Somalia Youth Preaching Peace through Basketball

Any simple talk on Somalia and the picture that comes to mind is one of anarchy.

Since 1990, Somalia has never known peace. Yet there is so much potential in the country.

One such is in a sport where the country’s basketball team is out to present a better image of the East African state.

In a country where the youth form 70 per cent of the population yet there are no job opportunities, many have turned to crime, drugs and worst still terrorism.

But a group of youth, mostly made up of refugees who have now settled in the United States came together, formed a basketball team and last week, they represented Somalia in the 2021 FIBA AfroBasket qualifiers in Nairobi.

And they did not disappoint, they won two games against Eritrea and Tanzania and nearly beat hosts Kenya, sending a strong message that something positive can come out of the otherwise failed state of Somalia.

Commonly referred to as the Civil War kids, the Somalia national men’s basketball team has been sending a message of peace through the sport.

Curiously, save for one, the captain of the team who was born in Mogadishu three years before the civil war erupted, none of the other players have ever stepped foot in Somalia.

Some of them do not know how to sing their national anthem, yet, their passion and patriotism for Somalia is unmatched.

“Ours is a unique team,” said the coach Abdikadir Dahir popularly known as Shiikha.

“We are here to represent Somalia because we love our country, regardless of all the negativity associated with it. We are not getting much assistance from the government, but we are just happy to be here wearing the blue colours of our country and representing our people,” he said.