Ingeborg Vardøen’s first visit to Hargeysa, in 1991, left an indelible mark as she witnessed the devastation of war in the city, but she was also captured by the optimism and an incredible spirit and will to recover. Since then she has become a regular visitor to the Horn of Africa and an eyewitness to the progress made in Somaliland. This book draws on her many encounters with the Somalis, both in the Horn of Africa and in Norway, where she is an active member of the Norwegian-Somali Community.