet people, and make your own conclusions. You may leave with more questions than answers, but I promise you'll leave with a different perspective. I know I did. When I board my flight back to the United States, I'll be taking much more than souvenirs and memories with me. I'll be taking lessons that will shape the rest of my life, and for that, I'll always be grateful that I came back to see Somaliland for myself.

Please Upvote if you made it to the end :)

Once again, I think some people are getting confused by what I've been posting because I'm simply telling you guys the reality of what I've experienced. I've been here for over a month and three weeks, and I'll be departing very soon. Like I said in my previous post, I'll make one last post once I'm leaving, but this isn't that one. I just felt like writing this. I know it may sound cliché or not make sense to everyone, but if you're part of the diaspora, which I've stressed over and over in my previous posts, you have to take advantage of the resources you already have. This is something I genuinely believe. You cannot save everybody. I can't save you, and nobody else can save you. You have to save yourself. I also hope some of the people reading this are above the age of 19 because some people don't fully understand what I'm trying to say. Someone even asked me how old I was. You have to prepare yourself. This place is a paradise, and I've said that many times. If you have multiple sources of income and you're not paying inflated rent, you can live comfortably here. I've already written about the rent prices, land hoarding, and why, if you're diaspora, people often see you as an opportunity. Create a schedule, prepare yourself, learn a high-value skill, and stop playing around. AI is already taking a lot of jobs, so don't waste the opportunities you have.

Also, be grateful for what you already have. If you saw the recent news, even though it has nothing to do with Somaliland, ask yourself why Turkey decided not to allow Somalia into its visa-free program while allowing other African countries. Turkey made that decision because it didn't want a large influx of people, and that's their right because it's their country. Meanwhile, people are risking their lives, some are losing hope, and there are so many issues and challenges, yet some people stay completely fixated on Somaliland. That should tell you something. If you're looking for an opportunity, take advantage of the resources you already have. I already got my priorities in order, and that's one of the reasons I was able to come back to the motherland, Somaliland. Being here has completely changed my life. I'm literally on the ground witnessing everything I've been writing about. Once I return to the U.S., my priorities won't change. I plan to build income that works for me so I can come back here whenever I want with my American passport, fill out the e-visa, Since the expired government of Hassan Sheikh Mohamued, which is currently in office because their mandate expired on May 15th, because they are trying to project power that like they control a country which they don't, and this is something that I will talk about on a different day, why they even decided to do this e-visa. and stay here without worrying about clocking in and clocking out because my money is working for me. Yes, I believe this place is a paradise even though I can't fix the whole country. I'm also sorry that unemployment is so high and the cost of living keeps going up. No wonder our housekeeper was almost robbed—that environment pushes some people into desperate situations. Once again, the theme of this post is simple: stop playing around, appreciate the resources you already have, and use them while you still can. If you truly want your life to change, spend at least two months here. I know that sounds like a long time, but it goes by fast. That's when your brain starts to realize, "Wow, I really do have opportunities that I wasn't taking advantage of.

If some of you are planning on coming here in August, or this month, sometime next year, or whenever life gives you the opportunity, these are things I genuinely recommend bringing with you. First and foremost, get proper shoes. I cannot stress that enough. Good shoes, even safety or warehouse-style shoes, will save your feet because some roads, paths, and areas can be rough, uneven, and full of rocks. Bring plenty of socks, shirts, hygiene products, shaving equipment, and things you're already familiar with using. If you have asthma, diabetes, or any condition that requires medication, please do the math and bring enough medication for however long you plan on staying because it's better to have too much than not enough. If you're bringing gifts for relatives, obviously bring them, but be realistic unless your entire family is coming and you're bringing multiple suitcases like we did. Also, if you're coming from the US or Europe and use an international phone carrier, be careful because roaming charges will destroy your wallet. In my case, keeping my American number active for daily use simply wasn't worth it, so getting a local line made much more sense. My recommendations are simple:

• Proper shoes or safety shoes.
• Plenty of socks and shirts.
• Hygiene products and shaving equipment.
• Medication for your entire stay.
• Gifts for relatives if you plan on bringing them.
• A local SIM card instead of relying on expensive roaming.
• An open mind and willingness to learn.
• Plenty of Colgate and floss and tongue scraper

