As many as 1 million people have died in Somalia’s decades-long civil war. Many more people are displaced, often with no country to go to. Most end up in refugee camps, sometimes for decades.
Since the African country collapsed into civil war in 1991, the United States has provided refuge to many Somalis through Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS allows recipients to live and work in the United States while their home country is considered too dangerous to return to.
Muna was one of them. In 1999, she landed in San Diego with her 6-month-old baby. Without anyone knowing, I knocked on the door and asked if anyone needed a babysitter. She is now a US citizen and runs her own day care business. However, it took a lot of hardship to get to this point.
Muna’s story exemplifies the resilience and perseverance common among immigrants and the role immigrant women often play as caretakers for American children. “Everything is so difficult,” Muna said. “It’s not easy to become an American and get documents.”
During her first four years in this country, Muna lived in 20 different homes and worked as a nanny and housekeeper for a starting wage of $6.45 an hour. Sometimes she slept on the floor. “When people see you have nothing, they can do anything,” she said.
“I didn’t care, but when they started beating my daughter it was too much,” she said.
“There were children in every house, boys, some of whom were hitting them.”
While doing housework, Muna had some time for herself, working at a store within walking distance of her home. Between her two jobs, she saved enough money to rent an apartment and settled into life as a full-time retail salesperson, working her way up to store manager. She became a naturalized citizen in 2023 after meeting and marrying a U.S. citizen and having a second daughter.
When she was ready to start her own business in 2018, she turned to the world of childcare. She opened a small nursery school in her home and was licensed to care for eight children at a time. Her afternoon slots are always full and “I have to turn people away,” and she is saving up to buy a bigger house so she can get permits to supervise more children. Her daughter works as her assistant.
“There are a lot of kids running,” she said with a laugh. “But it’s worth it.”
As the owner and manager, Muna takes care of the babies, takes them to school, takes them to the park or library, and helps them with homework. She also serves on the board of Global Village, a commercial and housing project currently under development, and supports new refugees as a volunteer with the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans. However, she took a weekend off for the first time since coming to America.
“In seven years, I’ve figured out what Saturday and Sunday are,” she said with a laugh. “Very nice, very nice.”
