Empower 100 SHEpreneurs in Rural Zimbabwe...

The 29th of June 2022 is a day that will forever be remembered by 55 SHEpreneurs from Chiwaridzo Village in Glendale, Zimbabwe. Having gone through the 6-month Street Business School training - the SHEpreneurs covered modules that included Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone, Money Management, Growing Your Customer Base, Record Keeping and Market Research. The SHEpreneurs also received one-on-one coaching in the course of the program where the coaches assisted them as they set their business goals and kept them accountable to ensure they were achieved.

One remarkable thing from these SHEpreneurs, is they did not wait for the completion of their studies before setting up their income generating ventures. In the second month, they already embraced the entrepreneurial mindset and established businesses which included peanut butter making, poultry, horticulture, dressmaking and crafts. 

The graduation ceremony received attention in the province and was supported by other stakeholders from private sector, government and other non governmental organisations. The testimonies that were shared were evidence of the impact of the project on the lives of the women and their families. Some husbands testified that they now had peace in the homes and the wives were now better at managing the household finances.

At the time of the graduation, 95% of the women had at least one income generating project and the group saw a 33% increase in income earned.

Links:

• Testimonial from one of the SHEpreneurs

The SHEpreneurs are taking the necessary steps towards transformation and economic independence. Having gone through the first phase of their Street Business School journey, the SHEpreneurs have received training on modules which include Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone, Business Opportunity Identification, Market Research, Finding Capital and Starting Small and Business Planning. The SHEpreneurs have also individually received two coaching visits where they received one-on-one business coaching - setting business goals for themselves as well as guidance on how to achieve them.

The transformation has been evident with a significant number of the SHEpreneurs having already ventured on income generating projects that are out of their comfort zones. One such inspirational story is Memory and her three friends, after being motivated by the module on Finding Capital and Starting Small, they approached their local savings group and tooka loan to purchase day old chicks. They purchased 125 chicks in two batches and are already looking for possible markets for their chickens which are going to be ready in a few weeks. Memory and her friends do not want to end there, they are planning on repaying the loan and getting more capital to expand their chicken business. The women dared to try something new and something different after going through the life changing business management training.

Memory's story is not unique to her alone. Many more women from this group of SHEpreneurs are venturing into peanut butter processing, grocery retailing, handbag production and many other enterprises, relying on skills they already had as well as the business management training from Talia Women's Network. Indeed they are taking steps towards transformation and financial stability.