(ERGO) – The women-run Mudan centre in Mogadishu has been turning out extra quantities of its home-made household and hygiene products since the Corona virus pandemic emerged.
Udbi Omar Abukar, the founder and manager of this centre that trains and hires women, told Radio Ergo that it used to be challenging to overcome people’s preference for foreign products.
“I used to find it difficult to market our products, and it was hard to make people understand the quality of locally made products. But there is a market for our products now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in a reduction of imported products in the market,” Udbi said.
“We are all now working extra hours.”
Mudan centre, which has been running for a year, has 11 women working there. They are producing soaps, disinfectants and other products that they have been trained to make.
Udbi set up the centre to give training to unemployed young women and helps them secure jobs. She was particular concerned to help young college graduates, who despite their education still often find themselves jobless.
“These young women complete college and they have got nothing, some of them are raising children alone due to the death or injury of their husbands and so I wanted to create for them some opportunity,” she said.
The centre has trained 27 women so far in various skills.
Sadio Mohamed Ali, who is the sole income earner of a family of six persons, was trained for nine months in making household cleaning materials.
“It has motivated me being able to use my skills to make these products and earn an income. There is a a huge difference now, as I was jobless previously and am now able to support myself and educate my children,” Sadio said.
Ayni Abdiqadir Omar, another Mudan centre trainee, work in the tailoring and bag-stitching unit. She joined the centre after completing an undergraduate degree but failing to find a job. She is using her creativity to design elegant handbags that are much admired by women.
