Rahmo Nur Osman is a young mother of five in Dinsor, an area that is often difficult to reach by humanitarian, development, and government service providers due to insecurity and roadblocks by al-Shabaab.
Hundreds of kilometers away, Ruwaydo Abdi Jaliil and her four children live in a makeshift corrugated iron hut in Guled IDP Camp in Guriceel.
Despite this long distance, both women experienced the same fear when their children, Rahmo’s Hanad (1) and Ruwaydo’s Ridwan (11), became frail and stopped eating—a paralyzing emotion no mother should ever have to feel.
Before the IRC- and GREDO-run Ka’aan health facility in Dinsor and the IRC-supported Istarlin hospital in Guriceel provided free health and nutrition services to the community, it was difficult for local families to afford medical care, so they often went without.
Now, Rahmo, Ruwaydo, and their neighbors can seek support when they and their children are sick.
Learn more about their experiences at the clinics in the video below.
As Ruwaydo mentioned in the video, in line with the Nexus project’s focus on integrated humanitarian and development programming, both she and Rahmo’s families received more than malnutrition support.
Ruwaydo’s family benefitted from latrines, hygiene education, and a new water point constructed just behind their shelter in Guled IDP Camp. These will prove to be essential in maintaining the family’s health in good seasons and bad.
As part of BMZ-funded transitional development assistance, the IRC trained community health workers (CHWs) on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and other good nutritional practices. The IRC team also helped create and strengthen local mother-to-mother and father-to-father support groups.
For example, while Hanad received malnutrition treatment, Rahmo attended training sessions to learn how to better care for her children’s health and nutrition, both in easy and difficult circumstances.
Putting this new knowledge into practice will help fortify her children’s bodies, build back their internal resilience, and pre-emptively combat potential sickness and malnutrition in years to come.
Hassan Sheikh Nur Osman has spent his entire life in Gabuun village, just outside of Guriel city in the central Galguduud region of Somalia. While he was once the proud owner of a large herd, over time, recurrent drought stole most of his livestock and his family’s income.
Determined to rebuild his family’s life, Hassan turned to what he knew best: caring for animals. Despite limited resources, Hassan pursued veterinary training through the Ministry of Livestock, Range, and Forestry of Galmudug State. Upon graduation, he began providing services to other pastoralists in his own and neighboring villages.
In 2023, Hassan shared his dream of opening a veterinary pharmacy with Gabuun’s Community Resilience Committee. Recognizing his potential, the CRC selected Hassan and his partner Nuh, to participate in a 20-day training program for Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs).
Unlike the traditional CAHW training programs that provide only one or two months of supplies, the IRC program uses an innovative, market-based business model. It supports CAHWs to establish viable veterinary pharmacies with appropriate storage, strong links to certified veterinary suppliers, and access to startup capital, enabling sustainable service delivery and long-term market integration.
Hassan Sheikh Nur Osman has spent his entire life in Gabuun village, just outside of Guriel city in the central Galguduud region of Somalia. While he was once the proud owner of a large herd, over time, recurrent drought stole most of his livestock and his family’s income.
Determined to rebuild his family’s life, Hassan turned to what he knew best: caring for animals. Despite limited resources, Hassan pursued veterinary training through the Ministry of Livestock, Range, and Forestry of Galmudug State. Upon graduation, he began providing services to other pastoralists in his own and neighboring villages.
In 2023, Hassan shared his dream of opening a veterinary pharmacy with Gabuun’s Community Resilience Committee. Recognizing his potential, the CRC selected Hassan and his partner Nuh, to participate in a 20-day training program for Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs).
Unlike the traditional CAHW training programs that provide only one or two months of supplies, the IRC program uses an innovative, market-based business model. It supports CAHWs to establish viable veterinary pharmacies with appropriate storage, strong links to certified veterinary suppliers, and access to startup capital, enabling sustainable service delivery and long-term market integration.
With his new knowledge and a permanent pharmacy in place, Hassan hopes to one day expand services, purchase a vehicle to reach more families, and establish a stable clinic where people can bring their animals.
His veterinary pharmacy is not only transforming his own life but also strengthening the resilience of the entire community by providing essential services close to home.
With his new knowledge and a permanent pharmacy in place, Hassan hopes to one day expand services, purchase a vehicle to reach more families, and establish a stable clinic where people can bring their animals.
