Group Name: Djibouti Humanist Agriculture Initiative

Location of Group and Project: Arta Region, Djibouti

Members (list their names, genders, age, telephone number, and email addresses):

Email: ayaansuha8@gmail.com

Phone: +25377420884

Website or Facebook page?

What does humanism mean to you?

To me, humanism means recognizing that this one physical life is all we have and taking full responsibility for how we treat each other, without relying on God(s), religious dogma, or the fear of hellfire to make us good people. Growing up here in Djibouti, where Islam dictates everything from the laws we live under to the way we dress and interact every single day, stepping away from religion to embrace atheism was a massive shift, but it didn't strip away my morality; it actually made it deeply real. Humanism is the firm belief that our moral compass should be driven by genuine empathy, human rights, and critical thinking rather than ancient texts. It means I can still deeply love my culture, share sweet, spiced shaah with my neighbors, and honor our beautiful Somali and Afar traditions of community care, but I do it simply because I care about the actual humans in front of me, not because I am trying to score points for paradise. Ultimately, humanism is the fierce demand for a secular society where women aren't restricted by traditional religious expectations and where we all finally accept that the power to fix our struggles, lift each other up, and build a fair, compassionate world rests entirely in our own hands.

Project Description

Our project aims to establish an ice block making and cold drinks shop in the Arta region to supply reliable cooling products and cold beverages to local residents, street vendors, and market traders. In Djibouti, daily life is severely impacted by intense, heat-heavy conditions and extremely limited access to consistent refrigeration. By purchasing a dedicated deep freezer, solar-compatible battery setup, high-capacity ice molds, and initial inventory, our group will produce durable ice blocks and store chilled beverages for local distribution. This enterprise will directly combat the heat while establishing a stable, commercial venture for our group.

The $500 HuMAN grant will be used as seed funding to purchase the core freezing equipment, initial beverage inventory, and essential shop supplies required to launch operations. Once the facility is established, we will initiate a continuous production cycle of ice blocks alongside selling chilled drinks. Selling ice blocks to market vendors needing to preserve perishable food, alongside direct-to-consumer cold drinks, will create a strong, self-sustaining revenue stream. This profit model will fund our group's secular community initiatives while achieving long-term financial independence.

Budget - Please include links to verify the costs that you list.

Commercial deep freezer unit for reliable ice block production: $250

Solar-compatible inverter and battery backup (to protect against power outages): $100

Heavy-duty commercial ice block molds, scoops, and insulated storage chests: $50

Initial wholesale inventory (mineral water, fruit juices, and local sodas): $60

Shop startup tools, heavy-duty insulated gloves, and sales counter setup: $40

Total: $500

Expected Income from Project, with Timeline

Months 1-2: Equipment procurement, electrical/freezer setup, supplier sourcing, and initial freezing trials. (No income)

Month 3: Launch of daily ice block production and retail cold drink sales. Expected initial income: $120 per month.

Months 4-6: Expanding wholesale delivery of ice blocks to neighboring market stalls and scaling drink inventory. Expected income: $250 to $350 per month. All initial profits will be strictly reinvested into expanding storage capacity, purchasing additional freezer units, and sustaining group operational funds.

Benefits to your Community

This project will provide a reliable, highly accessible source of affordable ice blocks and cold beverages to a community facing extreme heat and frequent refrigeration shortages. Local market vendors, street traders, and families who lack household freezers will now have a dependable way to preserve their food and stay hydrated. Furthermore, the shop will establish a visible, secular-run enterprise that models reason-based business practices, generates sustainable independent income to power our humanist outreach, and enhances the daily quality of life in our neighborhood.