Somali construction boom gives women great ambitions to women in Mogadishu

Construction goes up the Somali capital and Mogadishu literally rises from the ashes of his violent past. Fathi is given unexpected options for women like Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar.

Two female young engineers are building a complex apartment complex in the city’s hatane range.

Wearing hard hats, they browse through building material, transmitting instructions to a group of employees – all are men.

“When I started, people” Mrs. 24-year-old Abdi, the main officials of Arkan engineering services, a company in Somalia, tells BBC.

“They would ask,” How can we trust a house built by a woman? How can I trust my money and goods with a young female engineer? “

He and his colleague Mrs. Omar have been practicing engineers in the last five years.

“Mogadishuk needs,” says Mrs. Omar is also 24 years old. “When I was young, this city was in chaos. Now, we are part of his reconstruction.”

Somalia, former Italian colony, has had a long-term civil war after President Siad Laugh, which fell in January 1991.

Still, the scars of the wars are still visible, as in the central district of Shanganics, there are bombarded buildings. But the waste is hidden or represented by high office and apartments, and has cranes and scaffolding.

Two young women were born in the Civil War and witnessed the division of the country. While many Somalis left, they stopped, driven by a passion for reconstruction, Al-Shabab was performing Al-Shabab, despite Al-Qaeda.

“I think women are getting more opportunities in this area, so much to work, and it’s not enough to make professionals. This creates space for us,” says Mrs. Omar.

Ibrahim Abdi Heyle, President of the Somali Engineerian Association, agrees on the demand for qualified professionals, even slowly in the society of Somalia’s traditionally human society.

“It has increased significantly with the many job load and technology projects. The association actively encourages women’s participation, as well as it is essential to comply with critical workers’ gaps,” 34 years old.

“The association believes that women in engineering helps empowerment to achieve increasing demand, but it also brings various innovative perspectives and solutions to the industry.”

According to the office of the Mayor of Mogadishu, more than 6,000 buildings have been built in the last five years, marking a significant change in the city’s landscape.

“Safety in Mogadishu has improved, it has been a rise in high rise and commercial buildings,” says Salah Hassan Omar’s Wizenman of Mayor.

However, it is not an easy way to have 5% of engineers from Abdi and Ms Omar because they are often found in women’s options for women.

“When I asked for internships, most companies rejected me,” Remember Mrs. Omar. “They didn’t think that a woman can handle the physical requirements of Engineering. Someone I searched for three months to give me the opportunity.”

Today, both are among the most popular female engineers in Mogadishu, overseen more than 30 multimilia dollar projects.

“The city is now higher buildings and modern infrastructure, the sharp contrast of the past Mogadishu,” Mrs. Abdi says proudly.

But not everyone is happy with the transformation. Siidow Cabdulle Boulaay is causing veteran architects to lose the historical nature of the city.

“Somalia buildings were beautiful before the war, but they attracted attention, it was rare in Africa at the time as a result of Italian-style architecture,” BBC said. “Mogadishu urban planning has been very structured.”

Mr. Boulaay also has security concerns: “It is a salty sand used in mogadishu buildings, which weakens its effectiveness.”

Somali coastal sand is used to make cement. Commonly recommended practices and, in many circumstances, international buildings are limited to international buildings, because high salt content can cause steel corrosion.

“These tall buildings are not designed to withstand fires or hard rains, and tenants are not considered in development. Many of these buildings have suitable fire extinguishers and electrical installations.”

The building is the rhythm being construction, which is compromised in quality control.

It has been a regulations for years, resulting in their structural concerns.

Mr. Omar, from the Mayor’s office, has accepted the case until the age of three years ago and has nothing to do about these buildings.

But still “there is a quality control and no one will build a building” Building a building “.

“At the time, we are preparing new laws that are clearly clear (which can be built on high building buildings and only build homes.”

However, there are concerns while the regulations are in its own – often there is no follow-up control due to the speed of the building.

Mrs. Abdi and Omar, graduated at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the University of Plasma, approved all their projects by its authorities.

The rapid growth of construction projects is attributed to the investments and improved safety of diaspora – Islamist militants who control large cages in southern Somalia have yet a city.

According to the World Bank, it made up 16.7% of the country’s gross product (GDP) in 2022, something that has given the opportunity to architects and engineers.

But fast urbanization has also affected the challenges of the infrastructure – the right and unregulated drilling risk of the mogadishu – does not run out of groundwater reserves.

Christophe Hodder, Climate Safety and Environmental Advisors, have no control-free construction booms that can lead to long-term environmental effects.

“We need a coordinated approach to water management, or in the future we risk the crisis. Each new building drills its hole … in a small space,” BBC said.

The government, in collaboration with international organizations, is working on a new sewage system, but his settings may request demolishing existing buildings – a questionable movement that neighbors and business can displacement.

Mr. Hodder adds that there is a large population density – depending on the drought and conflict driven to the city.

The increase in urban population, especially in slum areas, can increase poverty and social inequalities.

Despite these challenges, the future of Mogadishu is promising. The city is trying to implement urban development regulations, efforts to improve infrastructure and ensure sustainable growth.

Al-Shabab is also the amazing armed bombings. His fighters tend to go to the hotels that are often occupied – No Somalian Engineers Association.

Mr. Heyle recognizes architects and engineers, who destroy buildings, but it has warned that Somalis has become resilient, especially those who learn engineering.

“There were a lot of explosions; our dreams didn’t stop there. Today we are reviving the engineering profession that has fallen 30 years ago. This means that there is hope.

And the ambition is in five years, not only the modern Mogadishu city, but also post-conflict reconstruction.

“I think the city of Mogadishu is another, compared to the 1990s; the city has changed to a new style and Mogadishu’s development coincides with the new world,” says Mrs. Omar.

“When I walk through the streets and help build buildings, I feel proud. We are not constructed only; We are building expectations.”

Mrs. Abdi agrees, adding: “Women do not design buildings, as well as carry projects and city.”