Empowering a Woman Economically means Empowering every part of her life

Women’s Economic Empowerment Project is a joint initiative between UN Women and International Labour Organization (ILO) with the support of Swedish International Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The project helps women build their credit portfolio stabilizing their income, raising their standard of living, and reorienting themselves and their families.

Through the project, ILO and the International Bank of Somalia (IBS) a microfinance initiative was developed which has been facilitating access to financial services to existing women entrepreneurs. The loans provided by IBS have brought about immense changes to the impoverished women, who have used the money to diversify or expand their small businesses.

Faduma, 27 years old, wife and mother of 6 children lives in Shangani district in Mogadishu. Faduma and her husband owned a kiosk selling basic commodities but due to civil conflicts that affected her district, her family was displaced putting an end to their only source of income.

“The conflicts between Al Shabab and the government affected our village in 2009, we were displaced three times within Mogadishu and its outskirts. In 2012, it was safer and we returned back to our district and living among friends and relatives again” said Faduma.

“Sadly, I was worried since my husband lost his job, the house rent was increased and more than two of my children had reached an age to start going to school. I had a small business selling vegetables in Hamarweyne market but it only earned me enough to feed my family,” Faduma recalls.

Faduma testified that with sorrow that due to the struggle of unemployment, on several occasions her husband tried to illegally migrate to the Middle East.

Renewed Hope

“When I first heard about the micro finance support when I was in Hamarweyne market. I owned a small station selling perishable goods with money I received from immediate family members amounting to 1000,000 Somali Shilling ($45). My daily earnings were used for family upkeep as I was now the sole breadwinner for my family,” she explained.

Faduma was chosen as a beneficiary of the project and received business skills training. She also received $500 as loan from the bank. With the training she received, Faduma decided to diversify her business and due to market demand she started selling men clothes. Her business peaked up and in no time she was able to repay back 90% of the loan.

Smiling Faduma further stated that she had learnt new market tricks, she has managed to employ her younger brother and plans to apply for a new loan with the vision of expanding her business.

“Thanks to the ILO and the bank, I am now very proud, strong and ambitious. With profits earned from the business I now have enough to feed my family and send my three oldest children to school. I have also been able to remove my brother from the cycle of unemployment. My family are realizing the strength of a woman and appreciating as well as respecting my efforts, lately consulting me on family matters and decisions,” Mama Halima said adding that “Empowering women economically means empowering every part of her life too.”

ILO and IBS issued its first micro loans in January 2016, the project so far has issued more than 310 loans to women in the 3 main markets in Mogadishu namely Hamarweyne, Suuq Bacad and Bakara with a 100 percent repayment rate.

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