Change a Girl's Life Through Microentrepreneurship

Electa is a 30-year-old returnee living in Tole and a single mother of two. She was one of ReachOut's beneficiaries in 2015. At that time, she sold cooked meat with an initial capital of 5,000 FRS (about $8.30), earning a monthly profit of 2,000 FRS (approximately $3.30). After being identified as a beneficiary, she received training in business management from ReachOut, along with a capital boost of 30,000 FRS (around $49.74). This financial support allowed her to expand her business by cooking meat in larger quantities and adding bread to her offerings, which increased her average monthly profit to 10,000 FRS (about $16.59).

Throughout her journey, Electa received constant support from ReachOut, demonstrating seriousness and dedication to her business. Due to her commitment, she qualified for a second-level grant. However, while she was on her way to the market to buy clothes for a planned new business venture, she was unfortunately robbed, losing all the money she had. This setback forced her to return to her original meat business, and she had to rely on her savings to start over.

In 2019, due to a severe crisis in Tole, Electa moved to Buea to live with her brothers. In Buea, she faced numerous challenges, including having to buy everything, even water for bathing, while living in a single room with ten other people. Although she continued her meat business, it struggled due to her being new to the area. After two years, her capital dwindled as she had to support her family.

In 2022, Electa returned to Tole, having heard that conditions had improved. Life in Tole was more affordable than in Buea, so she resumed her business and introduced raw beef, which was not available locally. She also had a small fridge—purchased in 2016 with her profits—that enabled her to cook some of the meat and continue selling it.

Today, Electa has significantly grown her business. She sells cow beef, cooked meat, and firewood to support herself and her two children, who are both now in school. Reflecting on her journey, she recalls the invaluable lessons learned from ReachOut, especially the advice from a social worker: “No matter the situation, always keep your capital safe so you can start over whenever you need to.”