STORY: Businesswomen boost the economy of

Somalia
TRT: 4:59
SOURCE: UNSOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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LANGUAGE: SOMALI/ENGLISH/NATURAL
DATELINE: 10/NOVEMBER/2017, MOGADISHU SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot (panning from left to right) of Luul Osmans hotel.

2. Medium shot of Lulu entering the traditional ceremony room at her
hotel.
3. Wide Medium shot of Luul inside the traditional ceremony room at her
hotel.
4. Wide shot (panning from left to right) of the traditional ceremony room
5. Medium shot of Luul leaving the traditional ceremony room
6. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH):LUUL MOHAMED OSMAN - HOTEL
OWNER
7. In 2012, I moved to Somalia. I was supposed to change my life
and stabilize my life here in my country since I was tired of living
outside Somalia.

1. Wide shot of Luul walking on the balcony of her hotel.

2. Wide shot (tilting up top down) of the resting area at the balcony of her
hotel.
3. Medium shot of the resting area on the balcony of her hotel.
4. Wide shot of Luul at the resting area on the balcony of her hotel.
5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): LUUL MOHAMED OSMAN - HOTEL
OWNER
6. Now its running but still not open because Im worried to give a
name. To put here a sign with the business attracts risks. And this
is very hard and problematic to work in this condition.

1. wide shot (panning from left to right) of the inside of the restaurant
area
2. Medium shot of the restaurant area
3. Medium (tilting from down to up) shot of a construction worker
renovating the door of the hotel
4. Medium (silhouette picture) shot of a construction worker renovating
the door of the hotel
5. Wide (silhouette effect picture) shot of a construction worker renovating
the door of the hotel
 6. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): LUUL MOHAMED OSMAN - HOTEL
OWNER
7. Theres food, theres beverage, on Thursday night theres music.
We should make the people happy because people here (in
Mogadishu) have money but they dont have something to distract
them. They dont have anywhere to go.
8. Wide shot of the main entrance of Luuls hotel
9. Wide shot of Luuls hotel
10. Wide shot of a construction worker cleaning the rooftop under
renovation.
11. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): LUUL MOHAMED OSMAN - HOTEL
OWNER
12. We have to go on, we dont stop. Whenever it happens, since
youre alive, since youre strong, we work. No problem.
13. Wide shot of Luul walking away

SOMFRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

1. Close up shot of Somfresh art work on the wall.

2. Wide shot of Somfresh building.
3. Wide shot of Hersio Abdulle Siad, the founder of Somfresh Fruits and
Vegetables inspecting the bananas.
4. Medium shot of Hersio Abdulle Siad inspecting the bananas.
5. Medium shot of Hersio Abdulle Siad inspecting the bananas.
6. Medium shot of Hersio Abdulle Siad inspecting the bananas.
7. Close up shot of Hersio Abdulle Siad holding bananas in her hands.
8. SOUNDBITE (SOMALI): HERSIO ABDULLE SIAD - FOUNDER OF
SOMFRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
9. Nobody gave me money. This was from the savings I had made
from my employment. Now my business is booming. Other than
advice from relatives and friends, nobody gave me money.

1. Wide shot of the inside of Somfresh building, panning to show two

employees sorting the bananas.
2. Wide shot of Somfresh employees sorting bananas.
3. Medium shot of the bananas, tilting to show face of the employee
sorting bananas
4. Medium shot of bananas in a crate.
5. Wide shot of bananas in crates.
6. SOUNDBITE (SOMALI): HERSIO ABDULLE SIAD - FOUNDER OF
SOMFRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
7. Initially, my clients were hotels and restaurants. The others were
cafes. But later I started distributing to women selling fruits and
bananas in the neighbourhood. I use two branded vehicles and
two others are yet to be branded.

1. Wide shot of Somfresh Fruits and Vegetables employee selling

bananas to a client
2. Close up shot of bananas being put in polythene bag
3. Wide shot (low angle) of a female client paying for the bananas
 4. Wide shot of Somfresh Fruits and Vegetables employee counting
money
5. SOUNDBITE (SOMALI): HERSIO ABDULLE SIAD - FOUNDER OF
SOMFRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
6. My plan is to own a farm for my own company so that the banana
thats not very smooth, scarred, dirty and muddy is improved.
With the farm, I can train my staff so that I can produce a clean
product. I can produce the famous yellow Somali banana.

1. Wide shot of Hersio Abdulle Siad talking with her employees

2. Medium up shot of an employee lifting the crate with bananas
3. Medium shot of an employee packing the crates into the van
4. Medium shot of her and her employee packing the crates of bananas
into a van
5. Wide shot (low angle) of Hersio Abdulle Siad closing the doors of the
van
6. Wide shot of the van leaving the premises of Somfresh Fruits and
Vegetables

Businesswomen boost the economy of Somalia

Mogadishu - Luul Mohamed Osman was an established hotelier before the

civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991, forcing her to seek refuge in Italy. She
returned to her country five years ago, to pick up the pieces and start afresh.

In 2012, I moved to Somalia. I was supposed to change my life and stabilize

my life here in my country since I was tired of living outside Somalia, says
Luul, who was running a popular eatery and guest house in the Zoobe area of
Mogadishu. On 14 October of this year, a major bomb blast destroyed her
business.

Luul is one of the many Somali women who have overcome the odds and
become breadwinners for their families by establishing businesses that also
provide employment to thousands of Somalis.

The hotelier, whose spirit has not been broken despite the setback, is busy
putting finishing touches to another hotel and catering establishment that she
is set to launch along a well-known street in Mogadishu.

Now it is running but its still not open because Im worried to give it a name.
To put here a sign with the business attracts risks. It is very hard and
problematic to work in these conditions, Luul explains.

The place is bustling, especially at lunch and dinner times, as it offers a

variety of Italian dishes.
Theres food, there are beverages, on Thursday night theres music. We
should make the people happy because people here (in Mogadishu) have
money but they dont have something to distract them. They dont have
anywhere to go, Luul says.

Luul is optimistic, despite the adversity and distress caused by insecurity in

her city.
We have to go on, we dont stop. Whatever happens, since youre alive,
since youre strong, we work. No problem, she adds, referring to recent
attacks in Mogadishu that took the lives of relatives and close friends.

Across the city, another woman has turned her taste for high quality fruits and
vegetables into a booming business venture.

Hersio Abdulle Siad founded an enterprise that packs and distributes fresh
product to Mogadishu markets. She started her business from scratch in
2003, with savings from her previous employment.
Other than advice from relatives and friends, nobody gave me money, says
Hersio. The company now specializes in selling yellow ripe bananas, a
popular fruit in Somali cuisine.

While her initial clients were hotels, restaurants and cafes in Mogadishu,
Hersio has grown the business to include women who sell bananas on the
streets. The business has flourished, employing now 20 permanent staff and
another 70 during peak seasons, and using four vehicles to deliver the staple
fruits.
Hersio has big plans for her company.

My plan is to own a farm for my company. I can train my staff so that I can
produce a clean product. I can produce the famous yellow Somali banana,
the determined businesswoman adds.

UNSOM is mandated to assist the Federal Government of Somalia to

advance gender and women, peace and security agenda issues and promote
womens empowerment.