Somalia: A boost to women-headed businesses despite COVID-19 effects

Deeq A. · June 26, 2021

Somalia: A boost to women-headed businesses despite COVID-19 effects

26/06/2021, Articles

The COVID-19 pandemic has driven numerous businesses to nearly close, leaving business owners with little or no income. Women-headed households face similar difficulties as most of them own small businesses such as small shops, restaurants, grocery stalls, clothing stalls and boutiques.Prices of food and other commodities have risen as a result of the pandemic, affecting supply and replenishment and amount of sales. Shop owners have taken proactive precautions such as avoiding credit sales and restocking in limited amount.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) supports low-income families in starting, restarting, or expanding existing small businesses that can contribute to the family’s income and result in a better and more sustainable livelihood.

Business skills training is also provided to improve business management. To ensure proper interaction during the training, participants are grouped according to their location and business type. Costing and pricing, marketing skills, record keeping, and basic business management are among the topics covered during the course.

After the training, business owners are each given a sum of 500 US dollars in cash to help them develop their businesses. Since 2021, over 200 women were supported to boost and improve their businesses.

Eight women-led businesses in Hamar Weyne, Mogadishu city.

Clothing and tailoringHamar Weyne, with its busy market full of retailers selling food stuffs, clothes and beauty products, is the oldest district in Mogadishu city. 56-year old Asli Salad Farah used to sell secondhand clothes but is now selling new clothes.

“I own a clothing stall in Hamar Weyne district in Mogadishu city. I am a mother of 10 children and the breadwinner of my family” she says.

She sells both women, men and children clothes. She gets busy during festive events such as Eid and weddings where many people flock to buy new clothes

“I have been selling clothes for more than 20 years in Mogadishu city”. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

With COVID-19, a smaller number of buyers visit her stall. The ICRC supported Asli with 500 US dollars to help boosting her business. She has injected the money to add up the stock of clothes she is selling. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Asli calls out to potential customers in the hope of attracting them to her stall. “Soo dhowow, soo dhowow” meaning “welcome welcome” to view the latest clothes designs”. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Maryan Abukar Haji is Hamar Weyne’s only female tailor and her specialty is designing and sewing women clothing. Most of Somali clothing is custom-made which makes tailors come high in demand.

“Women make up the majority of my customers. They come to me because it is more comfortable for them to get their measurements taken by a fellow woman,” she explains.

Maryan tailors’ women’s clothing such as baati, a loose-fitting, short-sleeved cotton housedress worn by Somali women. She also sews hijabs, the head scarf worn by Muslim women. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Maryan is a single mother with one child. She is able to pay for school fees, rent, and utilities with the money she earns from her business. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Maryan is well-known for her one-of-a-kind designs, which draws a large number of customers to her tailoring store. She also sells fabric; which customers can choose to have tailored afterwards. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Small shopsConvenient stores, which sell food, groceries, and house detergents, are many in Hamar Weyne district.

Maryan Mohamed Yusuf is the owner of one of the shops in the neighborhood. She sells soft drinks, tea leaves, sugar, candy, milk, rice, and soap detergents among other goods.

Maryan has been the owner of the shop on a side street near Hamar Weyne district for the past two years. “With my shop income I am able to support my five children with food and school fees” she says. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

She is one of the women who benefited from business skills training and cash support provided by the ICRC. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

After receiving 500 USD dollars , Maryan has completely stocked up her shop with merchandise. “One thing I learned from the training is that debt is bad for business, so I try to avoid it wherever possible.” © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Ebla Mukhtar Guhad has been running her shop for the past 30 years. The location of her shop has moved around Mogadishu many times over the years. The shop is currently at a prime position, bringing in a steady stream of customers.

Ebla sells mangoes and bananas, as well as milk, cold drinks, balloons and candy. Her husband runs a laundry business, and the two of them are raising their seven children with both their income. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Ebla’s shop is busiest in the morning and evening, when her customers come to purchase essential household items. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

She received 500 US dollars to boost her shop with more food stuffs to sell. She has added a vast array of groceries to sell. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Café and restaurantsRestaurants and eating places have been affected by COVID-19 restrictions, notably by limiting dining together with friends and family.

Duniyo Mohamed Ahmed, 36, has owned a food shop in Mogadishu for the past seven years, where she prepares Somali snacks and meals.

“This business is my only source of income and I can feed my daughter and husband who is without a job now” she says. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Sambusa is a fried pastry filled with minced beef, chicken, or fish that can be eaten for breakfast or as an evening snack with tea or coffee. “To enjoy food, it calls for you to share a plate with your family or friends” © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Customers only come in to get meals to take away in order to observe the COVID-19 prevention measures. “Before the pandemic, the restaurant was always packed for breakfast and lunch.” © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Faduma Mohamed Abdirahman is a baker who makes sambusa and mashmash – (a sweet pastry made of flour and sugar). She has been in the baking business for 30 years now.

Every day at 6:00 a.m., she opens her café to cook the pastries. Early mornings and late afternoons are her busiest hours, as Somalis enjoy their pastries with Shaah – a cup of hot spicy tea

“I make the best mashmash in town” she says

Mashmash is a Somali snack which is usually paired with Sambusas. It creates that sweet and salty combination which is common in Somali cuisine. It is a mid morning and late afternoon snack. Made of flour, water and sugar, they are easy to prepare. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Faduma’s most regular clients are people from the Hamar Weyne area. Children congregate around her to get her delectable pastries. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

In the streets of Hamar Weyne, Hawa Ibrahim Ali sells roasted groundnuts. She is the mother of ten children and raises four of her brother’s children as well.

Groundnuts are a tasty snack that goes well with tea. Hawa sells both skinned and skinless peanuts. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Every day, Hawa roasts groundnuts. She then sells them by packing them in various sizes. The pricing depends on the size of the pack. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Hawa salts the ground nuts and packs them in different sizes. She then allocates every size a price. Most of her customers are children as they enjoy the nuts as snacks. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Beauty parlourHenna has long been a popular way for Somali women to decorate their hands and feet for special occasions like weddings, Eid, and other social gatherings.

Faduma Ahmed, 22, is the owner of a salon that specializes in hair styling and henna application.

“I am pleased and delighted to see my customers leave my salon feeling beautiful and smiling,” she says.

Faduma sees a lot of business during the wedding season and the Eid festivities. People are frequently lining up at her salon. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.

Faduma self-taught herself how to apply henna, which she now operates as a business. She is a single mother with one child, and her money allows her to support her family. © ICRC/ Ismail Taaxta.