The April 1 fire that destroyed Hargeisa’s Waaheen Market caused an estimated $2 billion in damage, devastating hundreds of businesses and wiping out the livelihoods of countless women street vendors. These women, many of whom migrated to Hargeisa due to drought, form the backbone of the city’s informal sector, selling food, milk, and second-hand clothes to feed their families. Despite generating significant revenue and paying daily taxes, they remain without legal protections, social benefits, or secure market space. The fire has exposed the deep vulnerabilities faced by women in Somaliland’s informal economy. Without business licenses, they are often treated as illegal traders, denied access to finance, and excluded from government support. Aid pledges from the diaspora and international community face political and logistical obstacles, as Somaliland’s unrecognised status limits direct access to funding.