Most importantly, come here to observe, learn, network, appreciate what you have, and reflect on your life. Look around, pay attention, familiarize yourself with the routes and how things work because this is your home too. Everybody has problems, distractions, and responsibilities, but experiences like this can genuinely change your perspective. If you've been following my posts, keep following them because a lot of what I've written will make much more sense once you're physically here seeing things with your own eyes. By the time many of you come here, I'll probably already be gone, but before I leave I plan on making a longer post about everything I've experienced and learned while being here. No YouTube video, article, or social media clip can fully prepare you for it. When you go back to the West or wherever you're from, you may find yourself appreciating opportunities more, feeling more motivated, or even changing the direction of your life completely.

If you remember the post I made a couple of days ago, "Future You Will Either Thank You or Hate You (Act Now, No Joke)," I recommend reading that first because this post builds on it. It got buried at first because so many people posted around the same time, but it's finally picking up thanks to everyone who's been voting. Like I said in that post, becoming more self-sufficient is one of the smartest things you can do. I'm not trying to sell anyone solar panels—in fact, I haven't even bought mine yet because I'm handling my priorities first. But after seeing how people rely on gas cylinders here, I know that's the direction I'm going. Before coming here, I only heard about gas shortages on the news during international conflicts. I never expected that buying, emptying, and exchanging gas cylinders would be part of everyday life here. My goal is to switch to solar, use an electric stove, and rely less on systems that can easily become more expensive or harder to access.

These aren't made-up stories—I'm sharing what I'm actually experiencing on the ground. If you've read my previous posts, then you already know I've talked about how Hargeisa is becoming more expensive, almost like it's trying to compete with major cities despite having many challenges that still need to be addressed. I've also written about the weak purchasing power of the Somaliland shilling, why so many people rely on USD, and the inequality that exists. That's exactly why I keep saying to think long-term and become as self-sufficient as possible. Read my previous post if you haven't already, because it all connects. Ten years from now, don't be surprised if the people who prepared early are the ones benefiting the most while everyone else is wondering where the opportunity went.

As I’ve written throughout my journey here, being in the motherland has been a roller coaster. There have been amazing moments, difficult moments, and lessons that no YouTube video or news article could have prepared me for. Today was one of those moments. While sitting in the car, a young girl, probably around eight years old, came asking for help. Without even thinking twice, I was about to give her around 50,000 Somaliland shillings. To me, that amount is very small, but to her it could have meant food for the day or something to share with her family. Before I could hand it to her, my aunt immediately grabbed the money out of my hand, became upset, and started yelling. I stayed quiet because I respect my relatives, whether they’re from my mother’s side or my father’s side, and I didn’t want to ruin my reputation and put it on the line and create unnecessary drama or disrespect. But inside, my blood was boiling. I couldn’t understand why someone would get angry over a small act of kindness, especially when it was my own money that I had earned.

I understand the reality of the country because I’ve been writing about it for weeks now. Unemployment is high, jobs are limited, people are hustling every day just to survive, and many families depend on one another. I’ve seen street vendors working from morning until night, I’ve seen people trying to build honest lives, even our housekeeper nearly being robbed while walking home. That's the reality many families face every day. My aunt herself receives financial support from my grandfather because he understands how difficult the economy is and wants to help his children. So if we all recognize these hardships, That’s exactly why I wanted to help that little girl. I’m grateful that I spent years putting myself in a position where I have multiple sources of income because that didn’t happen overnight—it took years of discipline and sacrifice. The amount I wanted to give was only around the equivalent of seven U.S. dollars to me, but it could have meant much more to that little girl. This isn’t really about the amount of money—it made me think about why some relatives feel entitled to control money they didn’t earn. Has anyone else experienced something like this, either back home or even in the diaspora? I’d genuinely like to hear your perspective.

First and foremost, I want to talk about my experience last night. I went to the supermarket after not going for a while, and it was busy in the best possible way. The weather was cooler, people were outside enjoying their evening, games were on, businesses were open, and most importantly people were hustling, working, and trying to make an honest living. While I was there, I met all kinds of people. I met Arabs, Ethiopians who spoke Somali fluently, locals, diaspora, and people from Somalia who live and work here. I spoke with some of them and asked about their experiences, their thoughts on taxes since it has been trending lately, and their opinions about life here in general. I genuinely enjoyed hearing their perspectives. One thing stood out to me more than anything else: nobody was bothering anybody. The person from Somalia told me his family lives there while he works here, and nobody was harassing him or giving him problems. He was simply working, earning an honest living, and supporting himself like everyone else. I even plan on getting his contact information next time I go because I respect hardworking people and I would like to support him.

