(ERGO) – Hussein Mudey has hit on a successful way to earn a living, as well as enhancing the environment, by selling small trees and pot plants in Mogadishu.
The father of three from Afgoye, in Lower Shabelle region, can be seen pushing his wheelbarrow loaded with young trees and pot plants in bags around the streets of Mogadishu, selling to hotels, offices, and home-owners.
He began trying to sell trees and plants in Afgoye but did not do very well.
“I moved my business from Afgoye because there was no market there. The family daily food needs and the school fees were hard to meet, so it was discouraging there,” said Hussein.
However, he received an order to supply trees to a customer in Mogadishu three months ago. One tree sells for two to three dollars in Mogadishu, compared to half a dollar in Afgoye.
“Demand is high in Mogadishu. After my first delivery in Mogadishu, several other people asked for more plants. That is when I realised there was a good market here,” Hussein told Radio Ergo.
He has a small nursery near where he lives, so after making sales in the morning he goes home to plant and tend his trees in the afternoon.
He has been making $10-30 a day. With this income, his children started going to school and Koranic classes. After paying the $30 school fees, he buys food for family and manages to put some money aside monthly as savings.
