An eloquent open letter from a Kenyan student concerned with Social Policy Issues

Hi Kimberly,



Leylah Mohamed commented on Americans for Informed Democracy's Wall post.

Leylah wrote: "Thank you Kimberly for voicing these very important concerns. I am going to give my opinion on ONE African community in Columbus, Ohio because I have been there and I also have friends who live there. My opinion shall hence be on the Somali community in this area. I personally agree with you to the extent that US foreign assistance should be used to empower communities in their own homeland. It is important however, to understand that this very fact only holds valid for countries with STABLE infrastructures, for the countries that have stable governments or simply put, peace. This is not the same for Somalia. Somalia has been in an abominable war for two decades, and as if that was not atrocious enough, the almighty famine decided to bless its soils with hunger that killed a Somali child every 6 seconds! Many lives have been lost and the global community including my country Kenya, has been at the fore front assisting Somali refugees and giving Somali mothers and their children a safer aboard. This is no way trifling the reality of the situation, as you put it above with - “some of whom are crooks” in Columbus, Ohio. In every society there is a minority that tends to put grit on the majority who are adding so much to the society at large. But media seems to never have the time highlight all the positive things they do as well, probably because we are in an era where BAD NEWS SELLS! We should not focus on these “some” at the expense of the MANY who add so much to the American society at large. These immigrants also start up organizations and businesses and they use their talents and knowledge acquired in their second homes to bring tangible changes in both societies in their second home and also in their native countries. Now is if that is not SMART FOREIGN ASSISTANCE, I don’t know what is! This is all possible thanks to my country, your country and many other members of the global family.

Kind regards,


An international student from Kenya."