MOGADISHU, Somalia – Abdirahman Abdullahi Kaahiye, a Somali university graduate, sells tea on Mogadishu’s Liido Beach to survive, unable to secure work despite his Information Technology degree and Quranic studies.
Known as “Liido Boy,” Kaahiye studied at a university co-founded by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, hoping to contribute to his country. Instead, he faces a bleak job market. “If I had known I’d end up selling tea, I’d have used my time differently,” he told Shabelle TV during an interview.
“I was one of the students the President valued most when he was our university lecturer, but the knowledge I gained has not benefited me. Today, I am selling tea on Liido Beach,” he added.
Kaahiye, whose late mother dreamed he would become a pilot, feels the weight of unfulfilled expectations. “If she were alive, how would she feel seeing me sell tea instead of achieving my dreams?” he said, his voice breaking.
Government jobs, he said, often go to those with connections rather than qualifications, a common hurdle for young Somalis educated locally. “I studied under President Hassan Sheikh, but it hasn’t helped me. Selling tea is my only income source,” Kaahiye added.
Somalia’s economy, scarred by decades of conflict, offers scarce opportunities for graduates, pushing many into informal jobs like street vending or migrating from the country to overseas for a better life.
For more on his story, watch the interview with Liido Boy.
