JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — This week, after saying he was cutting down on immigration from "third world countries" in the wake of the deadly attack on two National Guard members by an Afghan national, President Trump turned his wrath on people from Somalia, calling them "garbage."

He advised Somali Americans to go back to the Horn of African nation and "fix it," calling it "hell."

Somalia has been plagued by clan-based conflict for decades and is currently fighting the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab. The country collapsed into anarchy after the overthrow of the military regime of President Siad Barre in 1991. In the thirty years since, millions of Somalis fled the country, ending up all over the world, including in the U.S.

Somalia-born Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat, hit back at Trump's comments this week, calling them "vile." She pointed out Somali Americans make considerable contributions to the U.S. and "are working to make our country better."

Many Somalis at home also rejected Trump's comments, saying they too were working to make their country better — despite danger, poverty and political mismanagement.

Dr. Abdulkadir Abdirahman Adan is one of them. A dentist by profession, he set up the country's only free ambulance service — a lifeline in the capital city Mogadishu, that regularly experiences terror attacks from al-Shabab.

Adan said Trump's comments show he doesn't know much about Somalis.

"In every nation there is some bad people, in every nation, but not all of them. Somalis, I do believe there are very good people, in generosity, helping others," he told NPR.

Adan and his staff risk their lives to help people, often arriving at the scene of an attack minutes after a blast, and facing the possibility of second detonation.

But it has to be done, he says.

"If we don't go to do it, who's going to do it? We go, we do, because every life has an equal value … no one should be left to die just because helping them is not safe." 

"Somali people never give up"

The courageous dentist is not the only Somali filling gaps left by the government and contributing to the wider community.

The Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre, led by Nobel Peace Prize nominee Ilwad Elman, runs Somalia's first rape crisis center. The organization also helps rehabilitate youths forced into militias and runs educational programs. It even offers ocean therapy at Mogadishu's beach for children who have survived violence and trauma.

Then there's the country's first amputee soccer team, set up by Abdiaziz Kediye, a former player in the Somali Premier League. Many of the players lost legs in the conflict but have been given a new lease on life being able to compete in the sport.

And a brave group of female journalists, Bilan media, are smashing stereotypes and holding power to account in their women-only newsroom.

"We have many positive things happening in Somalia. Our young people are starting new businesses, using technology, and also making art and music. Somali women are becoming leaders," said Farhia Mohamed Hussein, a reporter at Bilan.

"We have a strong culture, full of hospitality, we have some challenges but people continue building. … Somali people never give up," she added.

"We're really talking about a Somali population, both in Somalia and the diaspora that has made huge contributions to their communities," says Ahmed Soliman, Horn of Africa researcher at British think tank Chatham House.

Somalis shop in the markets and bazaars that open early in the morning on the streets of Mogadishu on Aug. 20.

Gokhan Kavak/Anadolu via Getty Images

U.S.–Somalia ties strong, despite rhetoric

Despite Trump's comments, the U.S. government is actively supporting Somalia.

"The U.S. has been engaged in Somalia for decades, they are an important bilateral partner, an important partner in helping the Somali federal government to stabilize its security against the Islamist insurgency al-Shabab," Soliman said.

U.S. forces have trained the Somali army and regularly conduct drone strikes against al-Shabab targets. Since the Trump administration took office this year, those strike rates have risen considerably according to the liberal think tank New America, citing U.S. Africa Command data. NPR