Saabiriin Hassan and Yusra Abdifatahi are among the first generation of female baristas reshaping Mogadishu’s hospitality industry. As improved security sparks a cafe boom across Somalia’s capital, these young women are challenging long-standing gender stereotypes, funding their education, and carving out new social spaces for a predominantly young population.
Saabiriin Hassan and the Rise of Female Baristas at Cplus Cafe
Every morning at six, Saabiriin Hassan slips on her apron as she takes her place behind the counter at Cplus Cafe in the heart of Mogadishu. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air, but it is Hassan’s ever-present smile that draws attention first, staying with her every move from grinding beans and steaming milk to chatting with customers.
Hassan is among the first female baristas in Somalia, serving coffee and helping a new cafe culture take root in a capital city once only known for conflict.
“It started out of curiosity in 2020, I realised there were no female baristas in the city. I decided to learn the craft and took a three-month course. Since then, I fell in love with the art of coffee-making.”
Saabiriin Hassan, 23-year-old barista and trainer
Entering a traditionally male-dominated industry did not come without social friction. When she first started out, she faced heavy pushback from people who claimed that coffee-making was strictly a man’s job, even suggesting that nobody would marry a woman who served men in public. She chose to ignore the criticism, focusing instead on her personal values and long-term goals.
Yusra Abdifatahi and the Commercial Expansion of Beydan Cafe
While Hassan serves customers at Cplus Cafe, fellow barista Yusra Abdifatahi is managing operations at Beydan, one of the pioneering coffee shops in the capital. Abdifatahi started working there in 2023 and has since been promoted to branch manager, overseeing daily operations, quality control, and customer satisfaction while also stepping in to make coffee when needed.
Working part-time as a student allows Abdifatahi to pay her university fees and support her family. Beyond financial independence, the job has built her social skills and confidence.
“I now have more responsibility, looking after daily operations, quality control and customer satisfaction. I also make coffee to cover the main barista.”
Yusra Abdifatahi, branch manager at Beydan
Beydan describes itself as a modern pan-African coffee company
that began as a home bakery in Mogadishu in 2018. According to company founder Najiib Abdullahi, when the business opened its store in the Taleh neighbourhood in 2019, it was on an empty street with no other shops nearby. That once-quiet stretch has since transformed into one of Mogadishu’s busiest commercial corridors, known locally as Wadada Beydan, or Beydan Road.
Today, Beydan employs more than 136 people, with women making up over 40% of its workforce across more than 10 branches in Somalia.
Security Improvements and Changing Social Habits in Mogadishu
The rapid growth of the city’s cafe sector is tied directly to shifting security conditions. As security has improved in Mogadishu, members of the Somali diaspora have returned, and the capital has seen the construction of new shopping malls, commercial centres, and cafes.
This commercial boom addresses high unemployment rates in a country where more than 70% of the population is under 35. Beyond employment, these modern coffee shops provide vital social spaces where artists, designers, and entrepreneurs meet to exchange ideas.
While Somalis have traditionally favored sweet, spicy, and piping-hot camel-milk tea, the influx of coffee shops has introduced new habits. Customers frequently request cappuccinos extra hot or mix espresso shots into their camel-milk tea—a common blending trend locally known as soo dakhar
.
Training Centers and Future Ambitions for Somali Youth
To meet the rising demand for skilled personnel, colleges and training centres across Mogadishu now offer dedicated barista training courses. When Saabiriin Hassan is not behind the counter at Cplus Cafe, she works as an instructor at one of these training centers.
Most of the students enrolling in these programs are women, a trend that drives Hassan to continue teaching and mentoring the next generation. Her long-term ambitions extend beyond training others, as she aims to build her own enterprise.
“I now have clarity of what I want to do in life, and I believe I am on the right track to achieve my dream of having my own business.”
Saabiriin Hassan, barista and trainer
Expansion plans are also underway for the broader industry. Beydan’s founder notes that the company’s ultimate vision is to expand across Africa, with future branch openings planned for Nairobi and beyond.
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