From Aid to Agency: Hawo uses loan, learns trade to launch and expand business and inspire others

Under the scorching sun in Yaaq Barawey IDP Camp in Baidoa, rows of makeshift shelters stitched from plastic sheets and scrap materials stretch across the dusty landscape. Amid the noise of children playing, vendors calling, and families queuing for water, stories of resilience quietly emerge. One of them belongs to Hawo Isack Yaxye.

Hawo, a mother of four, fled Mogadishu with her children and elderly parents in search of safety in Baidoa. The camp offered refuge, but it could not offer stability. With no income and limited support, she depended entirely on relatives to survive. Meals were uncertain—often reduced to one or two a day. She was overwhelmed by the responsibility of providing for her family in such conditions.

I felt trapped,I wanted to provide for my children, but I had no opportunity.

Families throughout Somalia faced multiple and complex challenges in the second quarter of Fiscal Year 2026. Conflict and drought continued to force thousands to flee their homes in search of safety and stability. A flare up in fighting spilled into the camps, forcing EMERGE program staff and others to evacuate. The food security situation in Baidoa remains precarious. FEWS Net projects up to 1.85 million children under age five will be acutely malnourished by July 2026.

Hawo’s turning point came when she joined the U.S. State Department’s EMERGE program implemented by World Vision and local partners. At first, she received cash assistance, which helped her meet her family’s immediate needs. Finally, they could afford three meals a day. Through participation in a local savings group, Hawo accessed a small loan of $62, which proved to be transformative. She used the seed funding to start a small milk business, transporting and selling milk from a town about 15 miles away. With determination and discipline, she steadily grew her income. Before long, she expanded her efforts and opened a modest retail shop within the camp, creating a more stable livelihood.

As her confidence grew, Hawo made a bold decision. She enrolled in a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) course in automatic driving and basic mechanics, fields traditionally dominated by men. She is one of 860 participants in the EMERGE TVET program. Women account for 87% of this cohort’s trainee roster. They were selected through a rigorous process prioritizing vulnerability, displacement, and income poverty.

In Mogadishu, I saw women driving Bajaj (moto-taxi), she says. In Baidoa, there are none. I wanted to be the first!

Choosing this path was not easy. Some community members questioned her decision and doubted her ability. But Hawo remained resolute, driven by a vision of independence and a better future for her children.

Today, Hawo’s life has transformed. Her children are healthier, her household has a steady income, and she is no longer fully dependent on others. Beyond financial stability, she has regained dignity, confidence, and sense of purpose. Through her training, Hawo is building toward her next goal: becoming a moto-taxi driver, saving enough to purchase her own vehicle, and eventually running a small taxi business.

Her story is more than personal success; it is a powerful example of what can happen when humanitarian support goes beyond short-term relief and invests in long-term resilience. By combining cash assistance, savings groups, livelihood opportunities, and skills training, the EMERGE project is enabling women like Hawo to move from dependency to self-reliance. They are not only rebuilding their own lives, but also redefining what is possible for others.

People may doubt me now, she says with quiet confidence, but once they see my skills, they will trust me.