Farah, 25, had the idea to start a flower shop in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland. She had discovered that people needed dried florals for special occasions, but they had to be imported and were hard to find.
When her university shut down due to COVID-19 in 2020, Farah spent hours educating herself about artificial flowers made of colourful ribbons and designing arrangements by hand, often watching YouTube videos.
Farah wanted to offer handcrafted flowers produced locally as an alternative.
“I kept repeating what the instructor was doing. It took me all day to learn this skill, and by six o'clock, it was clear to me how to make the first garland.”
The budding entrepreneur opened a small shop named Bulsho in a dusty alleyway along a busy part of the city. Bulsho means ‘community’ in Somali.
Farah wants to create a community of people brought together by her vibrant flowers. Her product is also an alternative to fresh flowers, which are very expensive and only last a few days. With proper care, artificial flowers can last for months or years.
“My business is about making bouquets to wear during graduation, wedding ceremonies, welcome flowers, and national celebrations,” says Farah. “Graduating students fancy flower arrangements that match their gowns or whatever attire they are wearing. I also design flags such as the flag of the Republic of Somaliland and the flags of other countries. If my clients need it, I design it.”
Work problem
As the world of work continues to change, traditional career paths are becoming increasingly uncertain. Farah shows what young entrepreneurs can do in a country that is not able to meet the employment demands of its young people.
Of the 3,000 young professionals that graduate from Somaliland’s 16 universities every year, more than half end up frustrated unable to secure decent jobs.
Figures from the Somaliland National Development Programme show that about 75 percent of young people have nothing to do. The national average is at 61.5 percent. Idle youth keep themselves busy hanging out in public spaces or chewing khat.
Ibrahim Mohamed Ismail is a youth coach with the Next Economy in Somaliland, an initiative of SOS Children’s Villages and partners. The programme equips young people transitioning from school to work life, with skills they need to become employable, or start their own business.
The youth coach says there is an enormous gap between the theoretical education system, and the labour market. This means students leave school without a clue about the outside world.
“Young people lack confidence. They cannot express themselves, they do not know what they are good at and goal setting is a real problem,” says Ibrahim.
Farah agrees with Ibrahim’s assessment of the challenges facing young people.
She says the idea of opening her shop had formed long before she joined the Next Economy, but lack of confidence completely paralysed her. She did not have courage to stand in front of people or express herself.
“I learned important life skills such as confidence,” says Farah. “That I can be creative, that I can mentor someone else, and actively support a student who is new in business. I also learned how to start and grow a business, and how to be competitive.”
The Next Economy
Like Farah, young people 18 to 35 years apply for a slot in the Next Economy programme. In six months, they gain knowledge in financial management, self-awareness, to be confident, team building, and to draw up business plans.
The learners then develop personal development plans for three to five years.
“We ask them, who are you? Why are you here? What do you want to achieve? Which problems do you see in the community and how can you solve them? Each of the students presents their solution and they begin to come out of their shell,” explains Ibrahim.
“We encourage them to shape their future and choose between entrepreneurship and employment.”
Role model
Farah has become a role model to her peers. As founder and owner of Bulsho, Farah is the head designer, accountant and marketer.
The confident and soft-spoken entrepreneur says most of Bulsho’s sales come from its website and social media. She makes about 300 USD per month, sometimes more, depending on the season.
The self-taught floral stylist says she has never looked for a job, but her friends tell her how difficult it is to find one. “Most of my friends are encouraged by my success. I tell them to work on their skills before they start a business. During my busy seasons, I invite them to work with me and learn.”
