One of the things we are very passionate about at Women’s Center for Job Creation is training. We believe that a sure path to economic empowerment for our Women in business is through knowledge. We run workshops and follow-up coaching sessions to equip the women with basic business and financial management skills that help them grow and sustain their businesses. Here are a few of their testimonials.

Caroline
I make and sell jewellery out of paper. and sell them. I have also recently started training other women to do the same. I joined the Women’s Center in 2016 and I have benefitted a lot from the trainings. When I had just joined we were taught financial literacy focusing on record-keeping. From that day I started keeping records in my business. I started recording our expenses, earnings and profits. This , helped me better assess and see whether the business was growing. I have also learnt saving skills especially in a group setting. Saving in a group helps us accumulate money faster and then we invest in a common project. We have been learning group dynamics of late. I have loved it also. We have looked into the stages of forming groups and establishing them. I have seen that it applies to our day to day life, not just business but even our personal things. We always form groups in different ways. Even in a family we are like a group! We can apply those dynamics and formation stages to these groups too. I have now raised capital of about 400 pieces of paper jewellery stock. I am now working to teach other people my skills.

Manisula
I deal in timber and food stuffs which I usually supply to schools. The Women’s Centre first of all gave me an in-kind loans in the form of timber which helped me increase my capital. Women’s Center also helped me get my timber trading license. One of the biggest lessons I have learnt from the training is customer care. I relate with my customers a lot better now. I have also learnt to be more accountable in my dealings through book keeping.

Regina
I am an all-round farmer. I have banana gardens,poultry and cows. When I first started business, measuring progression was hard because one would ask how much you have made in a year and you do not know because you have not been writing anything down. At the Women’s Center we have been trained in record keeping. So now I ensure I write down everything that comes in an everything that goes out. I know the amount I make in all profits and I am able to utilise the money a lot better.

Fina
I am a tailor. I have benefitted from Women’s Center for Job Creation. First of all from the in-kind loans; I now have two sewing machines. Through the group sessions I have also made friends with more business women who have taught me general life skills. I have learned better ways of farming from my friends; I have learnt and now use a better way of growing bananas.

We see the growth in these women entrepreneurs! We are proud to contribute towards helping them achieve economic empowerment.