索马里难民返回家园重建生活

Returning Somali Refugees Rebuild Lives 索马里难民返回家园重建生活

Abdullahi Mohamed, a former refugee from Somalia, has returned to his country in search of work.

Mohamed, now in his 20s, spent many years living in the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya.

Now he is one of about 18,000 former refugees who live in the Somali city of Kismayo. He is fixing automobiles² and learning how to be an auto¹ mechanic.

His training will continue into February.

Mohamed hopes to have a better future than other former refugees because he is learning how to do a job.

Thousands of refugees are returning to Somalia after living in camps in Kenya. When they were away, some went to school but many depended on assistance from aid organizations. They did not get a good education or learn a how to do a job.

“At least here, I have got something to learn and do,” Mohamed said.

There is a concern that the returnees will have trouble starting new lives without the skills they need for a good job.

That is why organizations like the American Refugee Council are supporting job training programs. The council also wants to be sure the young men who did go to school in the camps do not join militant³ groups like al-Shabab.

Abdi Ibrahim Abdi Barre is the deputy mayor of Kismayo. He is concerned young men with a high school education might be asked to work with chemicals and make bombs.

“Young people are vulnerable,” he said. “If they are not provided with the skills, education and materials they need to pursue their goals, then people will take advantage of them."

At one point, the Dadaab camp was home to more than 300,000 people. Most of them were from Somalia.

The Kenyan government said it would close the camps, so many native Somalis went home.

The United Nations refugee agency said at least 34,000 refugees have returned to Somalia. But they do not have much to return to. Many have criticized a lack of jobs and other services.

In Kismayo, the American Refugee Council is helping⁴ 20-year-old Shafii Ali. He is learning to make window frames. He builds the frames and adds the window glass. At first, he did not think he could do the work.

After three months of training, the young man said he wants to open his own business and help teach other former refugees how to make windows.

Abdullahi Mohamed said that he and the other returnees need to depend on themselves instead of other people. He said they need to forget about how their lives worked in the refugee camp.

Abdi Barre said the future of the returning refugees should be a national concern and not limited to aid agencies.

“Everyone should be involved,” he said.

Words in This Story

mechanic– n. a person who repairs machines (such as car engines) and keeps them running properly

vulnerable – adj. easily hurt or harmed physically⁵, mentally, or emotionally

council – n. a group or organization

frame – n. the structure that gives shape or strength to something

1 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

2 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。