{"id":590,"date":"2022-01-17T10:00:59","date_gmt":"2022-01-17T01:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/accept-int.org\/en\/?post_type=report&p=590"},"modified":"2025-10-06T15:48:59","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T06:48:59","slug":"somalia-division-from-conflict-actor-to-assistant-restaurant-manager-somalia-division-from-conflict-actor-to-assistant-restaurant-manager","status":"publish","type":"report","link":"https:\/\/accept-int.org\/en\/somalia-17\/01\/2022","title":{"rendered":"Somalia Division: From Conflict Actor to Assistant Restaurant Manager"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Activity Reports<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\nSomalia Division: From Conflict Actor to Assistant Restaurant Manager\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\nJanuary 17, 2022\r\n

\r\nWe would like to share the story of Mumin (23)<\/strong>, a former member of an armed group who successfully reintegrated into society.\r\n


\r\nMumin\u2018s Story<\/strong>\r\n

\r\nBorn in 1998, Mumin joined the armed group Al-Shabaab<\/strong> at the young age of 15. He explained that his hometown was under the group\u2019s control and that there was no way to escape. In Somalia, such cases of forced recruitment are unfortunately common. Mumin was one of the many young people drawn into a world of violence against their will.\r\n\"\"\r\n\u25b2 Care counseling session.<\/strong> Left: Mr. Nagai, Executive Director \/ Center: Local staff \/ Right: Mumin\r\n

\r\nMumin had been working in a restaurant to help support his impoverished family. Due to his expertise, even after joining Al-Shabaab he began working as a cook<\/strong> at one of the restaurants operated by the organization.\r\n

\r\nIt\u2019s important to note that even within non-state armed groups, roles vary – not every member becomes a fighter.\r\n

\r\nDuring his roughly four years in the organization, Mumin occasionally assisted fighters in addition to his cooking duties. And although he was not directly involved in combat, he was still exposed to the group\u2019s extremist ideology. While he was not deeply influenced by it, after being arrested, he was sentenced to three years in prison<\/strong> for his involvement with the group. He was only 19 years old at the time.\r\n


\r\nRehabilitation and Rediscovering Hope<\/strong>\r\n

\r\nWe approach young people like Mumin with understanding and do not judge their past, but walk with them toward a new future. Of course, few are able to open up fully from the beginning, but through numerous dialogues, mutual trust slowly grows.\r\n

\r\nWhat matters most is this principle:\r\n

\r\n\u201cThe past cannot be changed, but the future can be created anew.\u201d<\/em>\r\n

\r\nBased on this belief, in the latter stages of his care counseling<\/strong>, we began exploring Mumin\u2019s dreams and working together to build a concrete plan around them.\r\n

\r\nThis process takes place in our Job Management Training<\/strong> program. Mumin\u2019s dream was to open his own restaurant one day, drawing on his past experience as a cook.\r\n

\r\nHowever, the first thing he asked for was financial support to start a restaurant<\/strong>. While we never deny such requests, we explained that opening and managing a restaurant immediately after release would be difficult. Instead, we helped him set a long-term goal of opening his own place, while taking the first practical step: gaining proper experience by working in an established restaurant.\r\n


\r\nBuilding a New Life<\/strong>\r\n

\r\nAfter completing our rehabilitation program, Mumin was released in the spring of 2020<\/strong>. Rather than returning to his hometown, still under Al-Shabaab\u2019s control, he moved to Mogadishu<\/strong>, the capital, to begin a new life with his family.\r\n

\r\nEven before his release, he had already started preparing for the future. Once free, he personally visited various restaurants in Mogadishu to seek employment. His persistence paid off: five months after his release<\/strong>, he was finally hired as a waiter<\/strong>.\r\n

\r\nAt first, most of his tasks were menial – cleaning, serving, and running errands – but he remained patient and dedicated, taking every small step seriously.\r\n\"\"\r\n\u25b2 Mumin working as a waiter<\/strong> in a restaurant in Mogadishu. He kindly treated our staff to coffee free of charge.\r\n\"\"\r\n\u25b2 Mr. Nagai, Executive Director, visited Mumin\u2019s restaurant for a follow-up in December 2020.<\/strong>\r\n


\r\nA Proud Update<\/strong>\r\n

\r\nWe regularly conduct follow-ups with released individuals like Mumin, both online and through in-person visits by our local staff.\r\n

\r\nIn November 2021<\/strong>, during an online counseling session, Mumin proudly shared some remarkable news:\r\n

\r\n\u201cI\u2019m no longer a waiter – I\u2019ve been promoted to assistant restaurant manager!<\/strong>\u201d<\/em>\r\n

\r\nHe told us:\r\n

\r\n \u201cAt first, I never imagined this kind of future. But thanks to Accept, I realized I wasn\u2019t alone – and that gave me the strength to keep going. I\u2019m truly grateful.\u201d<\/em>\r\n

\r\nWe will continue to support young people like Mumin as they carve out their own futures, step by step, and work toward a world free of terrorism and armed conflict.\r\n\"\"\r\n\u25b2 Online follow-up counseling<\/strong> between Mr.. Nagai, Executive Director and Mumin, November 2021.\r\n

\r\nOur independent activities<\/strong> are made possible through the support of individuals like you, particularly those who join as \u201cAccept Ambassadors,\u201d contributing from 10 USD per month<\/strong>.\r\n

\r\nTogether with you, we hope to continue taking on the challenge of ending terrorism and armed conflict, starting right here from Japan.\r\n

\r\n\u27a1 Become an Accept Ambassador<\/a>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/a>
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