An unlikely journey from Somalia to Toronto

Mohamed Hassan’s journey to Ryerson was anything but guaranteed. The oldest of 10 children, the 29-year-old Somali native is the first in his family to attend university—a decision that might have risked his ability to support his family. Having graduated from a university in Turkey and transitioned to a career in various public, private and international NGOs, Hassan’s future horizons have expanded now that he’s one of the participants in the 2017-2018 African Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship Program.

The program looks for emerging professionals from sub-Saharan Africa between 22 and 35 who have completed a university degree and gained two to five years of experience in the public, civil society, or research/academic sectors. If accepted, students pursue a master’s degree in public administration, public policy, or public finances at a Canadian university, with the hope of gaining knowledge that may one day be applied in Africa.

“The government of Canada has opportunities for training, mentorship, in order to see how the Canadian system works,” said Hassan. “In Africa we are suffering dictatorship, crises, corruption. I am eager to learn and to gain experience, improve my skills and broaden my understanding and knowledge of public policy and public administration. In the long run, It is my goal to join the ranks of scholars, professionals, and advocates of public policy, who are working tirelessly on finding practical solutions to Somalia’s prolonged political problems.

Hassan was one of 34 African scholars selected out of 4,000 applicants. Ryerson was Hassan’s first choice for its Public Policy and Administration MA. The scholarship covers tuition for the two-year program, plus health insurance, monthly allowances, and mentorship from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (external link) . Hassan has just completed his first semester.

“My background is finance, so when it comes to public policy, I’m particularly interested in fiscal policy in addition to social policy. In the last semester, we learned how Canadian intergovernmental relations work—how the federal and provincial work together on issues like the Canadian health-care fund—and I wrote a paper on basic income pilot projects. Before I came here, I knew that Canada was a federal system—but how that system worked inside was new to me.

“No one can believe that I am here with a Somali passport. I’m representing my country, and my family are proud of me.”

Hassan arrived in Toronto on August 28. How was the transition? “I liked it. I have been in Istanbul, and though Istanbul’s population is much bigger and more crowded, they are similar, with facilities like subways. I didn’t feel I came from a different world.” How about the weather? “Wow, it’s terrible. You have to wear a coat.”