Ahmed Mohamed Ali is the eldest of his two siblings. He is a 30 year old man currently living in Mogadishu, Somalia. Ahmed is victim of an injury from South African robbers and he is disabled after a gunshot spinal cord injury.
Mr. Ahmed left Somalia in 2010 through illegal immigration to South Africa by smugglers. For this voyage Ahmed paid close to $3000 USD to reach his destination.
He arrived in South Africa at the end of 2010 December – his journey had taken three months to reach South Africa where some of his friend lived. They welcomed beautiful Ahmed. As soon as he arrived to South Africa, he started to look for work because his family was relying on him.
Fortunately, Ahmed got a job in a small shop located in an informal settlement 25 Km away from Pretoria, the capital of South Africa. He redoubled his hope of becoming independent from poverty. Ahmed worked every day from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Ahmed was the breadwinner of his family and the entire family depends on him. He would send his family some amount of money every month – he had a good hope and was self-sufficient.
Unfortunately on December 31, 2011 Ahmed was shot at his shop by three robbers who took everything that was valuable and left him for dead, lying on the floor.
But Ahmed survived when his friends arrived and took him to the nearest hospital called CHORGE BUKHARI HOSPITAL. After operating, the doctors explained to his friends and coworkers that the bullet had damaged his spinal cord and he would never walk again. Ahmed was devastated by the news.
Four months later, Ahmed was discharged from the hospital and transferred to the rehabilitation center near the hospital. However, Ahmed couldn’t stay at the Rehab. Center because he couldn’t afford the service fee.
After he left the rehabilitation center, Ahmed prepared to return to his home country. His friends collected some money to pay for his trip. They said farewell to their beloved friend who had lost his beautiful lower limbs in South Africa.
Ahmed was the sole source of financial support for his family so the injury has been a blow to him as he desperately wants to continue to support them.
I came across the life of Ahmed and his family when I went to their home in Mogadishu. I met Ahmed sitting his wheelchair and he told me this painful story. In some seasons Ahmed says he feels a pain in his back and his entire body but he can’t afford to go to Hospital. He was the breadwinner of the family and imagine his pain?
By: Mohamed A Farah.
Disable activist Somalia
