[1] HornAfrik.net was established in 1999 by, Mohamed Elmi and Ali Iman Sharmarke, three Somali emigrants to Canada who arrived after the start of the civil war in their country of birth.
[2] They later returned to Mogadishu following a period of relative calm in order to finalize market research that they had conducted on the feasibility and technological equipment necessary to start a new media company in the city.
[1] The network's transmissions of international segments earned it criticism from religious fundamentalists,[2] with the Al-Shabaab militant group routinely launching attacks against the company and its staff.
These segments allowed residents of Mogadishu and the surrounding area to share their views on various issues of local interest, including topics related to culture, health, religion, peace, education and economy.
HornAfrik was presented the award for its work in the face of threats and intimidation at a time when there was no effective legal recourse or protection for the local press.