(ERGO) – After settling into a stable job with a decent salary at a local milling company, Farhiyo Jama Ahmed has moved her family out of a displacement camp where they had been living for the past four years.
She is one of 50 individuals, including women and youth from underprivileged families, who have secured employment at Habeeb Mills that opened in Garowe, Puntland, in August, offering jobs in grain sorting, packaging, preparation, and milling.
Farhiyo, who is involved in food packing, said her monthly salary of $200 enables her to support her household of six.
“Life used to be difficult. The little income we had was never enough. Now we receive a monthly salary, and it’s significantly changed our lives. Cooking three meals a day was a struggle, we only used to cook once or twice at most. Now, we cook three meals daily, and we can buy food on credit from stores where I pay off the balance monthly,” she told Radio Ergo.
She has been able to rent a house in Garowe for $50 a month, shifting the family out of the makeshift plastic bag covered shack they had been living in before.
She recalled how her family survived by selling a small stock of clothes that she started with $50 in borrowed money, although she couldn’t make the business profitable.
Some days, she would return home empty-handed and at most earned $1 to $3, barely enough to prepare a single meal. Receiving her first paycheck from Habeeb Mills was memorable.
“This job means everything to me. It has supported my life and is now our main source of income. The money I earn goes towards household expenses. I spend $70 on groceries, $50 on rent, and $45 on education for three of my children,” she said.
Farhiyo noted that her children, who have been attending school for two months, are already showing progress. She also managed to pay off $300 in debt accumulated at a store in Garowe, where she had taken food supplies during her unemployment.
The combined income of $200 from her job and $100 from her husband’s job as a security guard has helped the family overcome the financial hardships they endured.
Farhiyo’s family were originally pastoralists in the rural areas of Nugal region, relying on the income from their herd of 85 goats. However, a combination of drought and disease decimated their herd in 2021, forcing them to move to Jowle IDP camp near Garowe.
Among others benefiting from this opportunity at the same company is Halima Hassan Abdi, who can now afford consistent meals for her family of four.
Working four days a week, Halima said her family is no longer worried about where their next meal will come from. She prepares grains for milling and earns a salary that covers daily expenses and her children’s education, which they previously could not afford.
“This job has brought significant improvements. I earn $150 and can manage comfortably. It has greatly helped my family. Life used to be tough, but now, thank god, things are better. We used to have just one meal a day, but now my earnings are enough, and we are doing well compared to before,” she told Radio Ergo.
Halima explained that her husband, who used to do construction jobs, earned a maximum of $5 a week due to inconsistent work.
She now has rented a $40 house, moving out of a relative’s home where her family had been living for seven months. The relatives, who were also struggling financially, could not provide consistent support.
Halima said her family sometimes depended on food aid from relatives and neighbours, and when that was unavailable they went hungry. She now spends her earnings on rent, school fees, and food, while her husband’s small earnings are used for other minor expenses.
She expressed satisfaction that one of her children, who was previously at home, is now attending a Koranic school. She also pays $20 a month for two of her siblings in a school in Godobjiran, Nugal region.
Halima plans to save money to start a small business as a safety net if she loses her current job.
Her family had been living in Godobjiran until her husband lost his job in construction, when they moved to Garowe seeking better opportunities. However, despite their efforts, her husband was unable to secure a stable job and they relied on irregular help from her parents, who keep a few livestock.
The manager of Habeeb Mills, Abdinor Ali Ismail, stated that they prioritised women and youth from disadvantaged families for employment opportunities.
“We focus on youth and women because they are highly vulnerable. We support and welcome women, and their work has significantly improved their lives, enabling them to provide for their families and achieve financial stability. Many of them came to us unemployed and struggling with life’s challenges,” he said.
Abdinor added that the company initially provided training to equip employees with the necessary skills. After a one-year trial period, the company officially launched in August, with operations and representatives across Puntland.
