Somali journalist: 'Nah me be di only female journalist for my city'
Maryan Seylac na journalist from Somalia. She be one of di first female tori pesin for her city, Baidoa.
Maryan dey report live from conference for Somalia She tell BBC about di many dangerous problem wey dey face women for her kontri especially as journalist. She tok how militant Islamist group, al-Shabab bin wan kill her. "From young age, I bin get interest for journalism, I dey listen to BBC Somali Service with my papa, I dey tok with am- na so I begin like politics. Political problems dey plenti for Somalia. Plenti groups don fight for politics since dem topple military goment for 1991, wen I dey 4 years old. Since 2012, e don dey stable but Somalia still be dangerous place for Journalist especially if you be woman. For school, I dey tok well well and I dey address di class wen dem line up for lessons. For Somalia, your parents no go ask wetin you wan do for future because as a woman na house you suppose dey, dey cook and dey clean. But I don know say na journalism I wan do." 'I be ogbonge pesin for newsroom' My papa na teacher and im bin want make one pesin from im family be teacher. As my older brother and sister no teach, im tink say I go do am. I teach for a while afta I comot from high school. I teach for school wey dey Baidoa but no be wetin I wan do be dat. My friend husband work for local radio station and I ask am if I fit get some experience there for evenings. Plenti media station dey for Somalia but na private pipo get am and di struggle to dey balance report dey dia but radio, wey be di main source of news, dey very important. As di only woman, pipo begin treat me well for newsroom and dem offer to train me. I dey help dem welcome guests and read news. Eventually, I leave teaching come go work for radio station for full time. My family no dey happy. My father tink say i no dey successful, say I go tire for di job and I no go come get job. But I tell am: "I' no dey happy say I be teacher. Dis na wetin I wan do." Afta long time wey my family see say I dey happy dem come accept my decision. E dey very difficult for my community. Dem look down on me begin judge my profession. e come make me feel like pesin wey no be part of my pipo. For Somalia dem dey expect make women be wife to dia husband Luckily, I marry journalist like me wey understand my career. I know say e go challenge me to marry normal pesin and stay for house. Male chaperone for a female reporter I work for plenti local radio newsrooms for Baidoa, Mogadishu and Bosaso, but I dey always wan go field to report. One day, opportunity knock my door. Bomb explode for di city and dem send me make I go cover di scene. Na so I start my career as reporter. Maryan wan be role model for next generation of female journalists When I start for di male dominated industry nah me be di only female reporter for di city. - men no dey take me serious. E come make me get confidence. I dey lonely but I no give up. I make up my mind say I go do something. We need more female journalist. Nobody dey to cover di plenti women tori wey dey ground. I set up di Somali Media Women's Association (SOMWA) for 2006 and I come dey recruit oda female journalists. Since we start, di number of female journalists wey dey my city don increase from just five to 20. As organisation, we dey tok women's rights, wey no dey support Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and gender-based violence. Na that way we fit make sure say dem hear our voice and we fit change tins. Di way women dey see tins for Somalia don change, but we still get some problems: al-Shabab tok say dem go close my office. Dem forbid make women journalist dey high post. I know one woman wey change her name make her parent no know say she dey work for radio station. Wen her parent know dem wan stop am but she no gree. Dem come dey send her male cousin make im dey follow her go report. I no fit believe dat kain tin. Maryan dey present news on TV in Somalia For Somalia, every time dem dey harass and threaten male and female journalist. Dem don kill some pipo wey be journalist, Na al-Shabab dey do am pass and goment no dey punish pipo wey kill journalist For July, dem kill female journalist Hodan Nalayeh. As journalist, her mission na to show anoda side of di kontri- di beauty of di kontri and di pipo. She dey good, but all of a sudden dem kill her. Na wetin dey happun for Somalia be dat. All of us na target. 'I survive suicide bombing' E get one time wey I don almost die. na for September 2006, as I dey report live wen di president dey address parliament . Wen di speech finish and di president and im convoy go back dia house, na im we hear huge bang. I look around and all di pipo wey dey around me dey lie down for ground. I still dey live on air, and di newsreader dey ask me wetin be di loud noise, dat time I no know say na suicide bomb. I run go outside to get informate, I see plenti moto dey burn. Di armed forces begin shoot come my side . I shout, run enta parliament. I check my bodi for any sign of blood. My family dey worry - dem no know weda I don die or I dey alive. But luckily I dey alright, but dat day put permanent mark for my life. If I hear loud noise e go come back to me. Despite all dis, my mission dey drive me. I wan be persin wey young pipo go admire. If I don stop dat time I dey sure we no go get di number of women wey we get for ground for now. I dey do am for oda pipo. Maryan and oda women journalists for SOMWA Di situation dey improve for female journalist wey dey di kontri. But we still need do plenti tins. I wan make plenti women enta media and I wan make dem dey managerial post. I wan make media organisation get quota for di women wey dem go employ for dia company. I wan make dem hear dia voice. I wan make dem fit make decision. To young women wey dey tink to be serious journalist. I say di industry need you. No dey fear, no feel say you no reach anoda human being, no feel say you no fit do am. Because you fit do am.