Kuluma Abdullahi

Somali poet and feminist who championed women's rights and education in East Africa.

Kuluma Abdullahi (1920–1980) was a visionary poet and activist from Somalia, renowned for her role in advancing women's education and gender equality in the Horn of Africa. Born in Hargeisa, she used her poetry to critique patriarchal norms and advocate for women's participation in public life. In the 1950s, she established literacy programs for rural women, enabling them to read and write in Somali and Arabic. Her work influenced the Somali Women's Liberation League, which later fought for women's suffrage and political representation. Despite limited formal education, Abdullahi's verses, such as "The Voice of the Desert", remain iconic in Somali literature. Her legacy is preserved in the Kuluma Abdullahi Memorial Foundation, supporting girls' education in Somalia.