New Songs to Sing

Somali and Oromo women

singing and dancing together!

Over the past month, Iftin has nearly doubled in size with the addition of many new Oromo refugee women who have come to Kenya from Ethiopia.

Erica speaking to a gathering of Iftin women today as they prepare cultural dances and songs for the official re-launch of the Iftin Self Help Group project on Monday. As part of this gathering, the women who completed the ceramic bead course will receive certificates from the vocational training centre. Both of the Somali and Oromo cultures will be represented by specific dances and songs. The ladies will conclude the event by coming together to sing their official Iftin song which was written by one of our founding members, Jamilo.

It was wonderful to be a part of a morning full of singing, clapping, and dance. Many of the songs the women sang were traditional folk songs that have been passed down through the generations from mother to daughter.



One exception was the Iftin song written by Jamilo Moxamed Yasin

Arday baan ahayoo
We are students
Ubixii wadankaan ahayoo
We are the flowers of the country
Waxan uordayaa uordayaa
We are running running
Iftin uaadnaa
going to Iftin (the light)
Inaan aqoonkarar sadoo
to add knowledge (experience)
Dalkena anfacee
and be useful for the country
Dadaak kii lanimidee
I came here to work hard
alahayow noo gargaar
God may you help us.
aamiin aamiin aamiin
Amen Amen Amen




We continue to pray for peace and solidarity between the women of these two unique cultures. As they have experienced generations of strife and distrust, we pray that in this day new songs would be sung by the people of Somalia and Ethiopia.

Please continue to pray with us