MINNEAPOLIS – In the heart of Minneapolis, the Whittier neighborhood has recently become a focal point of concern, grappling with a significant surge in gun violence and crime. This troubling trend has particularly impacted the immigrant residents, leaving many feeling vulnerable and neglected. Amid this turmoil, one community member has stepped up to make a profound difference: Mohamed Jama, a devoted father, husband, and passionate youth mentor.

Recognizing the urgent need for positive change, Mohamed Jama founded Youth Legacy, a non-profit organization dedicated to uplifting the community and providing a safe haven for its young residents. His journey began after witnessing the devastating effects of violence on families in his neighborhood. “I couldn’t just stand by and watch,” Mohamed reflects. “I knew I had to take action.”

A Commitment to Community Safety

With gun violence leading the statistics in Whittier, Mohamed Jama knew that safety was paramount. He organizes weekly street outreach initiatives and safety walks, where community members and youth come together to patrol the streets, fostering a sense of security and unity. These efforts not only help to deter crime but also encourage residents to engage with one another, creating a supportive network in a time of need.

In addition to these proactive measures, Mohamed Jama has collaborated with local leaders, business owners, and residents to host public safety meetings. These gatherings provide a platform for open discussion about the challenges facing the neighborhood and allow community members to brainstorm solutions together. “It’s important for everyone to have a voice,” Mohamed Jama says. “By working together, we can create a safer environment for our families.”

Mentorship and Empowerment

At the core of Mohamed’s mission is his commitment to mentoring the youth. He understands that young people in the community are particularly affected by the climate of fear and uncertainty. Through Youth Legacy, Mohamed Jama provides mentorship programs that encourage personal growth, resilience, and leadership skills. He meets with young people regularly, offering guidance and support in navigating their challenges.

Recognizing a lack of structured programs and safe spaces for youth, Mohamed Jama is in the process of launching an after-school program designed to provide engaging activities and a positive environment for young people. “We want to give them options—something to look forward to after school,” he explains. “We need to create youth-friendly spaces where they feel safe and valued.”

Building a Generational Legacy of Hope

Mohamed Jama’s efforts extend beyond immediate safety concerns; he aims to foster a long-lasting legacy of hope and empowerment in Whittier. Through community clean-up events, he encourages youth and residents to take pride in their surroundings, instilling a sense of ownership and responsibility for the neighborhood.

Despite the challenges, Mohamed Jama remains optimistic. “Change takes time, but every small action counts. I believe in the power of community,” he emphasizes. His vision is clear: to transform Whittier into a place where all youth and families can thrive, free from fear and violence.

Mohamed Jama’s unwavering dedication to his community serves as an inspiring reminder of what one person can accomplish when fueled by passion and a desire to uplift others. As he continues to lead initiatives that focus on safety, mentorship, and community engagement, Mohamed Jama is not just making a difference—he is paving the way for a brighter future for the next generation in Whittier.

Photos by Abdirahman Mukhtar (Tusmo Times)

Minnesota –

Waxaad Tusmo Times uga barateen in aan idinla wadaagno oo aan idin wargelino akhbaar, warar iyo macluumaad la xiriira ammniga, bed-qabka bulshadda iyo arrimaha guud ahaan saameeya bulshadda Soomaaliyeed eek u dhaqan gobolka Minnesota. Haddaba maanta waxaan idinla wadaageynaa fariin, macluumaad iyo wargelin muhiim ah oo ku socota qoysaska iyo bulshadda Soomaalida oo la xiriirta caafimaadka.

Waaxda Caafimaadka ee Minnesota ayaa sheegtay in Cudurka Jadeecada oo bishii shanaad ee May ka bilowday gobolka Minnesota uu faafay, cudurkan ayaa ku faafay oo soo riday 39 carruur ah, sidoo kale tiradda carruurta ama dadka uu ku dhacay ama laga helay cudurka jadeecadda ee gobolka Minnesota ayaa 40 qof maraya sannadkan.

