Maqane

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  4. Posted

    Source: Link

     

    For some Somali women, having lighter skin tone is the ultimate beauty goal and they use skin products containing dangerous chemicals to reach that goal, according to a new University of Minnesota study.

     

    “To be a beautiful Somali woman, one has to have lighter skin color,” Amira Adawe, co-author of “Skin-Lightening Practices and Mercury Exposure in the Somali Community,” said in a recent interview describing the attitude of some women.

     

    Several Somali women who were interviewed for the study published in July said they mix products that include lemon herbal whitening cream, lulanjina, diana and dermovate — some of which have mercury, a poison that can damage the nervous system, according to the study.

     

    “These chemicals are proven neurotoxins and have been linked to birth defects if used by women during the prenatal period,” stated the study. “Inorganic mercury exposure is associated with rashes, skin discoloration, scaring, secondary bacterial and fungal infections, and even renal impairment and damage to the nervous system.”

     

    The study added: “It should also be noted that mercury … can be transferred from mother to infant through breast milk.”

     

    The Minnesota Department of Health recently tested 27 bleaching products, 23 creams and four soaps. The department found that 11 products contained mercury levels ranging from 135 to 33,000 parts per million. “This has prompted both state and federal health officials to issue warnings about the use of these products,” according to the study.

     

    Although Minnesota law bans beauty products that contain mercury, the study said that immigrants have been smuggling the cosmetics from Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The products are then secretly sold in Twin Cities-area stories.

     

    “This is not practiced by only Somali women,” said Adawe, a health educator at St. Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health. “It’s widely used by Hispanics, Asians and African-Americans.”

     

    Skin-lightening practices

    There are various reasons some Somali women rub their body twice a day with skin-bleaching substances, the study stated. Some of them use the chemicals to get rid of the facial masks of pregnancy, which are pigments women develop during pregnancy.

     

     

    Amira Adawe

    These pigments often appear on cheekbones, forehead, nose, forearms and other parts of the body that are exposed to the sun. Women with darker skin are more prone to skin pigmentation than those with fair skin tone, health reports suggest.

     

    The study indicated that women also use skin-lightening products to attract men. “They see having light skin as more socially acceptable and believe it will increase their chances of finding a husband,” according to the study.

     

    Adawe, who was born in Somalia, said she knows many Somali women who use the products. “You can tell who uses it and who doesn’t,” she said. “You can’t mistake it with naturally light-skin people. These creams give people more of yellowish color.”

     

    Adawe said the women who use the products often aren’t open about the practice. “Actually, they’ll deny when you ask them,” she said.

     

    How study began

    Growing up in Mogadishu and in Minneapolis, Adawe said she encountered many women who regularly used the skin-lightening products. She said became involved in the study a few years ago after coming across an article about bleaching cosmetics that reportedly contained mercury. Adawe said he began to worry about the health of women she knew who used these products, so she started investigating the issue in 2011.

     

    After several interviews with Somali women in the Twin Cities, Adawe learned that some of the women used products containing mercury. Adawe then took her findings to officials at the St. Paul and Ramsey County health department. Soon after, the FBI raided stores in Minneapolis and found Minnesota-banned skin-lightening products and took action against owners, said Adawe, a public health graduate student at the University of Minnesota.

     

    Adawe’s investigation prompted the study, thanks in part to her professor and mentor, Charles Oberg, who co-authored the research paper.

     

    Public awareness efforts

    Adawe’s is working to tell others about the dangers of skin-lightening practices by speaking out at community and educational forums, appearing on radio and television shows, and meeting with leaders and activists of the Somali community.

     

    Adawe also engages in conversations with 244 members of the Somali community on a Facebook page she created named “Skin-lightening practices & chemical exposure among Somali women.”

     

    Members share articles, videos and studies about the risks of skin-lightening practices, and they discuss ways they can help limit such practices.

     

    On June 11, Adawe posted on the page: “To those of you who are scholars or know the Islamic religion well, can you please educate us about what Islam says about skin-lightening practices?”

