Masno Limestone Production Says the Key to Success Is to Believe in Your Country and in Yourself!

My name is Mustafa Eid Farah, the founder of this small Masno Limestone production factory which locates at Maygaagta, 25KM from the eastern side of Hargeisa. It produces each day one ton of limestone which is equivalent to 160 sacks.

For the first time I visited here is a time I was looking for minerals. This area is located a small Pyramids, we dig there by searching for minerals. When we research, we found the rocks there were rocks called limestone rocks. We also realized the rocks are the best quality for limestone production rocks.

This was the time I changed my mind and made marketing for the limestone production. We ask ourselves the usefulness of the limestone and what benefit we can get.

I saw Harhub on Somalijobs.com. I submitted online application, I have been shortlisted and then we have been trained. The benefits of the training included how to pitch (business idea), business plan development and we developed business plan.

After I was awarded 5,000 of Harhub equity investment fund, the amount of money I received was not enough for the circumstances of my business. Once again, Harhub gave me an opportunity to use Tarmiye Crowdfunding platform to fundraise. I shared my idea to my family, relatives and everyone else who satisfied with my idea and collected another $5000 through Tarmiye. It became a total of $10,000 which fulfilled the need I requested for the investment.

After I received the investment from Harhub, the changes that come to my business include; Firstly, I bought a water tank vehicle which was our need and fulfilled. Secondly, we increased the number of employee and added 3 more people while the vehicle also generated other source of income.

The impact of the Covid-19; the limestone needs to be sold and to be sold it depends on construction houses, the building material is imported abroad, after the lock down all construction activities was stopped and this caused the business to be closed.

To survive that, we have to find a new markets other than Hargeisa market to sold the products each day and created new outside market. We reduced the price and reached out regions like Berbera, Burao, Erigavo, Sool and later on regions of Puntland and also reached Wajaale and Ethiopia. This was caused the Covid which suspended our market.

I would like to suggest the youth, first you have to believe in your country, secondly you have to be confident of your knowledge, and thirdly, you have to showcase your business ideas everyone that can support or invest like Harhub or any other one you are might gain investment.