Dahabshiil Group CEO shares his childhood memories of Somali business

By: Staff writer

Dahabshiil Group Chief Executive Officer Abdirashid Duale He returned to Buroa the city where he was born and spoke to Hereri Media about the story of the Dahabshiil group of companies.

Duale’s small shop was transformed into a global corporation “In early 1970, My Father Mohamed Sa’id Duale opened first shop in Burao, the capital city of the Togdheer, “

Abdirashid career began when he was still a young boy in Burao -“I was Ten years old when I started supporting my father for the business and I would rush home from school to work my family’s business in Burao,” Abdirashid said

Civil War & the Business
In 1988, the business collapsed as civil war broke out across Somalia, forcing half a million Somalis to seek refuge all over the world. Mr Duale used his experience and strong network of business associates to set up a new remittance venture, enabling Somali refugees to send goods back to displaced family members.
Abdirashid Duale recalls the day in 1988: “There was blood everywhere – we couldn’t stay. We left our car, our shop, our house, everything,” Duale said

The family went to live among nomadic herders. When his father arrived at the Ethiopian border, he discovered Somalis in severe need of money transfer and set out to make it happen.
The family’s story is also the story of the Somali diaspora. Poverty and trade first sent Somalis to Yemen, Dubai, and the Middle East. In 1991, the capital Mogadishu was overwhelmed by fighting between rival groups, earning Somalia its label as a failed state. Perhaps 1m Somalis scattered throughout East Africa but also to the Middle East, Australia, Europe, and North America. “After 1991 all the Somalis were displaced in a way,” says Mr Duale. “I’m one of them, so we know where they live, how to communicate with them and serve them.”

Social Responsibility

Dahabshiil is arguably one of the most important multinational businesses in Africa – providing a vital money transfer lifeline to those living in many countries across Africa and beyond.
Dahabshiil has over 50 years in the business. With Abdirashid Duale as CEO, and founder Mr Mohamed Duale as Chairman, Dahabshiil remains a family business. Today, Dahabshiil employs 10,000 people across 126 countries with offices in London, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, and Dubai. It provides services to some of the world’s leading humanitarian organizations, including the United Nations, Oxfam, Save the Children, and Care International.

Taking its corporate social responsibility seriously, it continues to support the Somali community both in Africa and abroad, investing 5 percent of its profits into community regeneration projects involving the development of schools, hospitals, agriculture, and sanitation.

The African Leading company has a regimented policy on corporate social responsibility which spans many fields among which are health, education, and infrastructure.  “in Buroa, we implemented different diverse projects to have a positive impact on people’s lives Including Bridges, Hospitals, and other development sectors .”Duale said

Last year, Haji Mohamed Saeed Duale, the chairman of the Dahabshiil Group companies, cut the ribbon to a brand new modern bridge build by funds donated by the Dahabshiil Group of Companies in the city of Burco, Togdheer region.

The New Bridge will ease traffic which is usually interrupted for a few hours because of a roads in the city is either impassable or destroyed by water during the rainy seasons. The demand for another bridge has been long-standing, with residents and commuters highlighting the need to bridge the gap between Bridge and other roads.

“I would like to thank Haji Mohamed Saeed Duale and the Dahabshiil Group of Companies for their monetary contribution for the construction of the bridge promises increased connectivity, reduced traffic congestion, and improved travel experiences for the resident of Burao town as a whole.”the Governor of Togdheer said.

watch below the full Hereri Media Interview with Dahabshiil CEO Abdirashid Duale