     

    Awil Egal, a group member, replied: “Islam has forbidden men or women to change the creation of Allah: Skin color, hair color and the likes. ”

     

    Egal added: “Using cosmetics, creams and other things that are made from chemicals or impure substances and which may have dangerous side effects is definitely haram [forbidden]. It is also another form of deceiving that can create mistrust between people.”

     

    Other members wrote simple lines of encouragement. Khadijo Abdi, for instance, posted: “Beautiful people, leave your skin as God intended!”

     

    Adawe is optimistic the Somali community will understand the risks of the chemicals. And with social media, she said, she’s even more hopeful that the people will be informed faster.

     

    “Everybody is on Facebook and Twitter these days,” Adawe said. “Social media is a great tool to use for spreading awareness on issues like this one.”

     

    Adawe said there are significant numbers of Somali women satisfied with their natural skin tone and don’t consider using the skin products.

     

    “It all depends on their confidence and level of education,” Adawe said. “Uneducated people tend to use these products more often.”

  12. Posted

    Alpha Blondy;982692 wrote:
    officially rented the property today. did the notary agreement and all. it's a little too far from the town centre but spacious.....there are good transport links. paid 3 months deposit. may require some small renovations balse we'll see, y'all.

     

    this is madness.
    won't someone tell me to STOP. weey tagtoooooooow..... weey talaabteeeeeeeey
    .
    :P:D
    ;)

    Hadal badan haan ma buuxsho baa la yriyi, balse You're almost there, don't give up ;)

  15. Posted

    Very emotional, must listen to the Elder!

     

    Over the last two years, the Somali National Security Forces, with the support of AMISOM, have forced al Qaeda linked extremist group al Shabaab, out of most urban centres across south and central Somalia, enabling the country to inaugurate a new and representative political order.

     

     

     

  16. Posted

    YoniZ;980616 wrote:
    Abbaas,

     

    inaar waxan wax kabadan, are you the newly (self) appointed spin doctor of AMISOM
    :)

    :D eh, self appointed? it's more than that but i would rather keep it a secret, ma garatay? Ya'll stop the '''ilfuur'... AMISOM doesn't need you.

  17. Posted

    Haatu;982938 wrote:
    Her Jawaab:

     

    Alla ninbaa jiroo aha,

    Alla bidaar lehe aha,

    Calooshana weyn,

    mijara yar yaroo,

    midabkiisuna madow yahay,

     

    bidaar weyn lama diidi karo waa deeq ilaah,

     

    cajiib
    :D

    c0u.gif

  19. Posted

    Wavin flag - K'naan

    " frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>


    Born to a throne, stronger than Rome
    A violent prone, poor people zone
    But it's my home, all I have known
    Where I got grown, streets we would roam

    Out of the darkness, I came the farthest
    Among the hardest survival
    Learn from these streets, it can be bleak
    Accept no defeat, surrender, retreat

    So we struggling, fighting to eat
    And we wondering when we'll be free
    So we patiently wait for that fateful day
    It's not far away, but for now we say

    When I get older I will be stronger
    They'll call me freedom, just like a wavin' flag

    Oooooooooooooh woooooooooohh hohoho

    Give me freedom, give me fire, give me reason, take me higher
    See the champions, take the field now, you define us, make us feel proud
    In the streets are, exaliftin , as we lose our inhabition,
    Celebration its around us, every nation, all around us

    Singin forever young, singin songs underneath that sun
    Lets rejoice in the beautiful game.
    And together at the end of the day.

    WE ALL SAY

    When I get older I will be stronger
    They'll call me freedom Just like a wavin' flag
    And then it goes back
    And then it goes back
    And then it goes back

    When I get older I will be stronger
    They'll call me freedom
    Just like a wavin' flag
    And then it goes back
    And then it goes back
    And then it goes

    Oooooooooooooh woooooooooohh hohoho

    Give you freedom, give you fire, give you reason, take you higher
    See the champions, take the field now, you define us, make us feel proud
    In the streets are, exaliftin, every loser in ambition,
    Celebration, its around us, every nations, all around us

    Singin forever young, singin songs underneath that sun
    Lets rejoice in the beautiful game.
    And together at the end of the day.

