A Dream in Progress: Visiting KDI School in Sejong City

Visiting KDI School was once a dream of mine, both before I came to Korea and before I fully learned what life in Sejong City would feel like.

My journey with KDI School began in mid-2022, when a friend encouraged me to apply. KDI School offers highly selective scholarship opportunities for qualified candidates who are committed to contributing to public policy development in their home countries. From that moment on, my desire to study in Korea and at KDI in particular grew stronger.

To make this dream actionable, I researched the admission requirements and applied for the Spring semester intake in August 2022 to study public policy, specializing in Trade and Industrial Policy. After submitting all required documents, including my personal statement and research proposal, I progressed to the interview stage, the final step in the selection process. Unfortunately, I did not receive an admission offer at that time, because the admitted quota for Somali applicants was limited.

With My Friend Mohamed Gabanow in front of the KDI school

That experience, and my progress up to the final stage, motivated me to keep exploring new opportunities. I also pursued scholarship options while preparing for future applications. After receiving my admission results in early December 2022, my friends, Eng. Mohamud Shawul and Ustad Abshir Yonis encouraged me to persevere and pursue additional scholarships. Abshir advised me to apply for the GKS (Global Korea Scholarship), which typically opens in February each year. I successfully completed the GKS interview in 2023, and in 2025 I was fortunate to be selected as one of the candidates from Somalia.

The Korea Development Institute (KDI) School is one of Korea’s leading think-tank-based institutions. The researchers who established the school aimed to share their knowledge and experience in policy development across multiple disciplines. KDI School supports aspiring policy professionals with technical expertise and scholarship opportunities, selected based on each candidate’s passion and plan to contribute to public policy in their home country. With a research-based approach, KDI School provides a supportive learning environment that helps students thrive in the field of public policy.

Studying at KDI School has always been my passion. In 2025, I arrived in South Korea to pursue my master’s in international business at Ajou University under the GKS scholarship program funded by the Korean government. Visiting KDI had long been on my “to-do” list. On July 10, 2026, I finally made that dream a reality. I would like to thank my friend, Mohamed Gabanow, who majors in Public Policy with a concentration in Finance and Microeconomic Policy, for hosting me and giving me a campus tour of KDI School. I also had the chance to explore the vibrant, self-governing city of Sejong, where the school is located.

Standing in front of the Presidential Archive building at Sejong Lake Park

Sejong City is named after King Sejong, one of Korea’s most celebrated kings and the inventor of Hangul (한글). Compared with other places I have visited, Sejong feels greener and more environmentally planned. While biking with Mohamed in the afternoon, I experienced key features of the city, including the Sejong Government Complex, the largest government complex in the world, housing more than 15 ministries, including the Prime Minister’s Office. I also visited the Presidential Archive located within Sejong Lake Park.

As the government plans to relocate key agencies from overcrowded areas such as Seoul to emerging cities like Sejong, Sejong’s strategic importance continues to grow. During my visit, I also noticed the headquarters of KRIHS, another government-affiliated think tank located near KDI School.

Inside KDI School Campus building

Even though I did not gain admission to KDI School at that time, the effort itself changed me. Pursuing that pathway gave me the confidence to face challenges and the courage to keep moving forward. Ultimately, I realized another dream: pursuing postgraduate education in South Korea. Visiting KDI School and Sejong City gave me time to reflect on my progress, and it reminded me of the history, meaning, and beauty of Sejong City, the de facto administrative capital of South Korea.

 

A Dream Come True: My Adventures on Beautiful Jeju Island

 

Jeju Island was one of my favorite places to visit in South Korea. During my GKS application for 2025, I chose Jeju National University as my second choice for the scholarship; however, I ultimately decided to enroll at Ajou University, as I received admission there first and it was my top choice. I had been trying to find time to plan a visit to Jeju.

