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Somalis began fleeing their homeland around 1991 when civil war -- which continues to the present -- broke out,
causing much displacement and suffering. Many are still suffering the after-effects of these experiences.
In Columbus, as some of the newest and poorest arrivals, they often live in public housing
and other areas where crime rates are high, and initially rely considerably on public assistance
for cash, food stamps, and medical coverage.
Factors influencing this usage include the recentness of arrival (significant numbers in the past two years),
large family size, the high percentage of families headed by women (estimated by community
leaders to be 33% or more), and a lack of marketable skills and/or English literacy.
Currently, Somali refugees could make up close to one-quarter of all the refugees in Central
Ohio, and the overwhelming majority have come as secondary migrants. With large families,
housing is particularly difficult to find, and many initially live in homeless shelters.
Credible estimates of the number of Somali refugees in Central Ohio range between 10,000 - 14,000, although that number is fast rising. Most have arrived in the past three years as
secondary migrants previously resettled in other areas of the U.S., and more arrive daily.
The Somali secondary migrants who come to Central Ohio do so principally because of the low cost of living
and the availability of jobs. They come with little or no orientation to American norms
and laws.
The phenomenon of migration of Somalis into Central Ohio has just begun to catch the attention
of the mainstream. Hospitals, schools, and other public facilities come more and more in contact with
the Somali community. A variety of Somali community organizations exist and are in the process
of developing. In addition to employing
Somali caseworkers, CMAA works with Somali groups and individual leaders in a variety
of forums.
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