Ha’yadda Caafimaadka Aduunka ee (World Health Organization) ayaa sheegtay in 136,000 oo qof in ay u dhinteen cudurka jadeecada dunida oo dhan sannadkii 2022-ka.

Ururka Caafimaadka Aduunka ee WHO ayaa ku dhawaaqay sannadkii 2000 in cudurka Jadeecadda gebi ahaanba dalka Mareykanka laga tirtiray oo saameeyntiisa la so oaf-jaray. Balse sannadkii 2017-kii ayuu cudurku dib uga dilaacay gobolka Minnesota, wuxuuna ku dhacay 70 qof oo u baddan Soomaali. Sannadkii 2022 ayuu markale cudurku dib ugu faafay gobolka Minnesota markii laga helay dhowr qof oo dalka dibadiisa u safray.

MAXAY KA DHIGAN TAHAY WARBIXINTAN LA XIRIIRTA CUDURKA JADEECADA?

Jadeecadu waa xanuun la kala qaado oo uu fayrus keeno, kuna faafa hawada, qofkuna qufac iyo hindhiso yeesho. Cudurka Jadeecadu waa caabuq uu talaal baajin karo.

Haddaba faafitaanka cudurkan jadeecada, gaar ahaan saameynta uu ku leeyahay carruurta Soomaalida oo iyagu u baddan 30 qof ee uu cudurku soo ritay ayaa la xiriirta, loona aaneynayaa talaal la’aanta ama carruurta aanan talaalneyn.

Marka ay qoysasku socdaalaan ama safar ay ku tagaan wadamo qaarada Africa kamid ah, carruurtooduna ayna talaalneyn waxay keentaa in ay qaadaan cudurka, kaddibna ku faafo qoyska iyo bulshadda inteeda kale. Waana mida keentay in uu mudo kooban cudurku ku faafo Minnesota, gaar ahaan carruurta Soomaalida.

Waxaa jira dugsi kamid ah dugsiyadda ku yaala gobolka Minnesota oo ay maamulka dugsigu iskood u xireen dugsiga si ay uga hortagaan faafitaanka cudurka Jadeecada.

Waxaa bilowday oo dib loogu noqday Iskuuladii. Sidoo kale waxaa jira goobo ay kamid yihiin XANAANOOYINKA, DUGSIYADDA, ISKUULADDA, GOOBAHA LAGU CIYAARO IYO XARUMO KALE oo ay si gaar ah carruurta Soomaalidu u tagaan, uguna xiran yihiin, waana arrin kordhin karta faafitaanka cudurka oo walwalkeeda leh.

MAXAY YIHIIN CALAAMADAHA JADEECADU?

Calaamadaha jadeecada waxay badanaa yimaadaan marka hal ilaa laba todobaad kaddib qofku la kulmo cid qabta cudurkan. Jadeecadu waxay ku bilaabantaa duuf sanka ah oo qofka ka dareera, qufac, indhaha oo casaan noqda. Dhibco yaryar oo cadaan ah ayaa kasoo baxa afka wixii ka danbee sadex maalmood marka calaamadaha la arko oo ay la socoto xumad yar (101-102°F). Finan badan ayaa qofka ka soo yaaca oo ay u dheertahay xumad baddan oo gaaraysa (104°F) taas oo timaada saddex ilaa shan maalmood kaddib marka calaamadaha u horeeyay la arkay.

Finanka qofka ka soo baxa ayaa bilaaba in ay yeeshaan meelo casaan ah oo wajiga ka soo baxa, kaddibna waxay ku faafaan jidhka intiisa kale. Ka dib marka finanku faafaan, waxaa dhici karta in ay finanka kala duwan isasoo gadhaan.

Dhibaatada iyo saameynta caafimaad ee uu cudurkani leeyahay waxaa kamid ah:

1. Caabuqa sanbabka (pneumonia) kaas oo keena in isbitaalka la isku dhigo, waana sababaha ugu waawayn ee ay carruurtu ugu dhintaan cudurka jadeecada, ama isbitaal in mudo ah loo seexiyo.

