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The women at the centre of Somalia's construction boom
The women at the centre of Somalia's construction boom
Saadia Ahmed Omar (right) takes a photo of herself and Fathi Mohamed Abdi (left) atop a building under construction in Mogadishu. They are both wearing hard hats over their headscarves and are in high vis yellow vests. Ms Omar makes the victory sign as she takes the photo.
IMAGE SOURCE, ANTHONY IRUNGU / BBC
Image caption, Fathi Mohamed Abdi (L) and Saadia Ahmed Omar (R) have overseen more than 30 multimillion-dollar projects
Author, Fardowsa Hanshi
Role, BBC News, Mogadishu
15 June 2025
Construction is booming in Somalia's capital city and as Mogadishu literally rises from the ashes of its violent past it is also giving unexpected opportunities to women like Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar.
The two young female engineers have been overseeing the construction of a 10-floor apartment complex in Taleh in the city's Hodan District.
Wearing hard hats they navigate their way through construction material, issuing instructions to a team of workers - all of whom are men.
"When I started, people doubted me," 24-year-old Ms Abdi, the chief operating officer of Arkan Engineering Services, a Somali-owned construction company, tells the BBC.
{snip}
Saadia Ahmed Omar (right) takes a photo of herself and Fathi Mohamed Abdi (left) atop a building under construction in Mogadishu. They are both wearing hard hats over their headscarves and are in high vis yellow vests. Ms Omar makes the victory sign as she takes the photo.
IMAGE SOURCE, ANTHONY IRUNGU / BBC
Image caption, Fathi Mohamed Abdi (L) and Saadia Ahmed Omar (R) have overseen more than 30 multimillion-dollar projects
Author, Fardowsa Hanshi
Role, BBC News, Mogadishu
15 June 2025
Construction is booming in Somalia's capital city and as Mogadishu literally rises from the ashes of its violent past it is also giving unexpected opportunities to women like Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar.
The two young female engineers have been overseeing the construction of a 10-floor apartment complex in Taleh in the city's Hodan District.
Wearing hard hats they navigate their way through construction material, issuing instructions to a team of workers - all of whom are men.
"When I started, people doubted me," 24-year-old Ms Abdi, the chief operating officer of Arkan Engineering Services, a Somali-owned construction company, tells the BBC.
{snip}