The desire for change and the belief in a better future cannot be measured by a single downpour that waters the earth overnight. Real progress relies on small, intentional steps accumulating over time to create a lasting impact. Rome wasn’t built in a day. As the Somali proverb reminds us, “Dhibic dhibic baa balli ku buuxsamaa”—drop by drop, a pool is filled. A country like Somalia cannot be rebuilt through a single breakthrough or an overnight political shift. Its true transformation lies in the quiet, daily efforts of its people. The local entrepreneur who opens a small business, the farmer applying sustainable techniques to nourish the land, the diaspora member investing in local infrastructure, and the youth gathering to think critically about our collective future.
Three years ago, fresh out of university and drifting through the overwhelming blur of post-graduation life, working, surviving, and navigating the daily realities of Mogadishu, I felt a quiet frustration with the lack of structured spaces dedicated to real intellectual growth. Knowing that true civic awareness requires far more than skimming history books or tracking political soundbites, I was looking for forums where people could brainstorm and critically discuss ideas. That was when I first heard about Saaloonka Garaadsheekaysi: an intellectual gathering.
When I received my first invitation to Saaloonka, my immediate reaction was scepticism. “I cannot waste my time on such nonsense,” I thought. I assumed it would be just another loud, chaotic room where people talked over one another without direction. I’ll admit, when I first heard about Saaloonka, I assumed it was a beauty salon, given how uncommon carefully structured intellectual forums can be in our context. However, my initial doubts were completely off base. The moment I stepped across that threshold, I entered an island of absolute discipline, purpose, and mutual respect. It didn’t take long for me to see my mistake. And for you, to truly understand the meaning of this, you have to imagine the contrast.
In a city where every person is constantly busy, rushing between work, university studies, and the relentless demands of daily life. An environment where life moves fast, young people willingly pause and gather every single week solely to sharpen their intellect was truly extraordinary.
Saaloonka Garaadsheekaysi was founded in 2022 by a group of young local thinkers passionate about critical thought in Mogadishu, with the intention to build and create a dedicated space for conversations of intellect.
Every Tuesday evening, the session begins punctually at 7:00 PM. Participants receive advance notice of the topic, together with relevant reading materials. Unlike other gatherings where discussions devolve into chaotic noise or surface-level chatter, this space enforces rigorous rules of dialogue. For three uninterrupted hours, phones are set aside, cameras remain absent, and participants engaged in structured dialogue. Every participant has a right to take the floor, pose questions, and debate without fear. Participants take the floor sequentially, backed by prior reading and research, ensuring that every contribution is anchored in evidence, critical reasoning, and mutual respect rather than off-the-cuff reactions. When I joined, the group was holding its 89th session, as today, it has reached its 196th and is celebrating its fourth anniversary.
The breadth of topics explored within those three hours reflects a commitment to shaping well-rounded, analytical thinkers. This openness to knowledge calls to mind the Islamic maxim, “Wisdom is the lost property of the believer; wherever they find it, they have the greatest right to it.” Week by week, the circle moves through complex and necessary subjects. In a single month, our circle might move from analyzing high-stakes foreign policy and regional realignments, examine the subtleties of Banaadiri oral literature, debate the responsibilities of modern intellectuals, and explore enduring philosophical dilemmas.
Beyond its role as a weekly intellectual forum, Saaloonka Garaadsheekaysi has become an essential professional and personal anchor for me. It has built a network of peers who share a genuine commitment to critical inquiry. In a society navigating historical fractures and generational shifts, having a consistent, intergenerational space where one can engage in respectful disagreement and collaborative thought feels like an act of quiet restoration.
In that room, freedom of thought is our currency. Yes, as someone who has spent three years inside this circle, my gratitude is accompanied by a deep desire to see this space mature even further.
When I first joined, women’s participation was almost nonexistent. For many weeks, I was either the only woman in the room, or one or two. While female attendance has noticeably improved over time, the guest speakers invited to lead our discussions have remained almost entirely male. Whether due to technical or outreach challenges, creating a genuinely inclusive space where women are not only present in the audience but leading the conversation is something I deeply hope to see fully realized before our fifth anniversary.
Another reflection is that the sheer depth of our discussions can sometimes feel daunting, “yaabis”, or hard to digest. A fellow member once confessed to me that despite attending over twenty sessions, he had never spoken because the material felt too intimidating. Yet, regarding all of that, if we truly want to transform our community, we must shift our lens from these grand macro-topics to the foundational values, ethics, and morals that govern our everyday lives. I believe true intellectual maturity is not just about holding high-level debates but about creating an environment where every voice finds the courage to engage and a space to bring practical solutions for our shared societal challenges.
I still enter that room with a sense of quiet awe. As long as spaces like this exist, where young minds gather to debate ideas, read deeply, and exercise intellectual courage, our nation’s future is not just a wish, but a living promise. And, as I said at the beginning, “Dhibic dhibic baa balli ku buuxsamaa.” Just as individual drops of rain gradually restore a dry landscape, intellectual gatherings in which young people debate ideas, question inherited assumptions, and imagine new possibilities nourish a nation’s future leaders.
