Young Somalis enthusiastically welcome Mogadishu's first bowling alley.
Long marked by conflict, the capital of Somalia is showing one of the last signs of the renewal of this once flourishing Indian Ocean port, marked by 35 years of civil war and terrorist attacks.
“I’m happy. Today I came to Feynuus to go bowling. I couldn’t believe there was such a place in Mogadishu, and I’m having a lot of fun. In fact, Mogadishu is a safe city. I’ve been to many places and had a great time. I love my country, Alhamdulillah (praise be to God),” said Hudoon Abdi, a Somali-Canadian on vacation in Mogadishu.
Millions of people were forced to flee what became one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Those who remained avoided public places, as the al-Shabab group, linked to al-Qaeda, was waging an insurgency against the Somali state.
“When I flew from the UK, I thought it was a scary, dangerous place, like a war zone, a very dangerous place. I was very scared, and everyone wished me good luck. Good luck in the sense of ‘Allah Haku amansado’ (may Allah grant you peace/security of heart). But when I arrived here, when I saw what I saw with my own eyes, I didn’t want to leave. I want to stay here. Because it truly is a happy life; everyone is happy. People are very happy. It’s not scary. That’s what I believe, and today, what I’ve seen is very different. I’ve been away from this country for decades,” explained Abukar Hajji, a Somali-British citizen on holiday in Mogadishu.
In recent years, improved security measures against al-Shabab, increased government presence, and increased private investment have allowed daily life to return to normal.
“When we saw that this activity offered opportunities and that many young people needed such facilities, we decided to open this bowling alley. It has created employment opportunities for at least 40 young people, and thank God, I think Feynuus Bowling has filled a void,” said Sadaq Abdurahman, director of the Feynuus Bowling Centre in Mogadishu, Somalia.
According to the Somali National Bureau of Statistics, the unemployment rate in Somalia stands at 21.4%.
The bowling alley has private security guards, bag checks and surveillance cameras, reflecting common precautions in public places in Mogadishu.
Urban planners and economists say that businesses such as the bowling alley are evidence of a broader shift in Mogadishu's recovery, with private sector growth increasingly complementing international aid and government-led reconstruction efforts.