His veterinary pharmacy is not only transforming his own life but also strengthening the resilience of the entire community by providing essential services close to home.
A 54-year-old living in Dinsor, Azizo has worked for much of her life, primarily in informal jobs earning only $30-60 per month. But when she saw other women in her community joining an IRC and GREDO-supported self-help group, she felt inspired to join, a decision that transformed her life.
The 24 women in Azizo’s group received training in financial knowledge and skills. Soon afterward, they joined together to build a collective business. By saving a little each month over less than one year, they bought a refrigerator and set up a small shop selling basic food items, personal care products, and sweets. The group still meets twice each week to manage their joint savings, profits, and investments, as well as to support and learn from each other.
Since receiving support, Azizo’s monthly revenue has grown to $150. She has also integrated her family members into the business, ending their reliance on low-paying casual labor and creating a self-sustaining cycle of employment. Today, she saves 10 percent of her income, ensuring her household is no longer one missed day of work away from crisis.
Borne out of internal drive, motivation, and a desire to build a better life, Ruweydo, now 30 years old, started a small business selling food and everyday items in Dinsor when she was only 15. But building a business in an area affected by drought and frequently cut off from trade and communication by conflict is not easy. As the local economy declined, her sales and income dropped to the point that she could barely afford inventory. “I used to beg other shop owners to give me items on credit and sell them,” she recalled. Caught in a cycle of debt, she struggled to keep her business alive and to provide for her children.
At this difficult moment, Ruweydo received a $400 business grant and business training from IRC’s local partner GREDO. The training enabled Ruweydo to manage her business more strategically, and the grant represented her business’s first non-debt-funded investment.
Ruweydo’s sales have now risen from around $50-80 per month to $320, a 400% increase. Now, with a consistent net profit of $70-90 per month, she can trade with her own money and save 25% of her earnings. She has also diversified her household assets by purchasing goats, “living banks” that act as a safety net, protecting her family from returning to poverty. Her family no longer skips meals, and her children’s education is secured.
Ruweydo aims to continue to work and expand her business, and she dreams of renovating her shop or building a house if she were granted additional funds. Beyond her personal goals, she is passionate about helping other women in her community become self-reliant and aspires to become part of a network of businesswomen who support each other with knowledge and solidarity.
Fadumo lives thousands of miles northeast of Ruweydo, in the small village of Gabuun in Guriceel, but both women share a similar story.
Just a few months ago, Fadumo's small shop had few products, and she and her husband were constantly struggling to make ends meet to provide for themselves and their six children.
But also like Ruweydo, Fadumo received a $600 cash grant from IRC, along with a five-day intensive "Learn To Earn" training course.
Equipped with her new business skills, Fadumo’s shop has become a huge success. She has already reached $700 per month in sales, nearly ten times her previous average.
This growth has already addressed the most critical indicators of vulnerability: hunger and health. Her family’s food security is guaranteed, all of her school-aged children are enrolled in education, and she can afford medical treatment for her family without being forced to sell off productive business assets.
A 54-year-old living in Dinsor, Azizo has worked for much of her life, primarily in informal jobs earning only $30-60 per month. But when she saw other women in her community joining an IRC and GREDO-supported self-help group, she felt inspired to join, a decision that transformed her life.
The 24 women in Azizo’s group received training in financial knowledge and skills. Soon afterward, they joined together to build a collective business. By saving a little each month over less than one year, they bought a refrigerator and set up a small shop selling basic food items, personal care products, and sweets. The group still meets twice each week to manage their joint savings, profits, and investments, as well as to support and learn from each other.
Since receiving support, Azizo’s monthly revenue has grown to $150. She has also integrated her family members into the business, ending their reliance on low-paying casual labor and creating a self-sustaining cycle of employment. Today, she saves 10 percent of her income, ensuring her household is no longer one missed day of work away from crisis.
Borne out of internal drive, motivation, and a desire to build a better life, Ruweydo, now 30 years old, started a small business selling food and everyday items in Dinsor when she was only 15. But building a business in an area affected by drought and frequently cut off from trade and communication by conflict is not easy. As the local economy declined, her sales and income dropped to the point that she could barely afford inventory. “I used to beg other shop owners to give me items on credit and sell them,” she recalled. Caught in a cycle of debt, she struggled to keep her business alive and to provide for her children.
