Refugee Woman of the Year concerned about young immigrants

Saido Mohamed

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Somali-born Saido Mohamed, who was named Refugee Woman of the Year on Tuesday, says that she hopes that immigrants in Finland would be treated as individuals.
      “Usually when we speak about immigrants and refugees, for instance, no distinction is made. We should keep in mind that each person is an individual.”
      The Finnish Refugee Council announced on Tuesday that it had chosen Saido Mohamed as Refugee Woman of the Year, largely because of her efforts in volunteer work.
     
“This means very much to me. It is an indication that volunteer work is appreciated”, says Saido, who works as a specialised nurse. She has also worked as a volunteer at the Finnish Somali League and the Kanava youth organisation.
      With her title of Refugee Woman of the Year, Saido Mohamed wants to draw attention especially to the situation of young people with an immigrant background.
      “I want to continue the volunteer work that I have been doing so far. There are so many people in this country whose voices are not heard”, she says.
     
Saido Mohamed was born in the Somali capital Mogadishu 36 years ago. She arrived in Finland in the early 1990s, when war in her country forced her middle-class family to flee the country.
      “We had to leave immediately. We were living in the middle of the fighting. As our home was next to the Presidential palace, we had to get out of Mogadishu fast.”
      After many twists and turns Saido Mohamed settled in Hämeenlinna in 1992.
      On Sunday, Helsingin Sanomat included Mohamed on its list of Finland’s 100 best women.
     


Links:
  Finnish Refugee Council

Helsingin Sanomat