Choose Nearest City

  • Calgary
  • Ottawa
  • Edmonton
  • Regina
  • Halifax
  • Saskatoon
  • Hamilton
  • Toronto GTA
  • Kingston
  • Vancouver
  • Kitchener
  • Waterloo
  • London
  • Windsor
  • Montreal
  • Winnipeg
  • Outside of Canada

Choose your city (or nearest city)

  • Calgary
  • Montreal
  • Edmonton
  • Ottawa
  • Regina
  • Saskatoon
  • Halifax
  • Toronto GTA
  • Hamilton
  • Vancouver
  • Kingston
  • Waterloo
  • Kitchener
  • Windsor
  • London
  • Winnipeg
  • Outside of Canada
  • Events
  • Directory
  • AdvertiseAdvertise
  • PatronsPatrons

Enter your login credentials

Forgot username?

Forgot password?

Remember Me
Register
Facebook Login Google Login
loading
Please wait, logging in...

Register Details

Have an account? Login

Forgot Username

[Form forgot_username not found!]

Forgot Password

[Form forgot_password not found!]

How would you like to proceed?

LOG IN / SIGN UP allows you to:
  • Have a record of all events you've been to.
  • Request cancellation if you cannot make it to an event.
  • Post an event of your own.
  • Add your business/organization listing to the online directory.
  • Add an opportunity (job, volunteer, petition, survey, etc.).

Please login to continue

LOG IN / SIGN UP allows you to:
  • Have a record of all events you've been to.
  • Request cancellation if you cannot make it to an event.
  • Post an event of your own.
  • Add your business/organization listing to the online directory.
  • Add an opportunity (job, volunteer, petition, survey, etc.).
Muslim Link is Ottawa Muslims' Online Community Newspaper. The site includes an up-to-date Events Listing and Business and Community Directory for Ottawa Muslims.
x

We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. Muslim Link relies on revenue from these advertisements so please consider disabling the ad blocker for this domain.

  • Home
  • Events
    • Ottawa
    • Montreal
    • Toronto GTA
    • Edmonton
    • Calgary
    • Vancouver
    • London
    • Windsor
    • Hamilton
    • Halifax
    • Winnipeg
    • Kingston
    • Kitchener/Waterloo
    • Regina/Saskatoon
    • Event Table
  • Directory
    • Ottawa
    • Montreal
    • Toronto GTA
    • Edmonton
    • Calgary
    • Vancouver
    • London
    • Windsor
    • Hamilton
    • Halifax
    • Winnipeg
    • Kingston
    • Kitchener/Waterloo
    • Regina/Saskatoon
  • News
  • Stories
  • Islamic Finance
  • Classifieds
    • Opportunities
      • Volunteer Opportunities
      • Job Opportunities
      • Crowdfunding
      • Bazaar Vendors Wanted
      • Call for Donations
      • ​​Scholarships / Bursaries
      • ​​Petitions
      • Nominations
      • ​​Call for Participants
      • ​​Call for Submissions
      • Call for Abstracts
      • Grants
      • ​​Surveys
      • ​​Invitation to Dialogue
      • Sponsorships
      • Contests
    • Locations
      • Jumaa Locations
      • Full-Time Islamic Schools
      • Part-Time Islamic Schools
      • Hifz Programs
      • Iftar Locations
      • Taraweeh Prayers
      • I'tikaf Locations
      • Eid Prayers
      • Eid Festival Locations
      • Camp Locations
  • Opportunities
  • Locations
  • Home
  • Stories
  • Abdullahi Hassan Eyow: A life spent in the service of others
The author's sister Kaltum, and their late father, Abdullahi Hassan Eyow, at a workshop last summer. The author's sister Kaltum, and their late father, Abdullahi Hassan Eyow, at a workshop last summer. Photo Credit: Afrah Hassan
08
Jun
2012

Abdullahi Hassan Eyow: A life spent in the service of others

Written by  Afrah Hassan
Published in Stories
  • Add to Facebook
  • Like this? Tweet it to your followers!

Almost everybody, at different points in their lives, thinks about their legacy and the type of impact they have made on their family, friends and community. Each individual's legacy is different but one simple fact remains the same: we all leave one. My father, Abdullahi Hassan Eyow, left a lasting legacy of compassion and sacrifice that is now felt immensely everywhere he has lived. As a Somali refugee, he knew how fortunate he was to escape the instability and conflict that has plagued Somalia for the last 21 years, yet he never forgot the shattered communities he left behind.

My father was born in Mogadishu Somalia part of a large and mostly poor family. His father worked as a military officer while his mother was a local food vendor. From a very young age he was engaged in school and worked extremely hard to not only educate himself but also his extended family. He eventually was able to finish a degree in petroleum geology from Somali National University and went on to earn multiple scholarships in the United States, ultimately obtaining a master's degree from the University of South Carolina.

