Somalia continues to feel Türkiye’s growing influence, not only through infrastructure, health, and education projects but also through personal stories like Daqane’s — young Somalis who studied in Türkiye and returned home to contribute to their nation’s development.
“I had no plan to go to Türkiye,” Daqane recalls. “Two Turkish officials came to our school to conduct an exam. I took it, and the next day I learned I had passed. At first, I couldn’t believe it. I was scared — I was young, heading to a new culture, a new language, and a foreign country all alone.”
With her parents’ permission, she left for Türkiye and studied Turkish in Ankara’s Polatlı district for six months before beginning her medical education.
After graduating from Konya Ereğli Lokman Hekim Vocational and Technical High School in 2016, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation from Istanbul Hamidiye University of Health Sciences.
“It was challenging,” she admits. “I was studying medicine in a language that wasn’t my own, full of Latin terms. But I never gave up. My goal was to return home as a professional.”
Her professors, she says, were supportive both academically and personally. After completing her studies, Daqane returned to Somalia and began working at the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Hospital in Mogadishu — currently as the country’s only licensed physiotherapist.
“Some of my colleagues who studied in Türkiye chose not to return. But for me, serving my people brings immense joy,” she says. “Reuniting with my family after so many years and helping my community is one of the best feelings in my life.”
Daqane notes that most private physiotherapy centers in Somalia are operated by foreign professionals, mainly from India and Uganda, due to the lack of trained local specialists.
Challenges and Growth in Türkiye
Despite mostly positive experiences in Türkiye, Daqane says she occasionally faced uncomfortable situations, especially amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment.
“I have beautiful memories from Türkiye — half of my life was spent there,” she says. “Before returning home in 2023, I worked as a nurse at Fatih Özel Çapa Hospital in Istanbul. One day on public transport in Esenyurt, a woman shouted at me without reason, and others joined in. It was hurtful. But instead of letting it break me, I realized how much I had matured.”
Türkiye Graduates Find Opportunities in Somalia
Türkiye’s strong presence in Somalia has also opened doors for many Turkish-educated professionals.
“There are many Turkish companies and institutions here,” Daqane explains. “Being a Türkiye graduate gives you an advantage — not just professionally but socially too. There are more opportunities for us to contribute to national development.”
Today, Daqane says she feels fulfilled. The girl who once feared traveling alone to a faraway country has returned home as a symbol of perseverance and inspiration.
“When I look back, I see how that journey turned me into a strong, conscious, and useful woman,” she reflects. “Life is like a well — when you’re inside, you think what you see above is the whole world. But once you climb out, you realize how big the world truly is. Türkiye opened my eyes to that world.”