Hoyo: The Somalian Mothers Building a Bridge from Kitchen to Community

For a refugee, leaving behind a home, possessions, and even family is often a necessity. However, one thing they rarely leave behind is their culinary heritage. Across the globe, the Sambusa,savory fried pastry, has made its way from Persia to East Africa to American neighbourhoods. At Hoyo, a Somali-led enterprise in Minnesota, this pastry is more than just a staple of cooking; it is a bridge of opportunity. By employing Somali refugee mothers who arrived in the U.S. and faced language and employment barriers, Hoyo proves that while borders may attempt to divide us, the shared humanity found in a mother’s recipe can bring an entire community together.

Several years ago, a couple of Minneapolis entrepreneurs saw the opportunity to bring a staple of African cooking to the Upper Midwest. Matt Glover, an experienced chef, and Mariam Mohamed wanted to help their Somali neighbors find work and community in the Twin Cities. The idea sparked at a neighborhood potluck, where Matt was first introduced to the Somali sambusa. This led to a partnership with Mariam,a Somali woman who has been in the U.S. since 1985,to launch a company with a mission: bringing meaningful employment to Somali immigrant women. Since then, the company has only expanded. Hoyo’s sambusas moved from local kitchens to the shelves of the People’s Food Co-op in 2018, and most recently, into the La Crosse community.

Hoyo, or mother in Somali, is often regarded as the heart of the home. She is the keeper of recipes passed down from generation to generation. For many refugee women arriving in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, their culinary skills are their greatest asset. Hoyo was founded to honor this, functioning as a ‘job training’ centre for women who might otherwise face significant employment barriers due to language gaps. By providing a familiar environment where these mothers can earn a living using the skills they already possess, the organization helps them navigate the transition from being newcomers to becoming essential contributors to the local economy.

The impact of Hoyo has since moved from local co-op shelves into the heart of the community,the school cafeteria. By partnering with the Rochester and St. Paul school districts, Hoyo has turned the lunchroom into a space for connection. For Somali students, seeing a familiar staple on the menu provides a sense of belonging, and for their peers, it is an introduction to a new culture. As Mariam Mohamed beautifully puts it, 'Food is a commonality. We all come from somewhere.' Hoyo proves that while borders may define our geography, it is our shared traditions and the resilience of mothers that truly bring us together.

By: Shuyi Chloe Boulliung

Source:https://www.pfc.coop/local-producers/hoyo