Change a Girl's Life Through Microentrepreneurship

“This crisis forced me to run from Tole and relocate to small soppo” said Jeanet a KGA beneficiary. Jeanet is a 27 years old girl who has felt the brunt’s and scums of the ongoing Anglophone crisis among other women in Tole. In October 2018, before during and after the presidential elections that took place in Cameroon, Jeanet and her parents including her siblings had as routine to frequent the bushes to seek for security. When it became unbearable for most families in Tole Jeanet’s own inclusive, many decided to leave Tole and settled around small Soppo  in Buea.

Being the first child in a family of three Jeanet decided to settle in Small Soppo and rented a room there together with her child’s father (though not married) and her daughter who is 3 years of age. Jeanet is an advanced level holder who dropped out of school because she became pregnant. She could not continue school so she had to came leave with her parents. While with her parents, she helped her mother out at the market to sell vegetable.

Having dealt in vegetable  business prior to the Anglophone crisis, when Jeanet, her daughter and the daughter’s father relocated to small Soppo in December 2018. While in small soppo, she started the vegetable business with the sum of 10000 frs ($20). With this amount Jeanet started going to Tole and buying vegetable from farmers there then she brings it to Buea and sell at a retail price of between 300 to 500 frs depending on the season.

When she was identified and integrated in the KGA program in November 2019 she received a grant of 30000frs ($60) she increased her purchasing power and added a variety of vegetable to her business. At first she could buy just bitter leaf and water leave because these ones are not too expensive. But when she received her first level grant she added huckle berry and okongobong. Due to the increase in her purchasing power, she  is now a supplier to some local restaurants in town . she supplies washed vegetable to Mariton Hotel in Buea. To further increase a market base, Jeanet also slice the vegetable in the market on commands. When a customer buys vegetable from her, with the demand of the customer, she slices it and she is paid for it. For example a bundle of better leaf which she sells for 300frs when ask to slice it u pay your slicing for 100frs which makes her earn 400frs for that vegetable. When asked why she does the slicing, she said “many people sell vegetable in the market and if you are not smart to add something that is not commonly done in the market then you won’t advance in business”.

As of  February 2020, Jeanet had a  monthly working capital of 49000 ($98) and a monthly profit of 30600 CFA approximately ($61). Due to her increase in capital and profit, together with the training she got on book keeping and savings, Jeanet has now joint a weekly Njangi where she saves 5000 CFA  every Friday. She has accumulated savings of 60000 CFA ($120) as of February 2020 when she was monitored and evaluated. “My child is 3 years old now and I can say I am partially ready and prepared to send her to school. I am already preparing and saving for some of her school needs. I believe by September I will be fully prepared for her to start school” said Jeanet.

Jeanet plans on opening a provision store in Small Soppo. This is one of the reasons why she is so committed to her weekly savings. She is hoping that if all goes well, by August 2020, with the sum of 150000 CFA  ($300) she will start up this her new business.

Thanks for the assistance you give women around the world. This is how far your help goes to put smiles and revive hope among them.