Hawo Abukar, 26, stands inside her small grocery shop in an camp for internally displaced people in Mogadishu, her face lit up with a warm, gentle smile. The shelves around her are neatly arranged. But behind her calm demeanour is a story of resilience.

Just a few months ago, Hawo’s world looked very different. Displaced by conflict from her home in Lower Shabelle, she was living in dire conditions with her husband and 4 children. Her husband had been out of work for months, and the family had no stable income. Every day was a struggle.

‘I used to go to bed worried,’ Hawo recalls. ‘I didn’t know how I would feed my children the next day.’

 

Everything began to change when Hawo received cash assistance from Danish Refugee Council, funded by the European Union through the Somali Cash Consortium. She received $180 over 3 months. It may seem like a modest amount to some, but for Hawo and her family, it was a lifeline and the seed of transformation. She used the money wisely. First, she used part of it to start a small grocery shop right next to her shelter. Hawo has been earning well from the shop, which has helped her support her family and regain stability.

The ice block breakthrough 

After her shop began to attract regular customers, Hawo came up with an idea that would soon become her biggest success. With the remaining bit of the cash assistance, she bought a second-hand fridge. It was a bold step, but she believed in her plan. Hawo began freezing clean water and selling ice blocks – a rare commodity in the scorching heat. Her shop soon became the go-to place in the camp for ice, drawing a steady stream of customers and boosting her profits.

‘The fridge was the best thing I bought,’ she explains. ‘People need ice every day. That is what helped my business grow.’

The income from selling ice has helped her restock her shop more often and attract more customers. It is not just a smart business move but it is now the heart of her small shop.

Now, Hawo earns enough to support not only her children but also her mother. She no longer waits for someone to help her. Instead, she has become the one other people look up to. ’Before, I felt helpless. Now I feel strong,’ she says. ‘I can take care of my family. I feel proud.’

Her shop has become more than just a source of income. It has given her confidence, dignity, and a sense of purpose. Every item she sells, every block of ice she hands to a customer, is a small step toward a better future.

’The cash support didn’t just give me money,’ Hawo says. ‘It gave me a new start.’

Hawo received cash assistance through an EU-funded programme targeting newly displaced families affected by:

  • drought
  • floods
  • the prolonged crisis in Somalia

The initiative has helped vulnerable households in Mogadishu to cover essential needs. For families like Hawo’s, this support alleviated their suffering and made it possible to rebuild their lives.