A country scared by years of war is something Hawa Aden Mohammed knows all about. The Somali refugee to Canada returned home to try and help Somali girls get an education and confront issues such as female genital mutilation. She recently was awarded for her work with refugees by the United Nations. Today, a conversation with the woman known as Mama Hawa.

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Honouring Mama Hawa

We started this segment with the children at the Galkayo Education Centre for Peace and Development in Somalia. If they're singing with enthusiasm, it's because they have a lot to be enthusiastic about.

The Centre's founder has won the Nansen Refugee Award by the United Nations High commission for Refugees, recognizing her work on behalf of the forcibly displaced.

Hawa Aden Mohamed... also known as Mama Hawa has helped many Somali women become educated, financially independent and poised to take a more active role in their society. Her work now is in Somalia but she has a connection to Canada. Mama Hawa joined us from Nairobi, Kenya.

Mail: Platonic Friendships

Yesterday on The Current, we debated whether heterosexual men and women can ever be "just" friends. Our listeners think it's "just" not that simple.

On Facebook, Brandon Taylor posted this:

I agree that deep down men are more sexually attracted to females for the purpose of sex ... even if they are friends. Just look at nature as proof of this.

Johanna Sommer replied:

I mostly agree. In platonic friendships, it's usually the male who oversteps the confines of that type of friendship.

And Phyllis Carter added this to the conversation:

Must everything be about sex? People should be more than animals. Adults can be friends if they share common interests and common values. The relationship should be about the heart and the mind - not about what burns below the belt.

And here are a couple of emails. Suzan Poyraz of Toronto writes:

There are more friendships in cultures where sexism is less prevalent. But in our country, women are firstly sex objects. Holding this belief, even subconsciously, means the attitudes will continue.

And one more from Lloyd Kerry of Charlottetown:

The sexologist who says flirting is good for a relationship sounds like those who tried to justify swinging in the decades gone by. Most people aren't secure enough about their relationship to enjoy or even encourage flirting with others. Many would see this as an insult, especially if done in their presence.

We love hearing what you have to say. Email us from our website. Or tweet us @thecurrentcbc. And if you missed the discussion on yesterday's show, it's posted on our website or you can download the podcast.

Other segments from today's show:

Tracking Hurricane Sandy

Libya: One year after NATO forces pulled out