Few Magazine #2, Somali
240 x 320, 112 pages
Helsinki, Finland (English language with some Finnish)
Guest editor: Ujuni Ahmed
Design and Creative direction: Matilda Diletta, Marina Veziko, Timo Nyman and Tytti Halonen
Each issue, Few focuses on a different minority and marginalised group in Finland, handing editorial control to a member of the that minority. Following issue one about the Roma, this follow-up features the country’s Somali population.
The result is a unique portrayal of a community, helping reshape perceptions and building bridges between the minority and majority communities
After an opening note explaining how the Somali community developed in Finland, guest editor Ujuni Ahmad presents many various aspects of Somali life in the country: she tackles religion, with a guide to the two celebrations of Eid; Somali food via restaurant Zahra; and health, via a pair of Somali doctors using social media to combine general health tips with advice on issues such as fatphobia and female genital mutilation. The latter is an example of the best thing about the magazine—hearing directly from the Somali population about their lives and experiences in Finland.
The page design plays a key part in positioning the stories as contemporary and relevant, while instilling respect for all subjects and stories.