Defiant Women Engineers Rebuild Mogadishu Sky High

Two young women engineers work hard building apartments for Mogadishu. Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar lead construction teams every day. Both women are 24 years old and have worked as engineers for five years. They wear hard hats and give orders to male workers on building sites. Many people doubted them when they started their careers.

Mogadishu rises from war damage with thousands of new buildings. More than 6,000 buildings went up during the past five years across the city. The skyline shows cranes and tall office buildings where ruins once stood. Women find more chances to work because the city needs many skilled builders. Only 5 percent of engineers are women but demand grows for their skills.

Somalia faced civil war after 1991 when the government fell apart. Many people left the country but these women stayed to help rebuild. They grew up during the fighting and saw their nation break into pieces. Security has gotten better and more construction projects start each year. Money from Somalis living abroad helps pay for the new buildings.

The construction boom brings problems with water and sewage systems. Each building digs its water well which might drain underground water supplies. Salt from ocean sand weakens the concrete used for construction work. City leaders admit they need better rules for where tall buildings can go.