Woenishet, a single mother living in Ethiopia, works every day to provide for her three boys. She runs a shop in her community, where she shines shoes and sells shoe accessories. Although her business helps support her family, Woenishet has not always felt secure in her future.
“Before joining Convoy of Hope, my life was in a vicious circle,” Woenishet said. “I lived day by day; my only concern was to obtain what was sufficient for a specific day.”
Woenishet also faced criticism from her community, as her field of work is largely male-dominated. Still, Woenishet persevered. To secure her spot in the market, she masked herself so that no one could tell she was a woman.
“Despite the discouragement and negative word, I pushed forward.”
Woenishet’s difficulties increased when she became sick and couldn’t work for almost three months. She relied on those around her for support. When Woenishet returned to work, she still faced many struggles. She was still living day-to-day, without a plan for the future of her business.
Then Woenishet joined Convoy of Hope’s Women’s Empowerment program, and her life began to change. She received startup capital as well as training that helped her transform many areas of her business.
“After receiving training from Convoy and obtaining startup capital, my life has changed dramatically. I now have a renewed commitment to my business and have learned to respect my working hours.”
With new skills under her belt, Woenishet can focus on more aspects of her business, such as saving, planning, and bookkeeping.
“Before the training, I had no idea who my clients were. I never kept a logbook and had no records of my business routine. Now, I am putting into practice what I have learned from the training, and I am seeing visible results.”
Today, Woenishet looks to the future. She aspires to have her own shoe manufacturing business and hopes that her children will continue in their education and live good lives.
“Ladies should avoid fear of trying [a] new business venture,” Woenishet said. “Some people expect instant change. I strongly believe that gradually building one’s business is more important, backed up with long-term vision and [a] dream.”
