Feeding Sheep and Finding Financial Independence
Just after sunrise each morning, Koadima puts out fresh grass and plants for her sheep. While the animals graze contentedly in the wooden pen outside her home, Koadima swells with pride.
The 30-year-old recently elected to start her own cattle and sheep feeding business. In Burkina Faso, women don’t typically pursue this line of work, let alone run their own business. But with better access to the training and support women micro-entrepreneurs need, things can change.
That’s how Koadima got her start. She enrolled in the Tin Tua Association’s entrepreneurship training program for women and youth in Burkina Faso.
To develop this training program, Tin Tua reached out to CESO for support. CESO Advisors helped strengthen the skills of the program’s counsellors and supported the creation of educational tools to help budding entrepreneurs deliver on their start-up ideas and aspirations.
It was at these sessions that Koadima sharpened her marketing skills and learned to write a business plan. It is also where she met Rosalie, a 26-year-old woman who shared her ambition to work in cattle feeding.
Using the business plans they created, Koadima and Rosalie received a loan to launch their cattle feeding enterprises. They purchased sheep and better equipment and eventually consolidated their activities, which has allowed Koadima and Rosalie to generate more revenue.
On top of valuable business strategy support, Koadima and Rosalie will never forget the strong relationships they forged with their fellow trainees. Buoyed by the spirit of encouragement and solidarity, Koadima and Rosalie’s self-confidence blossomed. They grew as leaders and better communicators, which has been helpful for selling livestock and entering new markets in the male-dominated profession.
Koadima and Rosalie are discovering the freedom of financial independence. Koadima is better able to meet household needs and Rosalie can do more to guide her three children toward a brighter future full of the same opportunities she’s been given.
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