It’s our third and final day with Bidraya, a Yemeni entrepreneur living in Hargeisa, Somalia. Although we’re sad to part ways with her, we’re excited about this last project together.
Bidraya is a talented cook and baker and sells sweets to various shops around town, plus directly to schoolchildren during their breaks. As she’s gotten older, Bidraya has been feeling the physical effects of carrying her sweets all over from shops and schools. With time, she’s wished more and more to find a shop of her own.
For a while now, Bidraya’s been eyeing an empty storefront next to her apartment and previously spoke with the owner about the cost of the place. But when we came back to speak with him about renting, he tripled the price, making the space far out of budget.
But that wasn’t the only storefront in town! Not too far from her apartment, there was a perfect, affordable space where Bidraya could envision building a business. We were able to secure a deposit and the first five months of rent for Bidraya! She’ll finally have her own shop and won’t have to lug her goods from sale to sale.
When the owner handed over the keys for the place, the emotions flowed quick. Bidraya immediately started to cry, saying, “I’m so happy, I feel like I was born today.” In no time she was dreaming out loud, telling us how she’d put a table and chairs in one corner for teens to hang out at after school, while keeping another open for older women to sit at for their morning tea and bread. It’s just the start now, but we know there are so many good things in store.
If you’d like to support doing the doable and making change each and every day, make a donation to fund Changemakers 365.
Meet Sam!
Sam developed an interest in forced displacement, food insecurity, and identity while working on her master’s degree. She’s now using this knowledge to support Changemakers 365 across our country programs. When she’s not off on a work trip, she’s busy fermenting beverages, training for half marathons, or listening to podcasts at her home in Minneapolis.
