17.02.10
Fadumo Ahmed Nur is 39 years old and lives south of Hargeysa town among the many IDPs from South and Central Somalia and the Somaliland returnees. She has nine children comprising of six boys and three girls between the ages of 21 and five years. Only two of them are schooling through the support of None-Governmental Organizations in Somaliland.
Fadumo fled Mogadishu’s Kaaraan District in late 2006 following fierce fighting between rival factions in the country. Her house and property were completely destroyed and she had to flee with her children without carrying anything with her. She traveled from Mogadishu through Belet Weyne town in Central Somalia and reached Gaalkacyo town after a two-day journey. “I encountered many problems on the way. There were many militia checkpoints which needed money from me. I had no enough money to pay to them and also buy food for my children. To make matters worse, my husband was seriously sick and I had to look after him and my nine children, all alone. It was not an easy task,” she said.
From Gaalkacyo town in central Somalia, Fadumo decided to make her journey to Hargeysa town, where she lives as an IDP now. Some of her young children worked as shoe-shinners while others resorted to begging on the streets. She too decided to work as casual laborer in homes around the town, washing cloths and cleaning houses to provide for her children and her ailing husband. Life as an IDP is very difficult she says. However, despite the burden of being the sole breadwinner for the entire family, she is a very enthusiastic and hardworking woman.
Fadumo now participates in a group of 53 women directly benefiting from the Danish Refugee Council’s (DRC) revolving fund programme in Hargeysa. The group has received money to start small businesses to rebuild their lives. Fadumo now runs a small kiosk selling sweets, hot snacks and some dry food stuff. She also has a tank in her compound selling water to the villagers. “I have regained confidence in life and I am looking forward to rebuilding the life of my family. I thank DRC for this initiative and all those who supported us in kind,” she says.
Fudumo wakes up at 5:00 am everyday to prepare breakfast for her children. She sends her two children to school at 6:30 am before she leaves for her kiosk, which is located some 300 meters from her house. She returns home at around 7 pm everyday. She always tries strike the balance between her house chores and the little business to sustain the family.
Some 11, 979 women have benefited from the DRC’s revolving fund project and other small grants since 2000. The assistance DRC is providing to Fadumo and other IDP and returnee women in Somaliland, is funded by Danida and UNHCR.