During this time however, Somalia was going through extreme changes. The political climate in Somalia was worsening eventually leading to the fall of the Siad Barre regime, followed by the outbreak of an all-out civil war. At this time, my father was working in the United States while his still young and growing family was stuck in the dangers of a bloody civil war. With the help of his colleagues at his university he was able to secure a travel visa for us to leave Somalia and eventually settle in Toronto, Canada.

x

We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. Muslim Link relies on revenue from these advertisements so please consider disabling the ad blocker for this domain.

This journey to escape a conflict zone and resettle in a new community tremendously shifted my father's perspective and the way he wanted to live his life.  This is where his passion to help his native community was sparked. It began in 1993, where he helped the new wave of Somali refugees escaping war. He helped people settle and transition into a new and mostly foreign way of life. He was responsible for finding adequate housing, registering students for local schools and finding employment for the thousands of new Somali refugees.

Photo Credit: Afrah HassanHis passion for his community eventually led him back to Somalia in 2001, where he began work with UNICEF as a Child Protection Officer. During his time in Somalia he would often meet and collaborate with local community leaders and discuss the ways in which the Somali community could strengthen and develop. He continued this work for seven years, battling health issues along the way, but never wavering in his commitment to help the Somali community.

In 2010, his life-long passion and drive was manifested into Kobciye, a community organization dedicated to empowering Somali communities in Somalia and the diaspora in Kenya. He believed that the best way to empower people was through education and literacy. Over the past 2 years, more than 1200 students have passed through Kobciye having learned everything from basic literacy to more skilled academic training such as web and graphic design.

My father thought the best way to combat the penetration of violence was through the positive engagement with the community and further empowering these communities to identify and find a solution for local issues. Kobciye, which means “empowerment” in Somali, has quickly established itself as a community leader in education and social engagement. It has provided opportunity and hope to individuals in the Somali community who were otherwise mired in a constant state of instability and fear.

One of the programs my father developed at Kobciye was a youth empowerment program. This program was intended to strengthen the capacity of the youth in seeing the detrimental effects of violence and conflict by empowering them through providing opportunities and education. This included radio discussion programs and the development of a local newsletter. Both youth and civil society members were involved in discussing various issues and concepts directly related to their community through these mediums. It also included recreational activities such as free internet access and soccer tournaments which provided social relief to the constant struggles confronted by youth in the volatile regions of Somalia.

I recently was able to take a trip to Nairobi and see first hand the workshops and classes these students were benefiting from. One particular event, I believe epitomized my father's wonderful legacy. It was a graduation ceremony, where 62 students were graduating, however; of those 62 students 10 students were unable to attend because they were able to find jobs with the skills they gained through their education at Kobciye. His undying vision of empowering Somalis, was at last flourishing, even if it was on a small scale.

x

We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. Muslim Link relies on revenue from these advertisements so please consider disabling the ad blocker for this domain.

However, through the will of Allah, he was not able to see his dream all the way through. While rebuilding a youth shelter in Somalia's central province of Dhusa Mareeb, my father received a cut on his foot that became severely infected. He passed away on March 4th, 2012 with his dream incomplete, yet well underway. Though his death was the most painful experience of my life, I chose to remember and honor the lessons he taught through the way he lived his life: his steadfast endearment to his family and community and his relentless work ethic to better his community. This was his legacy, and the legacy of Kobciye, and with the help of the Muslim community and the help of the larger Ottawa community we can work to keep his admirable legacy alive.

Afrah Hassan is the son of Abdullahi Hassan Eyow. He recently graduated from the Human Rights and Law programme at Carleton University, and plans to go to Africa to keep Kobciye running. For more information about Kobciye, visit: http://kobciye.org/  

This article was produced exclusively for Muslim Link and should not be copied without prior permission from the site. For permission, please write to info@muslimlink.ca.

Read 6895 times Last modified on Sat, 21 Jan 2017 08:17
Rate this item
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
(0 votes)
Tagged under
  • Abdullahi Hassan Eyow
  • Afrah Hassan
  • African Canadian
  • Somali Canadian
  • Somalia
  • Obituary

Afrah Hassan

Related items

  • It’s Still Not Easy: Habiba Ali Returns with New ‘Shaah and Sheeko’ Comedy & Poetry Show It’s Still Not Easy: Habiba Ali Returns with New ‘Shaah and Sheeko’ Comedy & Poetry Show
  • Support Algonquin College Bursary Named In Recognition of Ottawa Muslim Refugee Nurse Support Algonquin College Bursary Named In Recognition of Ottawa Muslim Refugee Nurse
  • Meet Somali Canadian Ali Duale, First Muslim Elected to the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia Meet Somali Canadian Ali Duale, First Muslim Elected to the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia
back to top
x

