Hawo’s Story: How One Mother Persevered to Feed Her Family

For years, 30-year-old Hawo Ahmed Yarow was told that women in her community of Somalia could not be farmers.  In Hawo’s community of Moodin, women usually focus on childrearing and household duties.

As Hawo’s family became more desperate for food, she decided to take a chance by planting her own garden. Recurrent droughts and floods in Hawo’s district have made farming difficult. Still, Hawo was determined. She knew that farming was the key to surviving and thriving in difficult circumstances.

“I’ve learned to persevere,” she said.

Action Against Hunger gave Hawo sorghum, corn, black-eyed pea, and watermelon seeds, as well as storage bags, hoes, and shovels. She also enrolled in agriculture trainings where she learned about innovative farming methods like intercropping, or cultivating two crops successfully in the same field.

These workshops were life-changing for Hawo. “I never imagined my life could be like this,” she said. Farming did not come without challenges, but Hawo experienced unbelievable luck. In October 2023, when flooding overtook her village, Hawo’s farm was unscathed.

She quickly began growing her seeds on a one-acre plot. Hawo used several different strategies to ensure her crops were successful. She employed techniques like mulching, mixing dried leaves into the soil to increase the moisture, to make a perfect environment for plant growth. Mulching also acts as a natural weed barrier, preventing other invasive plants from overtaking her crops.

To prevent and ward off pests, Hawo applied Neem fruit juice, a natural pesticide, to safeguard her plants. Neem has insecticidal properties and is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic pesticides.

Hawo also used something called the “berming technique” to mitigate potential floods. This approach involves building a raised barrier around her farm’s perimeter. During especially rainy seasons, the barriers divert excess water, preventing waterlogging and further crop damage.

Hawo’s efforts paid off: her harvest was huge. Her farm produced 275 pounds of black-eyed peas, 710 pounds of sorghum, 514 pounds of corn, and 30 watermelons. This outcome has paved the way for financial stability within her family. She recently sold a range of produce at the local market, earning about $200 and expects to collect even more money in the coming weeks.

Thanks to her success, Hawo has achieved incredible success by just using a one-acre plot of land. Today, Hawo is eager to share her learnings and her whole community has begun looking to her for advice.  She vows to teach her children, friends, and neighbors about her favorite farming techniques.  “I will definitely continue this newfound farming practice, and I’ll tell everyone in my village about what I’ve learned,” she said.

Hawo reports that learning to farm has significantly improved the food security, nutrition, and overall health of her family. “I’m grateful to receive the tools I need to succeed.”