 

Fortunately, on January 22, 2026, my teacher, Kim Yeong-jin, informed us about an opportunity from Ajou University’s Center for International Education (CIE) program that would support travel costs for students willing to explore within Korea during the winter break. My Indonesian friend, Hafiz, suggested that we apply together with our Jordanian friend, Mohamed. We didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity and agreed to choose Jeju as our destination. We submitted our application and were fortunate enough to receive an acceptance email by February 2, 2026. Ajou’s CIE provided us with the chance to explore Jeju Island while covering all flight and accommodation expenses.

On Wednesday, February 11th, we had a travel day. We packed our bags the day before, and early in the morning, we made our way to Gimpo Airport in Seoul. We took an airport bus from Suwon and safely arrived at Gimpo airport. The check-in process was smooth, as we had completed our boarding passes online. Our boarding time was set for 12:15 PM, and we landed in Jeju at 1:40 PM. During the descent, I was amazed by the beauty of the airport surrounded by the sea and its impressive size.

 

Upon landing in Jeju, we noticed the airport was quite crowded, as it is a popular destination for tourists at this time of year. We inquired about a pick-up service from our hotel, but unfortunately, they did not make any arrangements. The hotel was located on the other side of the city and far from the airport. However, since public transportation in Korea is affordable and easily accessible, the hotel staff recommended we take the bus. Thankfully, we were able to use our T-money card, a rechargeable transportation card commonly used in Korea. After nearly two hours, we arrived at our hotel, which was situated near Hamdeok Beach.

 

In the afternoon, we took some time to explore the beach and stroll along its beautifully decorated pathways. The beach area is surrounded by roads, mountains, and buildings, making it a popular spot for people to enjoy walks in both the morning and afternoon. I would have liked to swim, but while there were swimming areas available, the weather was quite chilly for winter, with temperatures ranging from 6 to 11 degrees Celsius, which made it a bit challenging. Despite the cold, although it was warmer than in other cities like Seoul, my friends and I had a great time at the beach, visiting local markets and trying various street foods. Fortunately, most of the seafood options available were halal for us as Muslims.

 

Later that night, we returned to our hotel and began planning our itinerary for the next day, including the areas we wanted to visit. We agreed to visit Hallasan  National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the highest mountains in South Korea, with a distance of 153.1KM squares it`s a tourist hotspot and everyone`s to-visit list while visiting Jeju Island an area best for hiking and the scenic views of nature, as it has an untapped and well-preserved forest in the area.

The next morning, we planned our travel to explore Jeju, particularly starting from Hallasan National Park, as renting cars is mostly recommended to make it easier for your trip and exploration, since we didn't have a driving license, and the only person our Jordanian friend, whose international driving license expired. We opted to take the buses as they are accessible everywhere in the Island, during the trip to Hallasan, I have enjoyed the eye catching views in the road as I chose to sit the window the scenic view of the Mountainous land with tall trees and the white snow gives the mind energy and relive while watching until I hear the announcement of the bus that the next stop is Hallasan National park, after we arrived unfortunately we were late for few minutes as they close 11:45 am due to prevention measures as the time of hiking and return is estimated 8 to 9 hours after that we moved with our plans further by going to some other destinations we have planed to visit in that day.

We have continued our exploration and made our way to the Jeongbang Cheonjiyeong waterfalls. The beautiful and scenic views reminded me of my hometown, Isha Baidoa. One waterfall cascades from a rocky mountain into the ocean, while the other flows from a forest that resembles Isha Baidoa.

Henceforth, we met Myung Sook Suh, a retired Korean journalist and a well-known figure who founded the Jeju Olle Foundation, which built the Jeju Olle trails—a 437-kilometer-long path that surrounds Jeju Island. She shared her experiences in journalism and community service, as well as how she is enjoying her retirement. Myung was energetic and charismatic as she shared her unique story, impressing our diverse team comprising members from three different countries with varied educational backgrounds in medicine, computer science, and business administration. She later guided us through the local markets, recommending some local food for us to try.

With Myung Sook Suh, from right to left, Hafiz, Myung, Mohamed, and me

Later, before sunset, we discovered Oedolgae, a famous rock formation in the sea and a popular evening spot. The view of the sunset against the seawater and the mountainous rock was incredibly relaxing and reminded me of a well-known Somali song by the great singer Hassan Adan Samater; the beauty of the view could only be truly captured in that song. Afterward, we explored downtown before returning to our hotel to review our plans for the next day before going to sleep.

