From a Remote Village in Somaliland to 100 Million TikTok Views: The Rise of Deaf Runner Mohamed Ordaaye

By: Mohamed Duale  | HornDiplomat

The Remarkable Journey of Deaf TikTok Creator Mohamed Ordaaye from Rural Somaliland

TODHEER REGION, Somaliland On a dusty road stretching across the red plains of Somaliland’s Togdheer region, Mohamed Ordaaye runs alone under the open sky.

There is no stadium and no cheering crowd, only a long rural road and a phone in his hand as he records his daily runs.

Ordaaye told HornDiplomat that his running routine eventually became the idea behind the TikTok videos that brought him global attention.

“I am Mohamed Ahmed Ali Duale, known as Mohamed Ordaaye,” he said. “My life began in the Hawd area of the Togdheer region, in Duruqsi district, specifically the village of Yucub-Yabooh, where my family lives.”

Yucub-Yabooh is a small pastoral community where most families depend on livestock. Electricity is limited, internet access is unreliable, and opportunities to connect with the outside world are rare.

“My household consists of my mother, Aamina Kabayare, and my siblings, a brother and a sister,” he said. “We live simply and work as pastoralists.”

There were no studios or professional equipment when he started making videos.

A phone, a road, and an idea

Ordaaye said he joined TikTok between 2022 and 2023 while still living in his village.

“I started recording myself running on the rural roads near my village and posting the videos online,” he said.

The idea was simple. Hold the phone and run while recording himself on the open roads near his village.

“I began posting small running challenges regularly,” he explained.

At first, his account started gaining attention, but the account was eventually hacked and lost.

“After losing that account, I decided to start again and open a new account, which I still use today.”

He continued posting videos and running every day.

Millions of views from a rural road

Over time, Ordaaye’s videos began reaching wider audiences on TikTok.

Several of his posts have generated millions of views, and some videos have exceeded 40 million views on the platform.

Thousands of comments appear under his videos from viewers across the world.

Despite the growing attention, the videos themselves remain simple. A man running along a rural road while filming himself with a phone. But behind those videos is determination, as Ordaaye continues creating content despite challenges such as limited electricity, weak internet access, and the realities of life in a remote rural area.

Challenges behind the videos

Creating content from a remote rural area is not easy.

“One of the biggest challenges I face is electricity,” Ordaaye said. “There is very limited power in the area because it is rural and most people are pastoralists.”

Internet access is another challenge.

“Sometimes I have to travel to another place to find a stronger internet connection so I can upload my videos,” he said.

He also records his videos using an older mobile phone.

While many online creators focus on production quality or sponsorships, Ordaaye often faces a more basic challenge, finding electricity and a reliable internet signal.

Running in silence

Ordaaye is deaf, but he says that has never stopped him from pursuing his goals.

“I am deaf, but that has never stopped me from doing what I love,” he said.

“What matters to me is what I can show people.”

On a platform where most videos depend on sound and music, Ordaaye communicates visually through movement, expressions and persistence.

“I want people to understand that disability does not mean inability,” he said.

Global attention

As his videos spread across TikTok, global companies have started noticing his content.

Among them is the verified account of the international sports brand Nike., which has appeared among accounts interacting with posts related to his videos.

Nike is one of the world’s largest sports brands and sponsors major athletes and international sporting events.

For a creator filming on rural roads in Somaliland using a basic phone, such interactions show how far his videos are reaching.

A comment that surprised him

Ordaaye also received an unexpected comment from the verified account of the Goodyear Blimp, part of the fleet of commercial airships operated by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company.

The account asked him:

“Where are you going?”

Ordaaye replied:

“I’m coming to where you are.”

The brief exchange quickly attracted thousands of reactions online.

A Growing TikTok Trend

As his videos continued spreading, users around the world began copying his running style.

Some creators posted duet videos running alongside his clips, while others recreated the format in their own cities.

What started as a personal routine on a rural road in Somaliland has gradually turned into a recognizable TikTok trend.

From a pastoral village in Togdheer to millions of global viewers, Mohamed Ordaaye’s story reflects determination and persistence.

His videos show how someone from a remote rural area can reach audiences across the world through social media.

Ordaaye cannot hear the reactions from the millions watching his videos.

But every day he continues running on the same dusty roads of Togdheer, recording another video and sharing it with the world.

(Reporting by Horndiplomat News Desk)