Ruqiya O. Mohamud: The Civil Engineer Whose Dream Was Ruined By The Civil War

Ruqiya O. Mohamud: The Civil Engineer Whose Dream Was Ruined By The Civil War

I am dedicating this story to One of the first Somali women who studied Civil Engineering at Somali National University. A woman who had a long career in education and public service. 

Ruqiya Osman Mohamud was born in Mogadishu in 1958. Her family moved to Ceelbuur in the Galgaduud region, where she took her primary education in Macalin Jamac school. After she finished her primary school, in 1972-1976 she moved back to Mogadishu to start high school at Howlwadaag secondary school. 

After she graduated from secondary school, she served one year for the nation. This was the norm where everyone who finished secondary education had to go through national service for one year. 

Ruqiya was keen to study engineering. She was interested in studying civil and urban engineering. It was not common for Somali women to study engineering at the time. But Ruqiya wanted to break the norms and be the first.1978, She joined the Somali National University to study civil engineering. She was one of the first women who studied this course in the country.  

She graduated in 1982, with a bachelor’s degree, where she was awarded as the best student of the year by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing This has been a proud moment for her and for the family. She had dedicated a lot of time to achieve her Bachelor's degree. 

After graduation, she started working for the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in 1983, she was attached to NRC/UNHCR counterpart by the Ministry of Public Works & Housing as a nation an engineer 1984. She was a valuable member of the ministry staff. She helped deliver the key responsibilities of the ministry in planning and providing public works.  She was noticed by her competence and hard work and received a recommendation to work for UNDP, where she worked between 1985 to 1987.

Working for both the Ministry of Public Works and Housing and the UN organization was important professionally for her. She knew how both organizations work, and that they need each other to implement their goals. In 1989, she returned to the Minister of Public Works and Housing where she presented a program with UNDP called Low-Cost Housing Project where public workers can live. This was a very successful project, where she had contributed. 

After working for both national and international organizations, Ruqiya decided to continue with her education and applied for a scholarship. She received a master’s degree scholarship in the Netherlands in 1988. She graduated with a master’s degree in urban planning, after some years living in the Netherlands. Ruqiya came back to Mogadishu, excited and ready to serve her nation. She has studied urban planning, a course that was crucial in developing cities in Somalia. 

Soon after she moved back to Mogadishu, the civil war broke out in Somalia. She was left devastated and moved to Addis Ababa- Ethiopia in 1992. In Ethiopia, Ruqiya worked as a volunteer to help the Somalia community in Addis Ababa as a spokesperson, where she helped vulnerable people through translation and paperwork.  

The civil war has dashed away a lot of people’s dreams. Ruqiya was one of them. She prepared all her skills to serve the nation. But she was unfortunate to come back when the country was on the brink of a civil war. I can’t summarize Rukia`s history in this blog post. She is a role model for me and a lot of Somali women. She has dedicated her life to education and worked hard to fulfill her dreams.