Abdirahman’s Internship Exposes Passion for Entrepreneurship
Abdirahman worried about an unemployment after his relocation to Hargeisa to pursue a higher education. “I wanted to stop to be continuously supported for minor expenses which I incur, i.e., to become financially independent” Abdirahman stated. He believed if he started living in Hargeisa with the help of family, he would never financially become self-sufficient. Apart from his secondary school education, he did not have any soft or hard skill to get a job in Hargeisa. This made his goal seem difficult to be reached. He heard from variety of people saying the real life was about to begin when he was enrolled the university and move away from his family. The problem was not about only separation from his family, but the goal he set for himself: becoming financial independence in situation where unemployment is extremely high.
Abdirahman said “I received a phone call without any prior expectation from Shaqodoon, in which I was invited to take part for a selection interview for the candidates of the web development and graphic design courses”. He successfully passed the interview, which was competitive, he was thus offered the admission of the web development course. He was naively thinking to attend two studies, high school study and web development course in parallel. When he was officially registered in Hargabits, he had to face the reality. A concrete answer was required for the question about how he was going to manage two studies in parallel in which each one demands his time to attend physically classes in two distinct areas, Hargeisa and Arabsiyo with distance about 39 kilometres. His reluctant not to decline one of them put him in limbo, either continue on finishing his high school study in Arabsiyo or start over studying a new web development course in Hargeisa.
Guleid, a teacher and deputy manager of Hargabits, stated “when I interviewed Abdirahman, I realized his untapped energy and his ambition to achieve great goals. During the training, he engaged actively entire activities in the classroom and home assignments. I used to encourage him to keep going and am delighted seeing him as a businessman who established a small business”.
It is clear that Covid 19 negatively affected people in a different way---many people lost jobs, and their loved family members. It was indeed rare to find out people who have benefited from Covid-19 pandemic. Fortunately, he was among them. The Covid-19 restriction and online classes settled his ambiguity for learning two distinct courses in parallel. He did learn the two studies through online in Arabsiyo. He finished the high school study by the time Hargabits resumed the physical attendance of the graphic design course which was the only remaining study that demands his time. he was placed in a host company for two months internship to get practical experience after the successful completion of web development course.
The objective of the internship was not me to learn how to set up a business, but to acquire a practical experience of how to work with the acquired skills and work for an employer. Something different happened during my internship which inspired him to start over his own business. This follows up my decision to make a conscious choice not to work for somebody at any cost. To enhance his formal knowledge of the entrepreneurship, he participated the entrepreneurial training after passing through all steps required to be admitted for the course.
“I really wanted to stop the financial support I get from the family and become financially independent”
He set up a much-needed small cleaning service business that required a little or no start-up capital. His business offers cleaning services to people without family in Hargeisa or people with very busy life. It recruits cleaners for existing and new businesses including the organizations and cleans leftover of the construction materials and the garbage from newly business complex. “I am delighted the recruitment of two paid women work for my business and three other women work for other business” Abdirahman said. Additionally, five unpaid workers, including myself work for the business. Without the participation of the web development training which resulted me to be placed in a host company, I am not sure if I could start a new business”. The business is now growing. He usually receives a phone call from households seeking domestic workers. However, he avoids entering households market; hiring them domestic workers which involves the protection of both employers’ capital and assets from theft and the employees’ rights from a violation and misuse. From the revenue’s perspective, the business does not generate much income per today, but he is optimistic in the near future that a good profit can be made.
Name: Abdirahman Abdillahi Nuh
Program: RESTORE program, building resilience in Northern Somalia
Donor: EU and Sida