Egal Shidad is a beloved “wise fool” in the folklore of Somalians. He will be the one to tell the stories and communicate the health information to the Somali people in the Egal Shidad New Routes project.

Expectations and hopes for the Egal Shidad project in the Minneapolis Somali Community are high. “Make it good,” they told Mukhtar Gaadasaar, the program's producer, at Monday’s community meeting. ”We need more than the programs you are planning,” someone else said. One after another the Somali people eagerly spoke up to list the health issues they wish to have addressed: Khat use, teen pregnancy, STDs, bone health, nutrition, tobacco use . . . the list went on. Some even began to refer to Mukhtar as “Egal Shidad.”

I felt very impressed by the immediate efforts of the Egal Shidad partners to get the Somali community involved inthe project and I was heartened by the enthusiastic response by the Somali community in this New Route’s Project.

I also admired the dedication, intelligence, experience, and good humor of the Egal Shidad team who have put their shoulders to wheel to make this project happen. As part of the National Program office with a long title, I often feel humbled by the skills and experience of our New Routes grantees. That certainly is the case here. Yes, I have some skills and effort to contribute, but I certainly feel that in the months to come on this project I will be learning a great deal from the Minnesota team about what it takes to get an ambitious project off the ground and see it soar.

Pictured: Left of headline: Community member speaks out a Monday's meeting in Minneapolis; Top left, Saeed Fahia of Confedeeration of Somali Community in Minnesota. Above right, a woman speaks up about Somali health issues. Left, Mukhtar Gaadasaar, Egal Shidad producer; Brenda González, Deputy Director of NR; Beth Mastin, Director of NR; and Janis Lane-Ewart, Executive Director of KFAI.