That experience reminded me of something I want every Somali reading this to think about, whether you're from Somaliland, Somalia, or somewhere else entirely. More specifically Somalia citizens and online keyboard warriors that goes by "Unity / Midnimo" . Unity died a long time ago, people lost their lives, and there was never a proper truth commission or accountability process to heal those wounds. Because of that history, I genuinely believe Somaliland should stop being used as a scapegoat or the target of unnecessary hostility, harassment, or economic pressure. Whatever political disagreements exist, the reality I am seeing on the ground is very different from what I sometimes see online. People feel safe here. People travel across Somaliland peacefully. Syrian Arabs, Ethiopians, Taiwanese, Europeans, Americans, and Somalis from Somalia all live and work here. People support each other, help each other, and focus on building their lives. Yes, Somaliland has serious problems, challenges, and issues — I've written extensively about them myself — but open hostility between ordinary people is not one of them. As Muslims, we should not be wishing harm, failure, or suffering on fellow Muslims because of anger, jealousy, politics, or historical grievances. I am a proud Somaliland citizen, a member of the diaspora, and a businessman, and one thing I will always stand for is respect, dignity, peace, and allowing people to work and live without harassment. That is the Somaliland I have seen with my own eyes while being on the ground, and I believe that reality deserves to be acknowledged.

This is something I want every diaspora or Local reading this to think about, whether you're from Somaliland, Somalia, or anywhere else, but especially the diaspora. What I'm noticing as someone with a business mindset is that more companies are starting to dominate certain sectors, and prices keep climbing higher and higher. During the summer months especially, June, July, and August, housing prices and rental prices seem to become whatever people decide they want them to be because diaspora returning home become a major source of demand. You're not just a customer; you're an opportunity. That's one of the reasons I genuinely recommend that if you're diaspora and have the ability to do so, consider buying land sooner rather than later. Make sure the land is properly registered, make sure the paperwork is secure, and handle all the bureaucracy properly because the last thing you want years later is a land dispute. Think long term, not short term. If you're going to build, build something that can accommodate family because our culture and family structures are different from the West and many families are much larger. Build something that belongs to you, not something that keeps you dependent on rising rents and services controlled by other people.

Once you have your land and your house sorted out, I genuinely recommend looking into things like solar panels and becoming as self-sufficient as possible. The heat can be intense, electricity costs add up, and having your own energy source gives you more independence and stability in the long run. This is especially important because rent prices in some places have become unbelievable. I've personally seen rents approaching $1,000 USD a month, which is similar to what many people pay in parts of the United States. That surprised me considering the local economic conditions and average incomes. Somaliland's private sector already provides many of the services that governments normally provide elsewhere, from electricity to water and other essential services. If you can build a house that generates its own electricity through solar panels and reduce your dependence on constantly increasing prices, you're not just building a house — you're building freedom and long-term security for yourself and your family. Personally, I would rather build my own home exactly the way I want it than spend enormous amounts of money on expensive pre-built housing developments or inflated rental markets. My advice is simple: think ahead, plan ahead, and act before opportunities become even more expensive or harder to access.

And please take this seriously because this isn't a joke and this opportunity will not stay open forever. I've described this place before, and if you've read my previous posts or visited my profile, you'll understand exactly what I mean. There are incredible opportunities here, but there are also challenges that cannot be ignored. If you're diaspora, I'm genuinely asking you to seize this opportunity while you still can. Save your money, think long term, and invest in something that gives you security and freedom rather than spending money on things that won't matter ten years from now. Build your own house, design it the way you want, and make it capable of supporting your family in the future. Get solar panels because if the sun is going to shine almost every day, you might as well make that heat work for you instead of paying expensive electricity bills forever. Personally, I want to be as self-sufficient as possible and avoid being tied to constantly rising costs when alternatives exist. I can tolerate expensive bills in America because there are roads, drainage systems, public services, and infrastructure that support those costs. Here, the reality is different, which is exactly why I'm encouraging people to think ahead and act now rather than later. Ten years from now, don't be surprised if the people who acted early are the ones benefiting the most while everyone else is wondering where the opportunity went.

