I’m no longer just a mother and wife; I am also a farmer contributing to the success of our household. I hope more women like me can receive the same kind of support because when women farmers are empowered, it’s not just their lives that change it’s the whole family, the whole community. When women succeed, everyone benefits.
Nimo, a 40-year-old mother of eight from a rural village in Central Somalia, had long struggled with poor harvests and food insecurity due to traditional farming methods and unpredictable weather. Despite working tirelessly with her husband, their farm barely produced enough to support their family.
In October 2024, Nimo was selected as one of 25 beneficiaries to receive agricultural training and improved seeds. The training introduced her to modern farming techniques such as crop spacing, composting, and better water management. With this new knowledge and skills, she gained from the training provided by Zamzam foundation, which is a local partner of Save the Children, Nimo focused on planting improved watermelon seeds during the Dayr season. The other seeds that she received were maize, tomatoes, onions, and spinach.
The results were remarkable as her harvests flourished, she was able to sell and make a one-time profit of approximately $500 that she made from her surplus crops. For Nimo, this wasn't just about better crops, it was about empowerment. She had always been a mother and a wife, doing her best to support her family in every way she could. But now, with her newfound farming knowledge, she could contribute more significantly to the household. While her husband continued to provide for the family, Nimo's role had expanded. Her ability to sell the surplus produce from her farm provided them with extra income, allowing her to buy essential household items and even pay for her children’s Madrasa education.
Today, as Nimo walks through her flourishing farm, she no longer sees herself as a woman struggling against the odds. She sees herself as a force of change, one who with the right tools and support, has the power to shape a better future for her family and community. And with each watermelon that ripens on her farm, her hope for a brighter tomorrow grows ever stronger.
NIMO'S STORY
"My name is Nimo*, I am 40 years old and I live with my husband and our eight children in this small village.
As a family, we rely on farming to survive. My husband has always been the main provider, working tirelessly to ensure we have food on the table.
But farming, especially with the unpredictable weather, has always made it hard for us to grow enough to feed ourselves, let alone sell anything in the market.
There were many times when we didn’t even have enough food to eat, and we just had to manage as best we could.
Last October, something life-changing happened. In our village a community meeting was held and we were told where would be offered training and distributing quality seeds to help farmers like me who were facing low yields.
As soon as I heard about it, I knew this was the chance I had been waiting for. It felt like a dream come true.
I was fortunate to be selected as one of the 25 beneficiaries. Before this, I had always relied on traditional farming methods, which often led to poor harvests.
The training opened my eyes to better farming techniques. I learned about things like proper spacing for crops, how to manage the soil, and how to conserve water. These were things I had never really understood before.
They gave us different types of improved seeds, including watermelon, maize, tomatoes, onions, and spinach.
Since we were in Deyr season, I decided to focus on growing watermelon because I thought it would bring good profit, especially with Ramadan coming up.
The watermelon seeds I received this time were nothing like what I had used before. They’ve grown so much stronger and healthier, and I can already see the difference in the size and quality of the watermelons.
For the first time, I feel like this harvest will be more successful than ever before. This experience has made me feel empowered.
Before, I would only support my family through daily chores, but now I’m able to contribute in a bigger way.
I planted the crops that I was give and sold the harvest at the market although the most profitable of all was the watermelon.
The watermelon harvest covered all my expenses, meeting my family's needs, and also helping out relatives and neighbours, I was able to make a profit of $500.
While my husband still works hard to provide for us, I’m now bringing in extra income from selling our surplus produce. This has helped us buy things we needed around the house and even pay for our children’s Madrasa education.
One of the biggest challenges I faced before was not knowing how to take care of my crops. I would plant them without understanding the right spacing, or when to apply water, and most of the time, my efforts didn’t work out.
But now, with the training, I know exactly what to do to get the best yields from my farm.
I am so grateful to Save the Children and Zamzam foundation for giving me this opportunity. Their support has not only improved my farming but has also changed how I see myself in my family.
I’m no longer just a mother and wife; I am also a farmer contributing to the success of our household.
I hope more women like me can receive the same kind of support because when women farmers are empowered, it’s not just their lives that change it’s the whole family, the whole community. When women succeed, everyone benefits.''
Background/project information
Building Resilient Communities in Somalia (BRCiS) is a long-term initiative that aims to strengthen the resilience of Somali communities to withstand shocks and stresses. Now in its third phase, BRCiS III is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the British Embassy Mogadishu and is being implemented by a consortium of 15 NGOs (five international and ten local) across Somalia.
Launched in July 2023 and running through March 2028, the project aspires to reduce humanitarian needs and prevent displacement by the end of its five-year cycle. It supports communities to become healthier, economically stronger, and more prepared for climate-related and other emergencies such as floods and droughts.
The project works in partnership with local communities to identify priorities and co-design solutions that enhance resilience. Its key focus areas include making community decision-making more inclusive, restoring natural ecosystems and promoting sustainable resource use, increasing food production and improving nutrition, expanding access to financial services and savings, and establishing early warning systems to detect and respond to disasters. Through these integrated efforts, BRCiS III seeks to prepare Somali communities for a more secure and sustainable future.
