The myth about
the Somalis in
Norway is busted!
Hassan Samahle returned to the mountain village of Vinje in Telemark County after getting his degree. Somalis here are so well integrated that the community want more of them to come. Everyone completes secondary school, and no one is a passive welfare recipient.
 Hassan Samahle leads the Vinje Soccer Second Team. His daughter Hibach plays on the team along with coach Grete Høgset's daughter Randi, and Ogbad Mohammed and Anne Våle. PHOTO: TONE GEORGSEN |
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The 32 year-old electrical engineer, has brought new expertise to one of the main employers in the area.
He came to Norway and Vinje when he was 15, completed secondary school with good grades, studied engineering, did a year's national service in the military and five years as a part-timer in the Home Guard, taught mathematics for a year and then returned home to Vinje.
Government statistics show immigrants from Somalia as the group most likely to be unemployed, receiving welfare payments and with least education.
A recent book written by a Somali woman living in Norway, with the pen name Amal Aden, claims amongst other things that her compatriots in Oslo don't want to integrate in Norwegian society, they exploit the welfare system and teach their children to hate Norwegians.
In the wooded valleys around Vinje things are different. Mayor Arne Vinje thinks that the Somalis are so well integrated that he would like to see more of them living in his area.
Of the 40 Somalis in Vinje, only two elderly first generation immigrants receive welfare payments. All the children with Somali background have completed secondary education and most take part in two or more after-school activities. Those who have left, have done so because of work or higher education.
Initially a number of the locals in the remote rural village were sceptical when the first Somalis arrived 20 years ago. As the local authorities gained experience, they found their recipe for success: close support in the beginning, individually tailored programs, Norwegian language tuition, giving information by word of mouth checking that the information was understood, inclusion in local hobby groups and societies, inexpensive leisure activities, a widespread use of translators other than family members and taking an interest when the new immigrants arrived.
"The Somalis in Vinje want to make something of themselves. They want to be part of the community. This is the main reason for their success in integrating here," says Jan Petter Johansen, head of the local employment and welfare office.
"Vinje is an absolutely fantastic place," says 18 year-old Rahma Hassan Warsame in the characteristic local dialect. She is busy with school, soccer and volleyball. She thinks Vinje has been successful in integrating immigrants, because the village is so small that there’s nowhere to hide oneself away.
Aftenposten English Web DeskSven Goll
Olga Stokke
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