(ERGO) – Aweys Maye Mohamed, a metalworker, and his family of four in Mogadishu have been struggling to secure even one meal a day since the end of July, when he lost his job.
He is among hundreds of artisans now unemployed as the export of scrap metal from the Somali capital to foreign markets has become increasingly lucrative. Big businesses now snap up scrap metal from collectors for higher prices than small metal workshop owners can afford to pay.
Aweys told Radio Ergo that losing his job has affected every aspect of his family’s life, leading them into a dire situation. They now rely on $30 contributions that he occasionally receives from his brother.
“I don’t have a job now, but I have a wife and children. Some days we eat, and other days we just go hungry. Life is not the same as before; there is a significant difference. I used to manage the household expenses, but now there is a lot of pressure. I used to make pans including cake and flat bread tins and that gave us a living,” he said.
Aweys leaves home every morning to search for work, only to return exhausted and empty-handed. Local stores who had offered him credit before refused when they found out he had lost his job.
He expressed frustration about having to ask for help, after being financially independent for the past five years as a metalworker.
“Before losing my job, we were in a good position. We used to enjoy three meals a day. We used to get cheap scrap metal but our job loss is tied to the increase in metal exports. In the past, I used to earn between $10 and $15 daily,” he explained.
There is no union for metalworkers, leaving them without a collective voice to advocate for their rights. Aweys pointed out that he lacks other skills, making it difficult for him to transition to a different job.
In a similar plight, Isse Abdulahi Nur, who depended on metalworking for eight years, stated that since July he has been unable to provide regular meals for his wife and four children. He also fell behind on the rent for their two-room apartment in Karan district of Mogadishu.
The landlord has demanded $120 in rent, warning him of eviction if he doesn’t pay. He worries about what will happen to his children if they are forced out.
When Isse goes several days without work, he is compelled to ask his poor parents for help to put something on the table for his family. Whatever little support he receives goes on food.
“We used to rely on scrap metal to make a profit. However, the prices have skyrocketed. The cost of metal has risen to $1.8, while we used to buy it for $0.7 or $0.8. If this continues, we will have no choice but to sit at home,” he said.
Isse was earning $5-8 a day, but now he struggles to make that amount in a week. He has looked for other work but there is nothing available.
Coming from a poor family that has always lived in Mogadishu, he never had the chance for an education, forcing him to start manual labour at a young age to help his parents. He now feels the weight of supporting his own children.
Similarly, Aweys Abdullahi Shiqalo, who learned metalworking skills in Marka and moved to Mogadishu 15 years ago, was earning $25-30 per day until three months ago. His family of 14 are now suffering without another breadwinner.
“Previously, we used to work daily to support ourselves and even provide for our parents. In a month, there may be 20 days when I can’t find work because there are no raw materials,” he lamented.
Although Aweys lives in Mogadishu, his children live in Marka, Lower Shabelle region. He used to visit Marka monthly but in the past five months has been unable to afford the transport. Five of his children had to quit school because he could no longer afford the fees of $5 per child each month.
The school told him to settle three months of unpaid fees so his children can return. He is worried about his children, especially three who were close to completing their Koranic studies this year.
Seven of his colleagues in the same metal workshop abandoned their tools in recent months due to the lack of income. He and four remaining workers, whom he trained over the years, often find themselves going without food.
