{"id":3472,"date":"2019-09-03T11:39:36","date_gmt":"2019-09-03T11:39:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/?p=3472"},"modified":"2019-09-04T06:23:45","modified_gmt":"2019-09-04T06:23:45","slug":"kenya-dadaab-refugee-businesswomen-keeping-somali-culture-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sooha.org\/en\/2019\/09\/03\/kenya-dadaab-refugee-businesswomen-keeping-somali-culture-alive\/","title":{"rendered":"kenya: Dadaab refugee businesswomen keeping Somali culture alive"},"content":{"rendered":"

DADAAB (SoOHA) –<\/strong> A group of 50 Somali women refugees producing traditional handicrafts in the Dadaab refugee camps in northeastern Kenya is becoming self-reliant through the promotion of Somali culture.<\/p>\n

The group, called\u00a0Yote Farsamo\u00a0(meaning \u2018all technical\u2019 in a mix of Swahili and Somali), are weaving traditional mats, baskets, hats, fans, hand-woven traditional garments, and sieves for sale.<\/p>\n

Having started the enterprise last year, the group is now making a monthly average income of $5,000 that is divided among the members.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe get enough money from these items to support our children. We use the money to buy school uniforms for our children,\u201d said Safiya Hersi.<\/p>\n

Safiya joined the group after being trained in traditional weaving. As well as making a decent living, she believes their work promotes Somali culture that might otherwise be forgotten.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are also re-igniting our traditional way of life!\u201d stated Safiya.<\/p>\n

Barni Ali Mohamed, another member, said being part of the group has made her self-reliant. Her husband earns an irregular income doing casual work. She is able to put food on the table and pay the school fees.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the only livelihood I have right now. My 14-member family can\u2019t survive on the little aid we get from the agencies. I use the income from this centre to feed the family,\u201d said Barni, who learnt to weave as a girl growing up in rural Somalia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we were taught these skills by our mothers, it was mandatory cultural preservation. The apprenticeship was handed down from mothers to daughters. Now I can see how useful that training was,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Adar Haji Abdi, the group\u2019s chairperson, told Radio Ergo that the business had expanded and they were selling to shops and at upmarket events in Nairobi.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Somali people see our work, they feel proud,\u201d Adar said. \u201cLots of Somalis from the diaspora have bought our mats, which means the business has pleased Somali people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Source: Radio Ergo<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DADAAB (SoOHA) – A group of 50 Somali women refugees producing traditional handicrafts in the Dadaab refugee camps in northeastern Kenya is becoming self-reliant through the promotion of Somali culture. The group, called\u00a0Yote Farsamo\u00a0(meaning \u2018all technical\u2019 in a mix of Swahili and Somali), are weaving traditional mats, baskets, hats, fans, hand-woven traditional garments, and sieves …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":903,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,6,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-development","category-food-security-cluster","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t