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Construction is booming in Somalia's capital city and as Mogadishu literally rises from the ashes of its violent past it is also giving unexpected opportunities to women like Fathi Mohamed Abdi and Saadia Ahmed Omar.

She and her colleague Ms Omar have been practising engineers for the last five years.

"Mogadishu needs us," says Ms Omar, who is also 24.

"I think part of the reason women are getting more chances in this field is because there's so much work to do, and not enough professionals to do it. That creates space for us," Ms Omar says.

"Security in Mogadishu has improved, leading to an increase in high-rise and commercial buildings," says Salah Hassan Omar, the mayor's spokesperson.