As the sun rises over the Indian Ocean, waves lap onto the golden sands while palm fronds rustle in the cool sea breeze. This is the image that one young Somali woman wants the world to have of her home city - in contrast to the one of suicide attacks and young men wielding AK-47s that many people currently associate with Somalia's capital. Sucdi Abdul Fattah Abdul Khader is among a growing number of local guides taking visitors beyond the headlines to explore Mogadishu's beauty spots, historic sites and culture.
Her favourite spot is Jazeera beach, where visitors can enjoy the sea before heading to nearby sand dunes. "It's one of the tourist attractions where we bring our guests. It's a nice place," says the 23-year-old.
The dunes, she adds, remind some visitors of the Sahara. But her tours are about more than scenic views. She also takes visitors to the fish market, where they discover the variety of marine life available along Somalia's extensive coastline and to parts of the city that reflect its history as a busy Indian Ocean trading centre, with the influences of both its Ottoman and Italian former rulers.
Visitors can also sample Somali food, including camel meat, samosas and traditional tea. Sucdi says many arrive in the city with expectations shaped by years of hearing about the insecurity. "Mostly, they are surprised by how beautiful the country is and how welcoming people are," she says.
At the fish market, she says, visitors are particularly impressed by the variety of fish species. Guiding tours runs in Sucdi's family. Her father worked in the profession for over three decades, taking journalists, photographers and visitors from different countries around Somalia.
He introduced her to the business nearly three years ago. "I started this job as a hobby, but it has become something that I like and am passionate about," she says. She now works alongside her father and a team of guides, building on his experience while using social media to reach a wider audience.
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