I’ve been here for a while now, talking to locals, observing, asking questions, and seeing things with my own eyes. But I’m only one person, and I’m sure there are things you see that I don’t see or understand yet. So let’s do a quick poll or discussion.

View Poll

First and foremost, I'm a businessman , and maybe one day I'll tell that story separately. But while being here and preparing to leave soon, with plans to hopefully come back in April 2027 if Allah  allows it, one thing I genuinely cannot understand is the price of cars here. I plan on turning my room here into a proper office with an American flag, a Somaliland flag, and a workspace because I want this place to remain part of my future. But seriously, why are cars so inflated? As an American citizen, I can buy a decent 2012 or 2013 vehicle back home (USA) for $5,000 to $8,000 and it would still feel like a luxury car. Meanwhile here, I'm seeing prices of $40,000, $60,000, and even Insane numbers for vehicles and I genuinely want to understand why. I understand import costs, taxes, and supply issues exist, but these prices still shock me considering the reality on the ground and the condition of many roads.

What confuses me even more is that this feels disconnected from everything else I've been seeing while I'm here. We've talked about unemployment, lack of opportunities, inflation, expensive living costs, infrastructure problems, and all the challenges people deal with on a daily basis. I've written posts asking who started land hoarding and why so much money sits in undeveloped land instead of businesses and jobs. So if those conditions truly exist, and from what I'm seeing with my own eyes they absolutely do, then why are car prices so inflated too? My uncle was even telling me about a 1994 vehicle being sold for around $60,000, and apparently that's not unusual depending on the model and condition. As someone who grew up in America and part Somaliland, that number genuinely shocked me because for that kind of money you could buy a much newer vehicle elsewhere. I'm not here to convince anybody or argue with anybody. I'm literally on the ground right now typing this and trying to understand the logic behind it because from where I'm standing, the numbers simply don't add up.

At the same time, I also understand that Hargeisa wasn't originally engineered or designed for millions of people the way many capitals around the world were. You can see it everywhere once you start paying attention. When I went to get my national ID card, there was barely any parking, cars were blocking roads, streets were squeezed, and the city was struggling to handle the amount of traffic and movement taking place every day. It reminds me of the land discussion I made previously: first land prices skyrocketed, and now it feels like cars have done the same thing. There still isn't a proper road connection between some of the country's most important economic cities that I spoke about in my previous post. There are infrastructure gaps, traffic problems, parking shortages, and roads that need serious investment. Yet somehow vehicles continue selling for prices that would surprise people in much wealthier economies. If you're diaspora and planning to stay here longer, honestly it may make more sense to import a vehicle yourself rather than paying inflated local prices. Personally, if everything goes according to plan when I return in 2027, I'm seriously considering buying a vehicle from Saudi Arabia and shipping it here because geographically it makes far more sense and the journey isn't very long.

I’ve been here for nearly a month and a half now, and one thing I keep asking myself is this: why is there still no proper direct road infrastructure connecting two of the most important cities in Somaliland? Hargeisa is the political, financial, and administrative center of the country, while Burco is one of the country’s biggest commercial, transportation, and livestock hubs. These two cities are absolutely crucial to the economy, trade, business, education, and movement of people and goods. A proper connection between them would benefit transport companies, businesses, traders, investors, students, families, and countless other sectors. Instead, people spend hours driving longer routes, wasting fuel, time, money, and productivity. Looking at the geography, it doesn’t even have to be a perfectly straight road. Engineers could design a route that makes sense and connects these economic centers efficiently. Yet here we are in 2026 still talking about what could have been done years ago.

The more I talk to locals of all ages about this subject, the more I keep hearing the same answer: tribal politics and land disputes. Whether that’s the whole story or only part of it, I genuinely don’t know, but if it’s true then that’s heartbreaking because infrastructure should benefit everyone regardless of clan or politics. A proper road wouldn’t just connect Hargeisa and Burco; it would create opportunities for towns and communities along the route and stimulate economic activity that doesn’t exist today. I’m patient with the current administration because they’re dealing with a lot and trying to stabilize the country after difficult years, and I don’t expect miracles overnight. But I do hope that projects like this become priorities in the future because these are the kinds of investments that change economies for generations. Am I missing something here, or does anyone else feel like this should have happened a long time ago?

