Staff Spotlight | Abdi-Hakim Mohamed
Abdi-Hakim Mohamed is a caseworker who focuses on housing and family reunification within CRIS’ Resettlement Program.
“I studied geography at Lafoole University in my hometown of Mogadishu from 1979-1982. I was a student in their College of Education, which at that time, had a partnership with Eastern Michigan University. During my undergraduate studies, I also had the opportunity to intern with UNHCR. After graduating in 1982, I became a high school teacher and soon after a vice-principal in Mogadishu [capital of Somalia]. To support my parents and younger siblings, I took a second job as a nightshift security officer at a USAID compound. I slept for an hour or two when I could between jobs. As Somalia's political climate became more volatile in late 1990, I knew I would have to leave the country. At that time, warlords assumed anyone working with the government was an enemy, and that included me.
I obtained a visa to travel to Italy, where I went in 1991 and applied for asylum. My asylum application in Italy was rejected because they did not have the resources to support so many refugees and asylees then. I knew I could not return home, and I dreamed of moving to the United States to find safety. In Rome, I picked up odd jobs where I could–construction, etc. By January 1993, I had saved enough money to buy myself a plane ticket to Miami, Florida. I filed for asylum once I arrived in Miami, and my application was accepted within two weeks. While I felt such relief at being granted asylum, I was not really sure what to do next. I had few distant connections anywhere in the States, little money, and few resources. I managed to take a bus from Miami to New York City where I stayed for a few months. Later that year, I found my way to Columbus, Ohio. Though I wanted to continue my education in Columbus, I did not have the resources to do so at that time, so I took what jobs I could find to support myself. I eventually settled in a second-shift position at the Honda plant in Marysville.
Around that time, only approximately 200 Somali families lived in the area. In my free time, I began to try and help newly arrived Somali families as they moved to the area. I knew all too well what it was like to be in a completely unfamiliar place and not know who to turn to for help. I wanted to offer that trusted support to those in need. Before long, word got around in the community, ‘You need help? Call Abdi!’
It was through my volunteer efforts that I became acquainted with CRIS in 1995. I brought someone to the then-CRIS office space for assistance. Over the next few weeks and months, I found myself there often as people called me for help. I did not have to be at my job at Honda until 2 PM, so I spent many of my mornings helping other refugees apply for benefits, get connected with CRIS programs, and more. The CRIS staff got to know me and asked me to start working with them part-time. I told them I just wanted to continue as a volunteer, to help my community, and to serve those in need. They asked me a couple more times over the following months, and eventually, I began working ten hours a week for CRIS while maintaining my full-time job.
Over the next few years, my hours and responsibilities at CRIS grew. When CRIS became a Church World Service affiliate in 2001, I served as the North Office manager and resettlement program assistant. In my nearly 30 years at CRIS now, I have served in so many capacities–employment, youth programming, and more. I now focus on housing assistance and family reunification within the resettlement program. People still say, ‘You need help? Call Abdi!’ This is not a traditional 9-5 job in that people need help when they need help. I am so happy to be able to serve those in my community.”