On Friday, we discovered an Indonesian community-run mosque and joined them for prayers. Later, we found a Yemeni restaurant where we had lunch. After that, we spent time at Ilchulbong, another UNESCO World Heritage site. This location features a unique combination of sea views, volcanic rock formations, well-maintained hiking trails, and stunning sunsets. Due to its popularity, it was quite crowded, but we patiently waited to witness the sunset, which beautifully blended with the lake and the vibrant flowers, a scene often depicted in Korean movies.

 

On our last day, 14^th of February 2026, as we prepared to return to Suwon for our 4 PM flight, we planned to tour mandarin farms, as Jeju is famous for its mandarin production. During our exploration, I observed that despite having limited agricultural land, there is a wide range of urban farming across the island, and the production methods seem quite effective. Unfortunately, it started to rain in the morning, so we decided to explore other areas near the airport instead. We found an Indonesian restaurant where we enjoyed some delicious cuisine before making our way to the airport. In the evening, we landed at Gimpo Airport in Seoul.

In conclusion, visiting this beautiful island was a dream come true, made possible by the support of Ajou University's CIE, where I am currently enrolled in a Korean language program. Although a few days is not enough time to fully experience Jeju, this trip was incredibly worthwhile in fulfilling one of my dreams. I hope to have more time and opportunities to explore this beautiful island and other tourist destinations in South Korea in the future. Spending time in places like these rejuvenates me during semester breaks.

 

The Death of My Late Uncles: A Tenth Year of Mourning

 Since the collapse of the military regime in 1991, Somalia has faced immense challenges, including civil unrest, interclan conflicts, and the violent actions perpetrated by warlords and organized militants. These atrocities have had a devastating impact on our communities, resulting in the loss of loved ones and affecting nearly every household in various ways, particularly in the northern regions of the country.

As someone who was born during these tumultuous times, my parents shared with me their experiences of unrest, displacement, and fear during the clan conflicts. They recounted the famine and disease outbreaks that claimed the lives of many in our community, exacerbated by the relentless threats from clan warlords in the 1990s. I have witnessed the lasting effects of these tragedies over the past two decades, affecting both urban and rural areas of the country. The consequences have included forced displacements, suicide attacks, and many other forms of violence that have engulfed the lives of innocent civilians.

 

All these tragedies have profoundly affected families, leaving them with lifelong trauma. Loss and suffering are not just numbers; they represent enduring pain for families like mine, who have lost a beloved and important member.

 

On January 2, 2016, I was in my last year of high school in Baidoa. That morning, around 8 AM, my phone started ringing repeatedly, with calls coming in from different regions of the country. The last person I saw was my mom. I answered the call, even though it was during one of our class periods, and she delivered the devastating news: "Your two uncles were targeted in a suicide attack in Mogadishu. One of them died, while the other is in critical condition." At that moment, everything else faded away for me.

 

Since my mom was in a different region, I called my older brother Mohamud Hikam, who was in Mogadishu at the time, to confirm what had happened. He verified the information from my mom, telling me, "Uncle Ayardus, my father's younger brother, died in the incident, while Uncle Sh Bayadir, my father's elder brother, is in the ICU with critical injuries." My brother’s voice was filled with emotion as he shared the news, clearly upset by the situation.

I received the news and ran home, forgetting to ask our school principal for permission to leave or inform him about what had happened. I hurried past the security guard since our school was mostly closed during that time, and no one was allowed to leave without prior approval from the principal. I even left my books in the classroom as I dashed toward the closed gate and asked the security guard to let me out. At that moment, he realized I wasn’t okay and opened the door for me. I left the school running, not knowing what else to do but to reach home and see my family.