I'm genuinely curious about the demographics of this subreddit. Are most of you diaspora, locals living on the ground, or a mix of both? If you're diaspora, what is your dream, and please be realistic. What are you working toward? What do you feel is holding you back? For me, my dream was always freedom and clarity—the ability to control my own time and decisions—and that's part of what allowed me to finally come to the motherland, where I'm currently spending time now. I know many of you are working hard, trying to make ends meet, supporting family members, balancing responsibilities, and dealing with the realities of life, and I genuinely respect that because I'm not out of touch with reality. That's partly why I made my previous post encouraging people to come to the motherland for a while if they have the opportunity, because sometimes seeing things with your own eyes gives you motivation and perspective that no video or stories can provide.

So my question is simple: what do you think is holding you back from accomplishing what you want in life? Is it money? Fear? Lack of opportunity? Family pressure? Distractions? For me, I've noticed families usually fall into two groups. The first group understands that times have changed and wants their children to adapt, grow, and take advantage of opportunities. The second group knows times have changed too, but struggles to accept it and sometimes unintentionally holds their children back while trying to protect them. Whatever your situation is, I'd genuinely like to hear it. If you don't want to comment publicly, my DMs are open and I'm happy to have a conversation privately too. And if you're younger, whether you're in your 20s or your 30s, my advice is simple: take advantage of the opportunities and resources you have, create structure in your life, reduce distractions, and be intentional with your time. If people are interested, I'd also be happy to share some of the habits and systems that helped me get to where I am today.

I wasn’t planning on posting today because I’ve been trying not to flood this subreddit, but this happened to night and you can’t even make this up.

First of all, thank you to everyone who’s been reaching out, sharing my posts, and sending messages. I genuinely appreciate it. As many of you know, I only post when I think there’s something valuable to say, and I’m still working on the bulldozer project, researching areas, mapping roads, and making sure I don’t accidentally create problems while trying to solve them. This is just an emergency rant because what happened tonight honestly made my blood boil.

This afternoon she went to the market to buy groceries for us, and when she came back, she told us someone had tried to rob her while she was walking home. Thankfully, she’s safe, Alhamdulillah, but hearing what happened honestly made my blood boil. I was so angry I walked outside looking around while carrying a stick because that’s how serious I was.  Seeing someone try to rob a woman walking home at night is heartbreaking & insane 

I’ll be honest, part of what made me so angry is that these are the kinds of stories I was used to hearing coming out of Somalia through news, social media, and people I know personally who have lived through those experiences. Seeing something similar happen here genuinely upset me because I don’t want this becoming normal here too. Same thing for Somalia.

At the same time, I’m not out of touch with reality.  I understand environments create these situations. High unemployment, lack of opportunities, inflation, expensive living costs, poor infrastructure, and people struggling to survive all contribute to crime. I understand that. But where is the common sense? Where is the dignity? You shouldn’t be trying to rob a woman walking home at night. You shouldn’t be trying to rob anybody walking home at night. The roads are already dark, uneven, full of rocks and hazards, there aren’t enough lights, and in some areas the only light comes from somebody’s house. People already have enough struggles without having to worry about this too.

If you’re diaspora and you think people exaggerate when they talk about these issues, I genuinely encourage you to come here and see it with your own eyes because no YouTube video, news article, or social media post can do justice to reality. Stay for a couple of months, not a week. Walk these roads, experience the heat, talk to people, and see how people are living. When you go back to the West, you’ll appreciate opportunities differently because the reality on the ground changes your perspective completely. If you’ve read my very first post, you’ll know I arrived here excited and optimistic, and I still believe Somaliland has massive potential. But this is unacceptable. With all due respect, we do not want this place becoming like Somalia. Somaliland is unique and people are proud of the peace and stability that exists here. To those from Somalia reading this, no offense is intended, but this is a serious matter and it needs to be taken care of immediately before these kinds of incidents become normalized. Where is the dignity? Where is the respect? Understanding why these things happen is one thing, but accepting them is another.

Please upvote this so it could be seen by many

Thank You