“Shark Tank” Like Event for Somalis Attracts Hundreds in Minneapolis
On Thursday, September 21, over 150 people packed the Mcnamara event hall at the University of Minnesota for MinBar; a shark tank like event where investors seek to buy shares of companies. The event was organized by organizations and companies that include Dahabshiil, USAID, ARC, Affinity Labs and more.
Contestants submitted hundreds of proposals and 6 entrepreneurs were chosen to pitch their ideas to the investors. The pitched ideas included a mobile tea shop, a dip sauce, a water bottle, a auto-dispensing tooth paste, and a water purifying system. Out of the 6 pitched ideas, the mobile tea shop (Dhake Jebiye) got the most money funding. The event concluded at 10pm.
U.S Youth Observer to the U.N Has Been Named and She is a Somali-Minnesotan
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, announced in July, Ms. Munira Khalif as the sixth annual U.S. Youth Observer to the UN. Khalif, a Minnesota-native and rising junior at Harvard University, was chosen from a competitive pool of nearly 350 applicants that included top-ranked university students and young professionals from across the United States. In her role as U.S. Youth Observer to the UN, Khalif will represent a youth voice at the United Nations General Assembly and other UN events throughout the year.
The U.S. Youth Observer to the United Nations program was launched in 2012 to increase youth engagement in global affairs.
“As a representative of the largest youth generation in history, I know the decisions of today shape the world of our tomorrow,” said Khalif in her acceptance speech “I look forward to elevating the voices of young Americans in these important global policy discussions during my time as U.S. Youth Observer to the UN.”
Yusuf Ahmed, Melbourne’s Rising Soccer Star Award Winner
Congratulations to Yusuf Ahmed who is Melbourne City FC’s NYL Rising Star Player of the Year. Yusuf won this award which recognizes his talent and value to the team.
Yusuf Ahmed, born April 24, 1997, is a 20-year old football player from Australia who currently plays for Melbourne City, a club in the Australian A-League competition. Ahmed plays as a Striker, wearing number 41 for Melbourne.
A Mobile Tea Shop (Dhake Jebiye) is Taking Somalia by Storm
Hussein Ibrahim is founder and C.E.O of “Dhaka Jebiye,” a mobile tea company currently operating in Hargeisa, Somalia. “Tea is the most popular product in Somalia” he says, “Even so, there is no Somali brand that embodies this product, Dhaka Jebiye intends to become that brand.”
The company now employs six people and is growing quickly. The company is in the process of setting up operations in other cities in Somalia like Mogadishu. Hussein’s audacious vision and business plan saw him win $75,000 at the Minbar Somali startup pitch competition. Investors like Abdirashid Duale, C.E.O of Dahabshiil, and John Griffith, head of global operations for American Refugee Committee saw great potential in Hussein’s business model and came on-board as investors.
It is important to note that Hussein is a Somali-Minnesotan who graduated from the U of M in 2012.