We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. Muslim Link relies on revenue from these advertisements so please consider disabling the ad blocker for this domain.

x

We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. Muslim Link relies on revenue from these advertisements so please consider disabling the ad blocker for this domain.

x

We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. Muslim Link relies on revenue from these advertisements so please consider disabling the ad blocker for this domain.

x

We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. Muslim Link relies on revenue from these advertisements so please consider disabling the ad blocker for this domain.

x

We have detected that you are using an ad blocker. Muslim Link relies on revenue from these advertisements so please consider disabling the ad blocker for this domain.

Ottawa Events
View More Events
Online Event
South Asian Heritage Month: Unpack Indo-Caribbean Roots +Indian Arrival Day
Mon, May 16, 2022 06:00pm EST/EDT
Educational
Online Event
Institute for Religious and Socio-Political Studies Muslim Organizations in Canada Report & Policy Discussion
Wed, May 18, 2022 05:30pm MST/MDT
Educational
Special Screening of the Film "Free Trip to Egypt"
Sat, May 21, 2022 02:30pm EST/EDT
Film Screenings
Online Event
South Asian Heritage Month 2022: Mental Health and Supports in South Asian Communities
Wed, May 25, 2022 04:00pm EST/EDT
Educational
Online Event
Syrian Canadian Tareq Hadhad Peace by Chocolate Resiliency Through Adversity
Wed, May 25, 2022 07:00pm AST/ADT
Educational

Featured Articles

  • Why Visit Halal Expo Canada? Meet The Speakers Why Visit Halal Expo Canada? Meet The Speakers
  • The Canadian-Muslim Vote Launches Campaign to Mobilize Estimated  Half Million Muslim Voters in Ontario Election The Canadian-Muslim Vote Launches Campaign to Mobilize Estimated Half Million Muslim Voters in Ontario Election
  • Check Out Upcoming Eid Celebrations Across Canada Check Out Upcoming Eid Celebrations Across Canada

Twitter Posts

Check Out Muslim Link's Latest Snapshot!nhttps://t.co/LUWQls2zmdnhttps://t.co/QZpb8uQRmH https://t.co/XScGhAabBU...
3 weeks ago
Ottawa Muslim Women's Shelter That Opened During the Pandemic Fundraising This #Ramadannhttps://t.co/NuHD1ebKOD https://t.co/AQFhvJ2ZmM...
1 month ago
Gendered Islamophobia: Personal Reflections of Three Alberta Women ONLINE April 1nhttps://t.co/qGDS8IkN8zu2026 https://t.co/2BlMzImHL2...
2 months ago
Muslim Link

About us

  • About Muslim Link
    Our Team
    About Eye Media
    Contact Us
    Diversity & Inclusion Policy
  • Events & Directory Disclaimer
  • Project: A Muslim History of Ottawa

How To

  • Claim a directory listing
    Create a directory listing
    Post an event
    Sell Tickets
    Report a mistake

Event Listings

  •  - Ottawa
  •  - Toronto GTA
  •  - Montreal
  •  - Edmonton
  •  - Calgary
  •  - Vancouver
  •  - London
  •  - Windsor
  •  - Hamilton
  •  - Kitchener/Waterloo
  •  - Halifax
  •  - Winnipeg
  •  - Kingston
  •  - Regina/Saskatoon

Business & Community Directory

  •  - Ottawa
  •  - Toronto GTA
  •  - Montreal
  •  - Edmonton
  •  - Calgary
  •  - Vancouver
  •  - London
  •  - Windsor
  •  - Hamilton
  •  - Kitchener/Waterloo
  •  - Halifax
  •  - Winnipeg
  •  - Kingston
  •  - Regina/Saskatoon

Advertisers

  • Advertise Online
  • Become a Patron
  • Sponsorships
  • Join Snapshot e-Newsletter
  • Snapshot Publishing Dates

ML Team

  • Writers Workshops
  • Content Policy
  • Staff Payment System
  • Join the team

Social Media

Follow us on our pages!

Facebook Twitter Youtube LinkedIn Pinterest

Copyright © 2022 Muslim Link. All Rights Reserved. All articles, photos, graphics and images on this site remain the copyright of Muslim Link, unless otherwise noted, and should not be copied without prior permission. Designed by Eye Media Solutions
Top
Copyright © Muslim Link. All articles, photos, graphics and images on this site remain the copyright of Muslim Link, unless otherwise noted, and should not be copied without prior permission. 2022 All rights reserved. Custom Design by Youjoomla.com