Here’s our latest video – about the West London Somaliland Community, who have been working with the Basis Project for the past year.

West London Somaliland Community – transcript

Id:
“My name is Id Hassan Muse , I’m the co-ordinator of West London Somaliland Community and we’re here today to take part in a tournament that a club has organised for the kids during the Easter holidays.”

Adam:
“My name’s Adam and I’m 13-years-old and I love going to the Somalilanders Community because it gives me a chance to play football and I love what I do. And it gives me a chance to meet all of my friends because they also go. I think it’s brilliant.

“Behind me there’s a football tournament going on. I normally play up front to score some goals and in the last game I scored the final goal and we’re top of our league table.”

Id:
“We have now more than 80 children registered with the club and 60 children come regularly every Saturday for ages 10 to 17. We have a very diverse group, with Asian children, White British, Somalilanders and other Somalis. And we are really proud of our team.”

Abdullahi Ali

“My name’s Abdullahi Ali. I’m the organiser of this event as well as the Chairman of West London Somaliland Community. In Somali we’d say ‘Ku soo dhawaada’ which is wide, open-handed welcome you here. This event is for the 18th anniversary of Somaliland regaining freedom from dictatorship and we’re hoping to get 600 people here. There will be playing, music, singing, dancing, poetry, speeches about the culture and history of the country to teach the younger people about what happened, why it happened and what we achieved from it.”

Id:
“This project is funded by the Football Foundation. It is a two year project and after the two years we hope to be able to sustain the project through the Football Foundation and to develop it more widely with the social outcomes.”

Liban:
“Hi, my name’s Liban, I’m 12-years-old, I play centre midfield and I like my team because they pass around, they do a lot of action and they come back all the time.”

More information: http://www.wlsomalilandcommunity.org.uk