Struggling to Survive: How Economic Hardship Is Crippling Families in Central Somalia

 

Struggling to Survive: How Economic Hardship Is Crippling Families in Central Somalia

In central Somalia, many families are facing an overwhelming economic crisis that is forcing children out of school and leaving households on the brink of collapse.

Mohamed Mahmoud Hussein, a skilled metalworker in Dusamareb, can no longer afford school fees for his five children. Once able to support his family through handmade utensils, he is now buried under $2,500 in debt with no steady income. His products sit unsold, overtaken by cheaper imports flooding the market. Even basic needs like food and school supplies are now out of reach.

Mohamed’s story is not unique. Abdiweli Mohamed Farah, a former shopkeeper, and Nur Ahmed Diiriye, a local trader, are among many who have lost their livelihoods due to the economic downturn. Drought, market collapse, and rising costs have devastated small businesses and traders. Families are now relying on borrowed food, unpaid rent, and temporary labor—if they can find any.

Children’s education is often the first casualty. With no money for school fees or religious classes, many are dropping out—cutting off their only hope for a better future.

This crisis reflects a broader humanitarian emergency unfolding in Somalia, where economic instability, climate shocks, and lack of social safety nets are pushing already vulnerable communities further into poverty.

As Mohamed put it:

“My previous life was good. Now, it is the lowest level of human existence.”