 

To explain what happened on January 2, 2016, in the early morning: my late uncle, Sh. Aydarus Sh. Abdirahman (Banani), the younger brother of my late father, was killed in a suicide bombing at a restaurant in Hamarweyne District, Mogadishu, Somalia. My other late uncle, Sh. Bayadir Sh. Abdirahman (Banani), who passed away in February 2025 and was the elder brother of my late father, was injured in this incident. That day was incredibly difficult for my family and our community as a whole, as we witnessed something unbearable.

Aydarus Sh Abdirahman (Banani), my late father, was not only a friend but also a strong advocate for education. He never hesitated to stand up for what was right, even in the face of brutal regimes. In the 1990s, our village was invaded by clan warlords, who burned homes and attempted to harass women. My late uncle, who was the only man present at the time, courageously defended those women. Tragically, he was shot in the mouth and elbow, resulting in the loss of his lower jaw and severe injuries that he carried for the rest of his life.

 

Sh Bayadir Sh Abdirahman (Banani), my father’s elder brother, passed away in February 2025. He was a visionary leader in our community and the primary breadwinner for our family. Despite the tremendous tragedies we faced, he worked tirelessly for community development in education, health, and livelihoods. His efforts significantly contributed to the well-being of our people in Somalia since the collapse of the central government. I am proud to be one of the beneficiaries of his hard work and vision. I may explore his life and legacy in a future blog post.

 

Furthermore, that day was one of the most difficult moments in my life, as well as for my family and our community. We lost our dearest person, our leader, and most beloved figure. It was especially hard for my late grandmother, Hasila Hussien, who had witnessed two of her loved ones suffering in the same incident. She had already lost her son (my father) a few years earlier in 2011. If not for her faith in Allah, which gave her strength to remain faithful and believe in destiny, the agony that she and our family endured would have been unimaginable. What we have experienced is among the highest forms of suffering in human life, which has persisted in my country for over three decades.

 

As we approach the 10th anniversary of my late uncle's death on January 2, 2026, our family will remember this day, as the tragedy is still fresh in our minds. We will mourn the loss of our dearest ones, including my other late uncle and my grandmother, who both passed away on February 25 and November 30, 2025, respectively, along with all the other loved ones we have lost during this time. I share the same emotions and feelings with my fellow citizens who have also lost their loved ones in similar incidents.

A hope that ended nowhere: True story of a Somali migrant

In my country, Somalia, youth migration is an epidemic problem. It could be a legacy or cause of the youth that randomly reached Europe and America encouraging their friends to migrate while sending them good-looking pictures that they took in some parking places of the countries they live in that can't even show the reality of their living standard.

Youth migration causes many factors including unemployment and economic difficulties; the unbalanced, privatized, and under-regulated education system; peer pressure; strong smuggling networks; lack of reliable security; and the overall fragile state institutions that have failed to create hope for the citizens. All these factors contributed to the massively growing illegal migration of Somali youth.

Once upon a time, there was a friend of mine that we used to be village kids in a town. My ambition was to one day be an intellectual and to give back my knowledge to society. At the time, the people of the town who finished higher education were scarce. My brother's dream was to one day be a citizen of a country in Europe or America that can give him dignity and wealth and also can raise the quality of living standard for him and his family.

My friend and I completed the Holy Quran and also an intermediate level of the school. Then, I started finding a way to get further education. I got a contact from some relatives living in the urban cities to seek help for my education journey. At the same time, my friend was planning to leave the town and contacted local strangers to facilitate his journey to Libya.

A few days later, while I was still in the town, I got a phone call. Once I saw the number, I realized that it was from "Tukow". He told me that he was Taleh and was ready to travel to Tripoli in the upcoming days. I told him to come back to the town, and we can make a better living there. I also reminded him of the risk of migration to Europe, but he didn't listen to my advice anymore and ended the call.

Seven months later, my phone rang. After I saw the country code of that number, I knew it was from Libya; it was my friend`s call to share with me his struggle to reach Tripoli that took seven months. He told me that his health condition is not well and his life is in a gamble. He told me that strangers handed him over to Libyan horror, and they would detain him if he didn't pay a ransom of $10,000. They took him from the phone, and they told me what my friend told me. They also added that if I didn't pay the ransom within 10 days, they would kill him.

