Somalis in the UK: The Need for Our Own Businesses

[Idilinaa]

Wow mashallah rer uk i didnt know they were doing that good.

I wouldn't say they are on par with American Somalis, Australian or UAE Somalis who are in more open market capitalist environments

But they are doing better than mainland Europeans Somalis because of the more open business climate, with less barriers. It's one of the biggest reasons why mainland European Somalis move there

Also one other thing to note Somalis don't just engage in business out of survival or necessity. They have a general tendency to start businesses even after all their basic needs are met. Big time oppurtunists

Which runs contrary to most Muslim entrepeneurship it seems which is driven by necessity and they are more negatively associated with business activity.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342710392_Islam_institutions_and_entrepreneurship_evidence_from_Muslim_populations_across_nations

 

[Idilinaa]

where’s africans and asians and caribbean’s?

West Asian = Asian? . I assume they are looking at communities who came to Britain in more recent decades.

 

[Chaseyourdreamzz]

UK Somalis aren’t doing that bad sure it’s not America level of business ownership but I’ve been to northwest London lots of Somali businesses in that area

 

[Chaseyourdreamzz]

Reer UK are a few decades behind Reer USA. Its actually astonishing.

Minnesota:
- Charter schools
- Established Somali built, Somali run masjid / community center
- Clear imprint on the local economy
- Political representation

I do accept the argument that specifically London is a city which is global and too diverse to do what Somali diaspora did in MN however what about the other cities (Birmingham, Leicester, Sheffield, etc). Its really hard to pinpoint why honestly

You can’t compare uk to America the states is the land of opportunity also the areas Somalis live in America are smaller cities which have lower costs of living Birmingham is a more international city then most places Somalis live in America

 

[Angelina]

Thats not accurate. Like someone else explained there are tutoring centers and charter schools aren't really a thing in the UK.

There is also many many mosques and community centers, follow this link you will see a whole list of them

Somali Community Hub​

The CSO Member Organisations

There is also a clear imprint on the local economy in London , so that is also not true.

The Changing Face of Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship in Britain​

As far as political representation goes , there has been dozens of Somalis elected into political office as local councilors across cities.

Record number of Somalis elected as UK Councillors

Record number of Somalis elected as UK Councillors

London (HOL) - 26 Brits of Somali origin were elected as local councillors in cities across the UK on Thursday, setting a record number for the number Somali-Brits were elected into public office.

www.hiiraan.com

In London alone, there are at least more than 10 masjids owned by Somalis. We have community centres and there are many tuition centers owned by Somalis in West London, South, East and North London. A good % of currency shops are owned by Somalis. We have more than 10 Somali restaurants around London of all types. Very Casual to the type of restaurants you'd go for a nice evening dinner. We have dozens of care places that employ a good % of Somali women and the list continues.

My whole point is, as a community we have a lot of issues but lack of businesses isn’t one of them and knowing how business savvy Somalis are InshaAllah we are sure to have more businesses as well.

Oh and guess what, now they have nice brunch places as well that you wouldn’t think are Somali owned. Really nice egg Benedict and I even had waffle and chicken with maple syrup. Since I love supporting Somalis I went there as soon as I heard it was Somali owned. I love a good breakie/brunch. Prefer to give my hard earned cash to my Somali brother than a random.

Please Somalis are Business oriented MashaAllah!

 

[Riftvalley]

Reer UK are a few decades behind Reer USA. Its actually astonishing.

Minnesota:
- Charter schools
- Established Somali built, Somali run masjid / community center
- Clear imprint on the local economy
- Political representation

I do accept the argument that specifically London is a city which is global and too diverse to do what Somali diaspora did in MN however what about the other cities (Birmingham, Leicester, Sheffield, etc). Its really hard to pinpoint why honestly

It is very simple. The Somali men who came in the 90s looted from the government by way of opening charities under the Somali name which all did nothing and neglected the youth. These charities were basically different qabils using the Somali card to get funding and then put on performative youth activities. This extends to the business models where most cafes and other business are basically tuulo-like places which makes in feel like he is in his village back home.

