My name is Ilham Hassan Ali. I was born in Hargeisa in 1987. When I was about a year old, the civil started in northern Somalia (currently known as Somaliland) on May the 30th 1988. My family migrated to the other side of border in the Ethiopian territory, and settled in one of the refugee camps. We stayed in the camp for 3 years before returning to Hargeisa in 1991, after collapse of former president’s regime in the capital of Somalia. We returned to Hargeisa to find out that all properties were shelled and all our belongings looted. We had to start from scratch like other returnees, and assumed that things will get better after departing the rough living in the refugee camp. Hence, we realized that we have to head back to Ethiopia one more time, after tribal war occurred in Hargeisa in 1994. My family went to Jijiga (the Somali inhabitant city of eastern Ethiopia) and stayed there till the year 2000, and moved back to Hargeisa.

I have studied from primary to degree level in Hargeisa. After finishing my studies, I worked for EDC (Education Development Centre) for almost 3 years as an Administrative and Finance Assistant. I then joined Shaqodoon (Youth Employment Empowering Programme), as an Info Match Trainer. In addition, I am a news reader at one of the Hargeisa Local TV known as Bulsho TV and i am TV producer Somali Chancel TV . I am also an active key member for lots of youth organizations, and i am the director of Youth Empowerment Organisation, and am also called as an honourable guest speaker by lots of other nongovernmental organizations for many events that mainly engage empowering the youth,
Currently I am was running the candidate for the past local municipality elections in Somali land and was lost. I have a wealth of knowledge in the political system in my country