Better skills mean boosted profits for Somali women

Zaynab Ahmed Abdirahman is a Somaliland farmer who sells fruits and vegetables. She spent many years trying to develop her business, but had difficulties dealing with basic issues such as bookkeeping, packaging products or working together with other entrepreneurs.

There are many women like her in Somaliland, who have their own business but often lack the skills needed to develop a successful enterprise.

Last year, Zaynab and a group of 150 other women entrepreneurs signed up for an ILO EU-sponsored project on “Promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Somalia.” The aim of the project was to provide the women with skills to help them run their businesses.

“We heard about the ILO project – so we filled out the forms. Later on, we were contacted to come for the training. We learnt a lot there. For example, how to manage, organize and market our businesses, record transactions, package and process our products, and how to join cooperatives,” Zaynab said.

Goobjoog Economic News