    WE ALL SAY

    When I get older, I will be stronger
    They'll call me freedom
    Just like a wavin' flag
    And then it goes back
    And then it goes back
    And then it goes back

    When I get older I will be stronger
    They'll call me freedom
    Just like a wavin' flag
    And then it goes back
    And then it goes back
    And then it goes

    Wooooooooo Ohohohoooooooo ! OOOoooooh Wooooooooo


    So many wars, settling scores
    Bringing us promises, leaving us poor
    I heard them say 'love is the way'
    'Love is the answer,' that's what they say

    But look how they treat us, make us believers
    We fight their battles, then they deceive us
    Try to control us, they couldn't hold us
    Cause we just move forward like Buffalo Soldiers

    But we struggling, fighting to eat
    And we wondering, when we'll be free
    So we patiently wait for that faithful day
    It's not far away but for now we say

    When I get older I will be stronger
    They'll call me freedom just like a wavin' flag... just like a wavin' flag







  20. Posted

    According to me, of course :cool:

     

    Waka Waka - Shakira

     

     

    You're a good soldier

    Choosing your battles

    Pick yourself up and dust yourself off

    And back in the saddle

     

    You're on the front line

    Everyone's watching

    You know it's serious, we're getting closer

    This isn't over

     

    The pressure's on

    You feel it

    But you've got it all

    Believe it

     

    When you fall, get up, oh oh

    And if you fall, get up, eh eh

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    'Cause this is Africa

    Tsamina mina eh eh

    Waka Waka eh eh

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    This time for Africa

     

    Listen to your god

    This is our motto

    Your time to shine, don't wait in line

    Y vamos por todo

     

    People are raising

    Their expectations

    Go on and feed them, this is your moment

    No hesitation

     

    Today's your day

    I feel it

    You paved the way

    Believe it

     

    If you get down, get up, oh oh

    When you get down, get up, eh eh

     

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    This time for Africa

    Tsamina mina eh eh

    Waka Waka eh eh

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    Anawa a a

    Tsamina mina eh eh

    Waka Waka eh eh

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    This time for Africa

     

    Awela majoni biggie biggie mama, one a to zet

    Athi susa lamajoni biggie biggie mama from east to west

    Bathi waka waka ma EH EH!

    Waka waka ma EH EH!

    Zonk' izizwe mazibuye...

    Cause this is Africa!

     

    Tsamina, anawa a a

    Tsamina mina

    Tsamina mina, anawa a a

     

    Tsamina mina, eh eh

    Waka waka, eh eh

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    Anawa a a

    Tsamina mina, eh eh

    Waka waka, eh eh

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    This time for Africa

     

    Django eh eh

    Django eh eh

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    Anawa a a

    Django eh eh

    Django eh eh

    Tsamina mina zangalewa

    Anawa a a

     

    This time for Africa

    This time for Africa

     

    We're all Africa

    We're all Africa

     

     

     

     

     

  23. Posted

    I did watch Django Unchained and i should say it was great to see, i don't know if i'm going to see this one because i'm this time into Action | Adventure | Fantasy/sci-fi movies like X-men & Avatar e.t.c not reality Films. Hadda xitaa raadis baan ku jiraa si aan u helo similar movies .

  24. Posted

    Alpha Blondy;982793 wrote:
    so we passed the 7,000 posts, maha? on the 3rd of October 2013, this thread also celebrated it's one year anniversary, apparently.

     

    in that 1 year and a bit, many things have changed.

    --

     

    Aabbas - tech-freak sort of character. quite annoying but decent fellow overall. idealist and living in a bubble.
    i don't think he has friends in real life. a zealot.

     

     

    --

    they say you can read so much about a person's musings, ma ruubna?
    ;)
    ;)

    Inaar, are you getting all these information from Nuune's space Jinns, the "Somali-Irish" guy? A zealot :eek: .. Ma Nerd baad imoodey? Aflagaado waa laga roonyahay, i've a life.. ma garatay? :mad: