Fadumo Dayib

Fadumo Qasim Dayib, nicknamed Deeqo -which means "Gift" in Somali-, is a Somali politician and the first woman to run for President of Somalia, standing for the November 2016 election.

Early life and education Dayib was born in 1972 in Thika, Kenya to Somali parents. She had two more siblings born in Kenya. Dayib's mother sold everything to enable her and her siblings to escape as refugees to Finland, where she has lived since 1990.

Dayib did not learn to read and write until she was fourteen years old. She studied in Finland to become a critical care nurse, earning two master's degrees. She is a doctoral candidate at the University of Helsinki researching United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (Peace, Women and Security).

Dayib announced her intention to run for President of Somalia in 2014 in the first democratic elections to be held since 1967. She was one of eighteen presidential candidates in 2016, including incumbent Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and eventual winner Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed. She was the only female. Her decision to stand for the presidency attracted death threats.

Personal life Dayib has four children. She has declared her intention to continue being involved in the betterment of Somalia even after the election. Fadumo currently lives in Nairobi with her family.