2. Barar maskaxda ah (encephalitis) ayaa iman kara, kaas oo horseedaya suuxdin, dhago beeli rasmi ah ama laxaad la’aan ku dhacda garaadka qofka.

SIDEE AYEEY CARRUURTU KU QAADI KARAAN JADEECADA?

Jadeecadu badanaa waxaa keena fayrus faafa oo ku dhaca tobankii qof sagaal qof oo ah kuwa aanan laga talaalin. Fayruska jadeecadu waxa uu ku gudbaa hawada maadama uu qufac iyo hindhiso wato. Carruurta qaaday jadeecadu waxay neefsadaan hawo uu la socdo fayruska cudurka keena. Qofka cudurkani uu ku dhacay marka uu taabto meel, tusaale ahaan marka ay taabtaan indhahooda, sankooda ama afkaba waxa ay ku reebaan fayruska. Dadku waxay dadka kale qaad siin karaan ama ku faafin karaan laga bilaabo maalinta afraad iyo wixii ka danbeeya oo dhan.

SIDEE LOO DAAWEYN KARAA JADEECADA?

Ma jirto dawo fayruska lagu dilo uu u gaar ah oo lagu dawayn karo caabuqa jadeecada. Balse waxaa jira ka hortag uu talaalku know ka yahay iyo isticmaalka Fiitaamiin A-ga oo taakulo kaalmo ah keeni kara. Balse Fiitaamiin A-gu kama hortago ama ma daweeyo jadeecada.Waxa ugu wanaagsan ee la hubo ee kahortaga keena waa Talaalka MMR-ka.

MAXAY QOYSKU SAMAYN KARAAN SI AY UGA HORTAGAAN JADEECADA?

• Talaalka MMR ayaa ah qaabka ugu wanaagsan ee la iskaga ilaalin karo jadeecada. MMR waa talaal amaan ah oo wax ku ool ah. Laba xadi ama laba jeer oo kala duwan oo Talaalka MMR-ka ah ayaa boqolkiiba 97% kahortagi kara jadeecada. Eeg ama waydii dhakhtarka carruutaada diiwaankaaga talaalka cunugaaga si aad u xaqiijiso in MMR iyo talaalada kale ee ay carruurtaadu qaateen. Carruurtu waxay u baahan tahay laba xadi oo talaalka MMR-ka ah; xadiga kowaad ama midka koobaad waxaa la siiyaa marka ay yihiin 12-15 bilood jir ka labaadna waxaa lasiiyaa mark ay lix sanno jir yihiin.

• La soco oo horay u qorshee haddii qoyskaagu uu diyaar u yahay in uu safar caalami ah oo wadanka looga baxo uu galo. Carruurta yaryar ee 6 bilood kayar waxay qaadan karaan talaalka MMR-ka ka hor inta ayna safrin si aad u taxadartaan oo caafimaadkooda u ilaalisaan. Carruurta waawayn waxay sidoo kale haboon in ay qaataan xadiga labaad ama qaybta labaad ee talaalka MMR-ka. Kala hadal dhakhtarka kuu daryeela carruurta wixii khatar ah ee carruurtu kala kulmi karaan socdaalka iyo safarka aad galeysaan.

• Waxaa dhici karta in ay jiraan xubno qoyskaaga ah oo aan lasiin karin talaalka MMR-ka oo ay ku jiraan carruurta, dumarka uurka leh iyo dad kale oo difaaca jidhkoodu diciif yahay sababo la xiriira caafimaadkooda. Haddaba haddii ay qoyskaaga kamid yihiin dad ku sugan marxaladahan caafimaad, fadlan la xiriir dhakhtarkaaga, kalana tasho safarka aad galayso iyo sidii aad caafimaad ahaan isku badbaadin lahaydeen.