Other minority communities are more business savvy than UK Somalis simply because they don’t have sub clans and they do things on a larger scale. When I go jogging in this particular place in London, I see lots of Asians communities playing volleyball together (Sri Lankans, Goans) and all the families are involved. Somalis in the UK barely do anything together anymore on a community level( which is not based on qabil divides). These kinds of networks in other communities have is what leads to people starting business together and it builds an element of trust.

Of course, some young Somalis are starting more business but it is nothing major because their elders failed to build community resources which can be passed down. The rest of the community lives through wage to wage or under poverty. And those Somalis who are educated and business savvy, tend to stay in corporate jobs rather than investing in business, as they don’t have the necessary networks and they know doing business with Somalis can be chaotic/primitive.

I am not sure as to the psychological reasons behind this? Perhaps it is due to generous benefits system of the 90s? Or perhaps a lot of tribalist people moved from tuulo regions of Somalia?

 

[Idilinaa]

In London alone, there are at least more than 10 masjids owned by Somalis. We have community centres and there are many tuition centers owned by Somalis in West London, South, East and North London. A good % of currency shops are owned by Somalis. We have more than 10 Somali restaurants around London of all types. Very Casual to the type of restaurants you'd go for a nice evening dinner. We have dozens of care places that employ a good % of Somali women and the list continues.

My whole point is, as a community we have a lot of issues but lack of businesses isn’t one of them and knowing how business savvy Somalis are InshaAllah we are sure to have more businesses as well.

Oh and guess what, now they have nice brunch places as well that you wouldn’t think are Somali owned. Really nice egg Benedict and I even had waffle and chicken with maple syrup. Since I love supporting Somalis I went there as soon as I heard it was Somali owned. I love a good breakie/brunch. Prefer to give my hard earned cash to my Somali brother than a random.

Please Somalis are Business oriented MashaAllah!

The restaurant part was a bit confusing when he said that because i see a bunch of them advertised on social media and the venues look nice as well.

They been opening a bunch of them not just Damaal it seems.

Even 50 cent visited one of the Somali resturaunts in London, so they are quite popular:

 

[Idilinaa]

It is very simple. The Somali men who came in the 90s looted from the government by way of opening charities under the Somali name which all did nothing and neglected the youth. These charities were basically different qabils using the Somali card to get funding and then put on performative youth activities. This extends to the business models where most cafes and other business are basically tuulo-like places which makes in feel like he is in his village back home.

Other minority communities are more business savvy than UK Somalis simply because they don’t have sub clans and they do things on a larger scale. When I go jogging in this particular place in London, I see lots of Asians communities playing volleyball together (Sri Lankans, Goans) and all the families are involved. Somalis in the UK barely do anything together anymore on a community level( which is not based on qabil divides). These kinds of networks in other communities have is what leads to people starting business together and it builds an element of trust.

Of course, some young Somalis are starting more business but it is nothing major because their elders failed to build community resources which can be passed down. The rest of the community lives through wage to wage or under poverty. And those Somalis who are educated and business savvy, tend to stay in corporate jobs rather than investing in business, as they don’t have the necessary networks and they know doing business with Somalis can be chaotic/primitive.

I am not sure as to the psychological reasons behind this? Perhaps it is due to generous benefits system of the 90s? Or perhaps a lot of tribalist people moved from tuulo regions of Somalia?

How are those organizations putting on performative youth activities? And how is setting up funds for youth activities looting the government?

Do Somalis in the UK seperate eachother based on Qabil? Or it just Somaliland and Somalia divide?

Because i usually see Somali do business and deal with eachother across clan lines otherwise. And if that clan division was really a thing i would suspect it would come up on studies and interviews with Somalis.

Also most ethnic minority businesses are similar to Somali businesses, they don't open up anything grand in central locations. People create businesses where they live, its not a tuulo thing. Asians move into a neighborhood, they set up shops etc.

Larger enterprises, expertise oriented services and corporations usually require larger investment capital and extensive professional knowledge, and networks, which takes decades to build.

Becoming employed in corporate jobs, professional fields is a good avenue for Somalis to reach that and those that do later on start ventures like that, this is how ''world remit'' corporation became a thing and you also see this with a couple of clinics and pharmacies Somalis set up after working professionally in the health care industry. Bilan Medical clinic, Private Walkin in Clinic to mention a few,