Ayanne Hassan Omar, Djibouti

07/10/2024

Sure, Italy may have the best cappuccinos. But have you ever tried a camelccino? Or a camellatte? Welcome to The Camel Coffee Shop in Djibouti, one of East Africa’s smallest nations.

With a population of just over a million, Djibouti is a crossroad of cultures, languages and food. And that culinary richness is what Ayanne Hassan Omar is committed to showing off at her shop in Heron – the first of its kind in Djibouti.

Here, all products are made with dromedary camel milk, including her signature sorghum bread with cardamom and raisins. She revises and adapts traditional recipes, she says, to get people to try camel milk and local Djiboutian products.

For Ayanne, it’s all about “returning to the essence of who we are as Djiboutians”, she says. “If culture is passed down through our food, we will recognize, value and highlight the role of camel milk and local products in our diet.”

But re-acquainting ourselves with the tastes of our ancestors goes beyond culture, she stresses – it’s also a matter of health.

“Research has shown us the beneficial effects of camel milk for human health,” she says. She particularly highlights its favorable effect for people who live with diabetes, which is a common ailment for many Djiboutians. 

Ayanne gets her milk delivered twice per day from three women-led producer associations in rural areas along the border with Somalia. Throughout the year, Ayanne keeps an eye on the pastures, making sure that the camels are healthy, so she can sell her milkshakes, coffees and pastries with confidence.

And along the way, she’s glad to play a part in ensuring sustainable jobs for women producers in the country. “Eating local is always the best choice,” she says. “People know what is good for them. They just need a little bit of guidance on healthy nutrition and our wonderful identity.”