In Ethiopia, 23-year-old Yordanos is just one of several young women breaking boundaries and beginning to craft their futures. Supported by CARE, she took over a roadside dump in the village of Debala and transformed it into a thriving food shop. “Six months ago, this was a dump. Now it has life,” she declares proudly as she runs her shop daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. with her studies in pharmacy on hold.
Forcibly displaced because her house was sold, Yordanos rebuilt her business from nothing and showed a strong spirit of resilience and determination. “I started from nothing but made a living for myself,” she commented. A savings group instituted by CARE, which is supported by Beiersdorf, has enabled Yordanos to access loans that support the expansion of her business: recently incorporating electricity and Wi-Fi to make her customers’ experiences more enjoyable and rewarding.
Despite facing scarce water supply, Yordanos looks for alternatives; she bargains with the building next door to use their available supply of water. She intends to make her shop a big restaurant one day, then have her own pharmacy.
23-year-old Seniya is just the same in breaking down barriers by setting up her business; she has chickens and goats. She also is one of the members of the savings group who borrowed some money to sustain her family. “I have 14 chickens, but only seven lay eggs because I cannot afford much feed,” she says gently setting eggs into a tray. At 10 Ethiopian Birr (approximately 17 cents) per egg, she is adding to the family pocket but also oversees savings and loans for 30 young women as the group’s key holder.
Both Yordanos and Seniya are setting up successful businesses, but they are also scratching their noses at early marriage. In one recent discussion, half of the members raised their hands when asked whether they had been married before attaining 18 years of age, whereas others, including Seniya, were strong in their refusal to agree with proposals that resulted in early marriages. “I want to teach other girls not to marry when they are young, but to achieve something first,” she says, reminiscing about her mother’s struggles after marrying young.
Through this training from CARE, these women are allowed to take control of their futures. For example, Yordanos has become the only breadwinner for her family after her parents divorced. “My food shop gives me mental freedom. I support my family, and we’re doing well,” she said. Seniya, who takes care of her little siblings, also echoed: “I hate being dependent. One day, I want to create awareness and inspire other women to achieve their goals.”
Yordanos and Seniya are building a future filled with hope, not only to own a pharmacy and to expand the livestock business they have, but also to smile at themselves and their loved ones as they stand strong and take on the mantle of leaders in their communities.
For More Details: https://womentimesmagazine.com/
