SOMALIA: Women 'Keep Life Going' in Violent Streets of Mogadishu.

Miércoles 26 de Noviembre de 2008

Nairobi. On the fifth day of every month a group of women entrepreneurs gather to share their experiences and discuss matters of trade. What makes this exceptional is that the women are from south-central Somalia and they meet in Mogadishu, one of the world's most devastated and dangerous cities.

With 780 registered members, most of them from the Banadir region, the Banadir Businesswomen's Association is headed by a veteran businesswoman, Shamso Abdulle. Banadir is of the eight administrative units in south-central Somalia which includes the capital Mogadishu.

A mother of nine, covered in a fashionable head-to-toe Islamic veil or hijaab, and insistent on speaking only in her mother tongue Somali, Abdulle is an unlikely business success story. The east African country where she lives has not had a central government for over 17 years.‘‘When I started my business of importing furniture and other goods from India in 1984, Somalia was a different country,’’ Abdulle told.‘‘For six years I was able to do normal trade and earn enough to be independent and expand my business to other places like Dubai.’’ Then, in 1991, the civil war erupted. The state collapsed and the era of the warlords began. Like most other businesspeople, Abdulle had to abandon her business and flee the city. On her return she found that the rules and norms of business had completely changed. The Mogadishu port was closed and would not open again until 2006, which forced businesses to other distant ports like El Ma'an, Merka and Kismayo.Instead of government regulations and institutions, traders had to negotiate safe passage for their goods—and for themselves—with an assortment of militias. Money transfers through banks had been replaced by the informal hawala, or hundi,system. It was difficult for women to get loans from the big businessmen who saw no assurance of repayment or getting a return. The public's purchasing power was down; the violence and insecurity was high, as it remains to this day. ‘‘Most women were forced into business to ensure their families' survival in a chaotic city’’ and she added: ‘‘Women are clan-less and not engaged in fighting. They can carry goods and sell them into those areas of the city and other parts of south-central Somalia where men cannot; they can make the best of the worst conditions.’’

In 2000, small and middle-income businesswomen got together to form an association to protect and promote women traders. Abdulle divides her group members into several categories. ‘‘Many of our members are those who carry goods on their shoulders as they have no shop and cannot rent a sales point. These itinerant traders form an essential part of Mogadishu's economy. A majority of women in business barely make the ends meet and remain poor. But they are trying.’’

She herself is from the other end of the spectrum, though she describes herself as a mid-level businesswoman. A regular traveller to Dubai, India and other countries, Abdulle identifies a number of problems Somali women traders face in the field. ‘
‘Of course, insecurity within Somali, particularly in Mogadishu, is the biggest threat. But, in the field, Somali businesswomen also suffer due to lack of basic skills. Most of them are illiterate and need men's help to do basic accounting and communicate with the world outside.’’

Therefore, Abdulle explains, capacity building, especially in terms of education is one of the core activities.

‘‘Without the participation of women, Mogadishu's war economy could not have survived the ongoing conflict. From cleaning the streets to selling essential items women are critical for keeping life going amid the violent chaos of Mogadishu.