From Unskilled and Jobless to Employer - Araale’s Story

At nineteen years old, unskilled, and unemployed, I was uncertain about the future. I had only recently graduated a high school in 2019, and had an ambition to become financially independent. But where to start? I hoped my future would include a journey to find a paid job and the kind of competence to market myself to potential employers. It was not clear for me the positions I could fill in a company or to compete to land a job. It never occurred to me that I could become an entrepreneur, as I knew the path to the entrepreneurship was rough, hard, and long. As many young persons, the financial burden of start-up capital was one of the major barriers hindering me to think about starting my own business. In addition to this, initiating new business ideas was not among the options that seem to me possible, and I had little faith in securing an investment for an idea that generates both profit and an employment for me and for others.

Despite the uncertainty, I believed that there could be light at the end of the tunnel, so I started I trying to find that light. I started looking for information about available opportunities in Hargeisa, especially the burning need for me was acquiring technical skills. Through word of mouth, I was informed through friends about the skill building programs that Hargabits provides to youth in Hargeisa. Since I was on Facebook, it was easy for me to follow the Shaqodoon Facebook page to get updates. When the announcement came for taking a new cohort, I applied for it through Facebook. Fortunately, I was shortlisted for an interview and finally, luckily, I was among the new candidates that had been admitted enrolling the graphic design and web development course.

The year of 2020 was difficult for the whole world as WHO declared the outbreak of COVID 19 as a pandemic. For me, it was totally different; I was about to reach the light at the end of the tunnel. I acquired new IT skills that made my uncertainty about the future disappear. It became clear to me the kind of jobs to look for and the journey for getting a paid job, self-employed, or entrepreneur. Now, I am one of the founders of the Adeege Creative Agency that provides web development services, digital marketing, media production, and graphic design. I am also the manager of this newly established company. The company is fast growing, its capacity developing, and nine staff are now employed.