I and the smugglers (magafayaal) were communicating for a while. After a long time of negotiation, they told me to pay $7,777 for the ransom fee with their last warning. After that, I shared it with some elders of the community and my friend`s relatives. They collected the money for my friend`s freedom. After two days, I called the strangers and transferred the money; they set him free. Due to the difficulties in the road and the prison, he was very sick. After a checkup, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Ten days later, I called a contact person close to my friend, and he told me that my friend boarded a boat on Tuesday the same week he was released with 70 people from different nationalities. I cut the call shocking my friend's suicide. After seven days, my friend called me and told me that he and 9 others survived after police survivors reached them in Malta Island, and at that moment he was in severe health condition in Malta Refugee Camp.

On the next Tuesday, my friend called me from another country. He told me that he traveled from Italy and reached Zürich Switzerland, and that he got an Asylum; he had been hospitalized to get proper treatment while his situation was abnormal. After 14 days in the hospital, my friend died due to tuberculosis that killed his immunity.

After we celebrated that my friend reached his destination, and we were waiting for his recovery, the town and his family faced a tragedy to hear of his death. It was one of the saddest moments in the town to hear the death of their loved one and his body can`t be found to bury that could be contempt and patience for his relatives.

That was the legacy inherited from the adulthood decision made by my lovely friend. May his soul rest in peace. I was in my educational path. 10 years later, I became a university graduate, and I volunteered for some students in the town to complete their primary education there for the first time. Currently, some of those are in their undergraduate studies while others are in secondary school in the same town. This is a path that many Somali youths went through to reach Europe or America while others are dreaming about it. 

The One month of Blog Training, that changed my career

 Blog writing was one of my passions and always dreamed to be a blogger; I created my first BlogSpot 2017 to post my personal view about the situations in the community particular those on my interest include education, politics, economics, and youth empowerment activities, but due to lack of basic skills and guidelines that necessary for every blogger  I quit it.

Mahad and Sadik Left to right

In November 2021, one of my friends who knew that I used to be a blogger asked me one day "how is the blogging site" I told him that I quit it because of my insufficient knowledge to deal with writings. He told me that there is a training opportunity that the Somali Public Agenda organizes for the youth who wants to be a blogger every year and recommended me to look for that opportunity.

From that day I followed all the social media platforms of t Somali Public Agenda and its Centers. I also got the contacts of some SPA’s team, fortunately, in December 2021 I searched for SPA on social media and saw the advertisement.I immediately registered for the training. 

After a few days on 21 December 2021 I got an Email from SPA`s Center for Learning and Development that Says due to a high number of applications there is a screening process that every person to write a one-page Statement of Purpose (SoP) for why I am  applying and how I am going to plan to make use of the training at that moment I wrote the statement and sent it.

SPA team and My fellow Bloggers

After nine days of the screening process, I was selected. I received the application decision email from the Center for Learning and Development with their warm congratulations that I am being selected for the blog training.

January 8th, 2022 was the first day to kick off the training and it was an amazing day to interact with a team that was full of energy and committed to help. It was really great to share a room with amazing instructors and bloggers. I can learn a lot. Thanks to Mahad and Sadik.

The training was brainstorming and intended to take 4 weeks each week. We came Saturday and Thursday, in Saturday we took the session of the week while Thursday was for mentoring the Center invites a senior blogger to share his journey, experience, and tricks for blogging between the two days we have to submit an assignment for one blog that based on the topic were discussed on the week's session to publish 4 blog posts each participant during the 4 weeks of the training.

Blogger Abdishakur and Me

It was four weeks that I can't say only 4 weeks but it is equivalent to 4 years at a University level because it was not only guidance to be a blogger indeed it was an English literature course that even taught us to be confident in writing English, the Trainers, Mentors, and SPA gave us the confidence to overcome a taboo that local university graduate can't write English language academically.

This rare opportunity opened the door for me and my fellow junior bloggers out there because it gave us the confidentiality to share and shape  our stories, bloggers that lead to being future researchers. This was an amazing and useful training that I have ever participated in.

