Turjumaad ayaa la diyaarinayaa

(ERGO) – Habibo Abdirahman Ali, a displaced mother of seven living in Hilaac camp in Mogadishu’s Garasbaley district, closed her small shop selling fresh produce on 17 April after traders refused to accept payment owed using the five million Somali shillings she had saved in notes.

For years, the business had been the family’s only source of income. She earned around 200,000 Somali shillings a day [about $7] that was enough to buy food, water, charcoal, and support her children.

But her savings suddenly became useless as bigger businessmen started to refuse to accept the notes.

“If someone owes me money and even the cash I have is rejected, I have no choice but to sit down helplessly. I took the money everywhere trying to exchange it, but nobody would accept it.”