A review by courtofnilly
Warda My Journey from the Horn of Africa to a College Education by Warda Mohamed Abdullahi

adventurous hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

There's nothing more inspiring than reading the story of a woman who strived and struggled most of her life just for an education. It feels even more inspiring when that woman is of the same ethnicity as you and lives in the same state. "Warda" is a beautifully crafted autobiography that shows more than just the childhood and rise of Warda Abdullahi, but the Somali culture and a look at the lives of those living in Ethiopia/Somalia during major historical events. Being Somali myself, I felt empowered reading this and understanding more about my people and culture. As Warda continued her life, she encountered many obstacles and had to flee from conflicts that negatively impacted Somali life. Her dedication to simply becoming a doctor is just amazing to see, and the people she meets in her life who help her grow and teach her many things that eventually lead to her becoming the woman who aspires to lead a life of culture and faith. She sacrificed her time for many achievements. One thing I love is that Warda's story doesn't start with her at first. We learn of her grandfather, Abdullahi, who is shown to us as a hardworking man who didn't have the opportunities Warda would soon get. Then it's her father, Mohamed, who is a man who strived for education, but wouldn't achieve his fullest potential. Her father reminded me of mine: a man who will always push his children to the best they can be and is very knowledgeable in many aspects of life. Then we move to Warda herself, who starts off running all her life and slowly becomes grounded in her principles and morals. If there is something I took away from this book, it's that Warda's journey was one not born out of an escape, but a journey born out of a genuine need for resources she didn't have. For knowledge she needed. Her hard work paid off countless times, and all she needed to do was be herself and put in the time for an eventual reward.