Meet Dr Sadiyo Siad

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr Sadiyo Siad a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dr Sadiyo, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from the journey itself, from growing up between cultures, rebuilding after displacement, and turning every challenge into an opportunity to serve others.
I was once a refugee, and I learned early that survival isn’t enough — you must transform hardship into purpose. Education became my tool for that transformation. It gave me a voice, a path, and the means to empower myself, my family, and others.
Every initiative I’ve founded — Hano Academy, Hano Technical University, Hano Connect, and Somali STEM society — is rooted in that conviction: that resilience is not merely about endurance, but about rebuilding systems so others don’t have to endure the same struggle.
I draw strength from my faith, my mother’s legacy, and from witnessing African youth and women rise when given opportunity. That’s what keeps me grounded — and keeps me going.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m Dr. Sadiyo Siad — an educator, medical scientist, and social entrepreneur committed to rebuilding lives and futures through the 3Es: Empowerment, Education, and Employment/Entrepreneurship, and the 3Hs: Head, Heart, and Hands — holistic frameworks that connect knowledge, compassion, and practical skills to real-world transformation.
With a background in medical diagnostics, infectious diseases, immunology, and tropical medicine, I believe that technical and STEM education are among the most powerful tools for healing — not only bodies but entire societies. As an alumna of both the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future (FFTF) Fellowship and the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), I’ve had the privilege to engage with global changemakers and deepen my mission to use education as a catalyst for peace, resilience, and progress.
I founded Hano Academy, Hano Technical University, and Hano Connect — three interconnected institutions that create an ecosystem where learning meets livelihood. Through these platforms, we equip youth and women with technical and vocational education and training (TVET), entrepreneurial, leadership, and employability skills, fostering job creation and community rebuilding. I also established the Somali STEM Society, which organizes the annual Somali STEM Summit, and the Global UNUG Network, which links diaspora talent, capital, and mentorship to transform brain drain into brain gain.
Beyond education, I am the creator and executive producer of Maan-Maal, Somalia’s first entrepreneurship reality TV show, which identifies and supports young innovators through funding, training, coaching, mentorship, and visibility. I also host LegendSoor, a podcasting TV show that amplifies impact projects and showcases changemakers and purpose-driven leaders across Somalia and the diaspora.
At present, I’m developing “Defying the Odds – Women Who Rebuild Nations,” a Netflix-ready docu-series that captures how women are leading a New Era of Leadership Beyond Aid by transforming education, innovation, and enterprise into tools for nation-building.
I am currently seeking strategic partners, investors, and media collaborators who share this vision — to amplify authentic stories of resilience, scale sustainable education models, and expand the reach of the Durable Framework™ across fragile and post-conflict regions.
What excites me most is seeing transformation in motion — when a young woman with limited resources gains confidence through technical training, or when a displaced youth turns an idea into a thriving business. Every success story reminds me that education is not just about knowledge; it’s about dignity, purpose, and hope.
My work is more than a career — it’s a calling to ignite possibility, one learner at a time, and to prove that transformation can begin anywhere, even in the most fragile contexts.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, three things have shaped my journey more than anything else: resilience, lifelong learning, and empathy-driven leadership.
Resilience taught me to turn adversity into purpose. I learned that every challenge carries a lesson and that strength grows when you choose to rise again, not just for yourself, but for others. For those early in their journey, I’d say: don’t fear failure; embrace it as a teacher. Every setback refines your vision.
Lifelong learning has been my compass. From studying tropical medicine to building institutions in Somalia, I discovered that curiosity sustains innovation and that staying hungry for knowledge keeps you adaptable and relevant. The world is changing fast, invest in learning that stretches both your mind and your mindset. Cultivate both technical expertise and emotional intelligence, because your mind is your most valuable asset.
And finally, empathy-driven leadership, leading with the Head, Heart, and Hands (3Hs). True leadership begins when you listen, connect, and empower others to thrive. Whether in education, entrepreneurship, or social change, your impact will multiply when you lead with compassion and integrity.
My advice is simple: be curious, stay grounded, and build with both purpose and people in mind. That’s how you create change that lasts.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was to teach me the value of faith, education, and service to others, not through words, but through example.
My late mother, Mama Hakima Cadaan Wardheere, embodied strength and compassion in equal measure. She taught me that true success isn’t measured by what you achieve for yourself, but by how many lives you uplift along the way. Her quiet resilience and selfless giving continue to guide everything I do, from founding educational institutions to mentoring the next generation.
My father instilled in me the belief that education is freedom, the one inheritance that can never be taken away. Together, my parents gave me both roots and wings: the grounding of faith and the courage to dream beyond limitations.
Their example reminds me daily that leadership begins at home, in the values you live, the compassion you show, and the legacy you leave.

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Image Credits

Yasir M. Al-khalifa

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