‘People, Places, Things’ w/ Hussein Ugas

What happens when someone takes their darkest chapter and turns it into a lifeline for an entire community?

In this episode of ‘The UpNUp Podcast’ we sit down with Hussein Ugas — Executive Director and Co-Founder of Rahma Recovery Center in Federal Way, Washington. Hussein’s journey from homelessness and addiction on the streets of Minneapolis to founding two Washington state firsts is one of the most powerful stories we’ve ever had the privilege of sharing on this platform.

In this episode we cover:

(00:46) The opening of House of Du’a — WA’s first faith-centered recovery home for Muslim women
(8:09 & 28:31) How stigma and silence kill more people in immigrant communities than the drugs themselves
(9:16) The Recovery Farm, Narcan training, and what’s next for Rahma Recovery
(30:09) How Hussein went from homeless and battling addiction to nonprofit founder
(38:21) Why there is no word for “addiction” in the Somali language — and how it affects an entire community
(45:50) The founding of Salaam House — WA’s first accredited culturally responsive sober living home for Muslim and East African men
(53:29) What “culturally responsive” recovery actually looks like in practice
(1:14:17) Narcan training — how he’s trained 400+ people to save lives in their own communities

Whether you’ve been touched by addiction, work in recovery, or simply believe in the power of community — this episode is for you.