After the 4 weeks of the training, Somali Public Agenda and the Center for Learning and Development organized a Ceremony for the certification and closing of the training and they  invited by some of the mentors who gave us testaments to pursue this journey. they also encourage us even to write one blog a month that will allow us the consistency and from that day to Racal ourselves bloggers.

Closing Ceremony Day

In  Conclusion, I would like to share my grateful appreciation to Somali Public Agenda for filling the research gap in the country, and for its role to empower the youth who are keen to be bloggers or even researchers, also I hereby say Thanks Mahad Wasuge the Director of SPA and Hassan Gulled Known as Sadik Anod the director of Center for Learning and Development for their role during the training and their tireless support before and after the training “I can't find words to describe my happiness”.

 

Empowering Somali Youth through civic engagement and soft skills training

In Somalia, youth unemployment is a major issue, but imagine a graduate who lacks basic skills in the labor market. it is such an absence of necessary skills that hugely contributes to the unemployment rate in the country. However, in response to the growing demand for skills in the labour market for their contribution to the reduction of youth unemployment, USAID's Growth Enterprises Employment and Livelihood (GEEL) project organized a soft skills training and civic engagement, which was facilitated by the Mustqabal Center for vocational training skills and economic development in Mogadishu.

Civic Engagement day

It was a program intended to empower the fresh graduates to have deep knowledge about their civic rights and engage them to participate in activities related to politics, Environment, and volunteerism. During the training, we found out that all issues on youth and Civic Engagement were very limited and the pre-evaluation survey indicated that their knowledge of the matter was not enough.

Soft skills are the most dominant skills that any workforce needs to work in most jobs, those skills include job Research, Communication, teamwork, time management, decision making, and so on.

Opening day of the training

Most of our fresh Graduates in Mogadishu don't have those skills and to acquire is very limited. Most of our universities are not focusing on the needs of the labor market while the students don't try to make Further readings and extracurricular activities to be fit in soft skills.

In my perception and limited experience, I have seen many of our youth including graduates and undergraduates who do not even know how to write Emails, and I volunteer some of the training that teaches youth the basic knowledge of how to write professional emails and communicate efficiently.

Civic Engagement Panelists

During the program, the trainees gained self-confidence that allowed them to make the discussion as groups and individuals.  The Training of Trainers (TOTs) was concluded. At the end of each session group, activities inspired all the trainees to participate in the discussions and each one of the group to present their ideas about the issue.  

Due to the dramatic increase of University graduates, each year and the limited job opportunities and nepotism that exists in the labor market finding a job is one of the most difficult things in Somalia.

Training days

Despite the increase in the number of graduates and the limited job opportunities, there's another challenge facing our youth because most do not have the basic skills to search the jobs and to have clear career goals.

This program solved the anxiety of the trainees because it was not only to present the ToTs but to discuss the topics and brainstorming session that every person has access to add comments and suggestions, the session include Public speaking that made everybody out there to speak with his colleagues and the guest with confidence and to covey his/her message without anxiety.

The last day of the Program was discussion and certification day and it was very different from the first day because everyone was ready to suggest or add comments without feeling fear and the guest were inspired by the differences.

Discussions and asking questions

That day the trainees were also told their inspiring stories and the difference between before and after the training as the Post-evaluation survey indicated that the training made a positive Impact and fully equipped for their career development.

In February 2021 at midnight one of the beneficiaries of the training phoned me and said “ I got a training opportunity for six months” at SOS Somalia, he added “ before the soft skills training I didn’t know how to write a CV and Application” but Alhamdulillah now I can and this opportunity I got is evidence.

 After days later, another one called and told me that he got the same training and three of those trainees had gotten internships from different organizations in Mogadishu after three months of the internship they were hired as full-time employees.

Training days

The Civic Engagement and soft skills training gave me the space to add my contributions to the community and hereby to thanks GEEL USAID for making such a youth empowering that make a positive impact on youth in the labor market.  And lastly, I appreciate Mustqabal and the CEO Ayub for giving me and the youth such an opportunity that allowed us to do good things,

Closing and Certification day