At this difficult moment, Ruweydo received a $400 business grant and business training from IRC’s local partner GREDO. The training enabled Ruweydo to manage her business more strategically, and the grant represented her business’s first non-debt-funded investment.
Ruweydo’s sales have now risen from around $50-80 per month to $320, a 400% increase. Now, with a consistent net profit of $70-90 per month, she can trade with her own money and save 25% of her earnings. She has also diversified her household assets by purchasing goats, “living banks” that act as a safety net, protecting her family from returning to poverty. Her family no longer skips meals, and her children’s education is secured.
Ruweydo aims to continue to work and expand her business, and she dreams of renovating her shop or building a house if she were granted additional funds. Beyond her personal goals, Ruweydo is passionate about helping other women in her community become self-reliant and aspires to become part of a network of businesswomen who support each other with knowledge and solidarity.
Fadumo lives thousands of miles northeast of Ruweydo, in the small village of Gabuun in Guriceel, but both women share a similar story.
Just a few months ago, Fadumo's small shop had few products, and she and her husband were constantly struggling to make ends meet to provide for themselves and their six children.
But also like Ruweydo, Fadumo received a $600 cash grant from IRC, along with a five-day intensive "Learn To Earn" training course.
Equipped with her new business skills, Fadumo’s shop has become a huge success. She has already reached $700 per month in sales, nearly ten times her previous average.
This growth has already addressed the most critical indicators of vulnerability: hunger and health. Her family’s food security is guaranteed, all of her school-aged children are enrolled in education, and she can afford medical treatment for her family without being forced to sell off productive business assets.
Lasting impact
The experiences of businesswomen Ruweydo Osman Hajji, Fadumo, and Azizo; Hassan the community animal health worker; and mothers Rahmo and Ruwaydo Abdi Jaliil demonstrate what is possible when strategic, integrated support is combined with the grit, passion, and willpower of the Somali people.
They represent only a few examples of the tens of thousands of families who have benefited from the crisis and resilience-building support offered through the jointly-funded HDP Nexus project.
Hover over the photos below to read the captions. Click to expand them.
Halimo Abukar Hassan shows off the crops she has grown on her farm since receiving support from the HDP Nexus project. Photo: Awale Abdikadir 2025.
Halimo Abukar Hassan shows off the crops she has grown on her farm since receiving support from the HDP Nexus project. Photo: Awale Abdikadir 2025.
Azizo Ali Barre receives a digital payment from customer Naimo Mohamed Muqtar. Photo: Awale Abdikadir 2025.
Azizo Ali Barre receives a digital payment from customer Naimo Mohamed Muqtar. Photo: Awale Abdikadir 2025.
Businesswoman Fadumo Osman, a powerful example of determination and transformation, stands proudly beside her son. Photo: Shukri Abdulkadir 2024.
Businesswoman Fadumo Osman, a powerful example of determination and transformation, stands proudly beside her son. Photo: Shukri Abdulkadir 2024.
A donkey drinks out of a new borehole constructed under the HDP Nexus project in Dinsor. Photo: Awale Abdikadir 2025.
A donkey drinks out of a new borehole constructed under the HDP Nexus project in Dinsor. Photo: Awale Abdikadir 2025.
In Guriceel’s Guled IDP camp, the strength of family endures despite profound hardship. Thirty‑year‑old Ruwaydo Abdi Jaliil holds her children close in their modest shelter, drawing courage from their unity as they navigate the challenges of displacement. Photo: Shukri Abdulkadir 2024.
In Guriceel’s Guled IDP camp, the strength of family endures despite profound hardship. Thirty‑year‑old Ruwaydo Abdi Jaliil holds her children close in their modest shelter, drawing courage from their unity as they navigate the challenges of displacement. Photo: Shukri Abdulkadir 2024.
The GFFO-funded humanitarian side of the HDP Nexus project included:
The BMZ-funded development side of the project included:
Credits
In addition to funding from donors GFFO and BMZ, the support of IRC partners GREDO, SSWC, and Zamzam Foundation was essential in enabling these families to overcome obstacles, escape crisis-driven vulnerability, and establish roots and foundations that will serve them moving forward. We are grateful for their dedication and collaboration.
For more information about the HDP Nexus project or IRC Somalia’s other work, contact Richard Crother, IRC Somalia Country Director.
This interactive report was written, designed and developed by Jenny Spencer and Michel Alimasi at Untethered Impact.
Built with Shorthand