Halkan kala soco warbixinta caafimaad ee ku saabsan faafitaanka Jadeecada iyo macluumaad muhiim ah oo la xiriira:

https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/measles/index.html

HADDABA HADII AAD QABTO SU’AALO LA XIRIIRA FAAFITAANKA CAABUQA JADEECADA AMA AKHBAAR DHEERAAD AH AAD U BAAHAN TAHAY FADLAN LA XIRIIR WAAXDA CAAFIMAADKA EE GOBOLKA MINNESOTA ADIGA OO WACAYA TALEEFANKA QAYBTA KA HORTAGA CUDURADA FAAFA 651-201-5414

AMA LA XIRIIR DHAKHTARKA DARYEELA QOYSKA IYO CARRUURTAADA.

Substance use is deeply impacting Somali youth everywhere, especially here in Minnesota. The use of controlled prescriptions such as Fentanyl, oxycodone, and many others, have become prevalent among Somali youth and is the number one cause of overdose. Substance addiction has a cascading effect, causing many      costly social, physical, and emotional issues for the user and public health issues for the community. 

Substance use affects the growing brain

As youth, our brains are continuing to develop until we are about the age of 25. Using these harmful substances impacts the brain because they interfere with the neurotransmitters, which are the chemicals that allow neurons to communicate by sending and receiving messages. Neurons may potentially die as a result of the harmful chemicals found in these drugs. Further, substance use can have an effect on a person’s emotions, judgment, decision-making, learning, and memory. Drug use can also worsen any medical illnesses or health issues that someone may have. Therefore, substance use can have negative psychological effects on young people because it can hinder the progress of their developing brains. 

Reasons Youth might start substance Use

There are many different reasons that a youth might start to use substances. These might include problems at home, peer pressure, or maybe substance use is encouraged by an adult in the youth’s life. In other cases, a parent’s distrust for their child based on what they see or hear other youth are doing could lead to their child making risky choices in order to be rebellious. I have seen among my peers how this plays out among my peers. When a parent is already suspecting their kid is using drugs or engaging in other risky behaviors, the youth might feel like they have nothing to lose by engaging in these behaviors because they are already being painted a certain way. 

Pressure from school can be another reason why youth might turn to substance use. School is a place where youth can face different issues. For example, they might be struggling with grades, or might be having social issues, and turn to drugs to alleviate some anxiety. Peer pressure is also a main reason why a young person might start experimenting with substance use. For youth, the people they hang out with have a huge influence on their lives and the choices that they make at such an impressionable age. In most cases of peer pressure, a young person would choose to do what their friends are doing fearing that saying “no” will lead them to be an outcast.

Nicotine is Gateway to Substance Use Disorder

Gateway drugs can be introduced to children in the form of vapes, especially to minors in middle and high school. Vaping has been marketed as something “cool” to youth and many of them start as early as middle school due to peer pressure. There’s a misconception that vaping is like a better form of smoking and that it is less harmful, however, it contains a very high amount of nicotine that people, especially youth, don’t seem to not know about. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical because once consumed, it quickly absorbs into your body and goes directly to the brain. Additionally, because nicotine is highly addictive, it primes the brain for addiction to harder drugs such as the illegal use of prescription pills. Substance use has become very common among youth in our community, and we all need to do our part in raising awareness about this issue and take steps toward reducing its impact on our community. In the past few years, it is very noticeable how much this epidemic has impacted our youth. We need to take action and change this narrative and make a better future for the youth.

To summarize, the misuse of drugs psychologically affects a youth’s brain development and physical body. In many cases, problems at home, social issues and peer pressure play a role in a youth’s decisions. Therefore, as a youth, it is important to surround yourself with positive influences that will add value to your life. Be mindful about who you are hanging out with, as they can impact your physical and mental wellbeing. It is also important for parents to have a conversation with their child to be aware of what is going on in their lives without judgment or jumping to conclusions. Substance use is a huge issue in our community, and it is important that we are all aware, so we are doing our part to combat it.

Written by youth Leaders:

Aisha Mohamud

Mumtaza Mohamed

Socaad Haille