(ERGO) – When COVID19 restrictions forced Khalid Abdihaybe to close his metal welding garage in May 2020, he was forced to work ona building site as a labourer to provide for his family.But he soon lost that job as well as the economy locked down.
With 10 children to support, he came up with a business idea and with a friend started making basins and flowerpotsfrom recycled tyres. The business has picked up well in the past three months.
Khalid and his business partner make $25 a day each from the sales of these items. He is paying the family bills and has enrolled six of his children in schoolfor the first time, paying $78 in fees. The business if more lucrative than his $7 daily earning for the oldwelding garage.
“I can buy in one go enough food to last the family the whole month,” Khalid said.“I am living a better life now.”
Khalid’s business partner Khadar Mohamoud said his family of seven sometimes slept hungry when he was jobless. He is now paying his family’s bills of around 50,000 Somaliland shilling ($6) a day. They were surviving on credit from local food shops when he was unemployed.
Khalid’s father, Abdiheybe Ismael, supplies the business with old tyres and gives them space in his tyre repair garage to make their recycled products.Abdiheybe, 70, has been repairing tyres forthe last 20 years. He used to pay garbage collectors to collect the used tyres, which are now put to good use in his son’s business.
Abdiheybe said his son is making more money than he has ever made repairing tyres and could do even better with more equipment.
