LHS junior Sawsar Abdi talks about her journey to Lakewood. Sawsar, a refugee from Somalia to a camp in Ethiopia and then to lakewood. She spoke with great passion in front of packed classroom at our History Club event .

She talks about how she started her journey to Lakewood. Sawsar’s parents were refugees from Somalia to Ethiopia in 1992. All of her siblings were born in Ethiopia and this is the place she have lived for 8 years.

Her journey was not easy. It was frustrating and overwhelming for her to leave the place she have lived for her whole life. Not knowing the language made her unable to communicate with others. She felt lonely,sad and angry but she never gave up and realized that this is not the end. She worked hard all day and night to improve to show people who I can do whatever I want.

Education in her country was not common for girls and the life of a girl was to just think about get educated but never had a chance and opportunity to fulfill their dreams. Sawsar and her family had a different believe and that was that women can do anything they want and it’s her right to get education.

Her parents supported her and gave her a chance to make a better future for herself. Her parents are proud of her and that is Sawsar’s strength to keep working hard and to be passionate about her future.

Sawsar joined also joined group called “stop abusing girls.”  She and her fellows started awareness to get parents to stop girls forcing their daughters to get married at early and young age. She also started ” Dream team” in which she spread awareness to parents to let her daughters fulfill her dreams and give them opportunity to let be themselves.

Also that when she finish her high school she wants to work with UNICEF, which is an agency who works to help children to protect their rights, providing health care, basic education,access to safe and water and shelter to live in.

LHS is proud to have a student like Sawsar Abdi. We all loved the way she tells her story with so passion and confidence.

This is what Sawsar Abdi wants to say to all the girls who also belong to this kind of background, “No matter how life is going, don’t ever give up, believe in yourself and fight for yourself and don’t ever back out. Never be afraid to fail, make good choices and have faith in yourself no matter how bad is the situation. This is your time, this is your moment and this is your life! “.