For more than 3years, Uzoamaka Nwamba, 35, worked her fingers to the bone; tilling the soil, weeding grasses and harvesting crops. Uzoamaka resumed to the farm by 6a.m and completes her daily task by 6p.m. She earned 300 Naira daily after the laborious work in the farm. Her choices were limited; with 6 children to care for and many basic household needs to meet, she had to labour in order to attempt minimal survival.
While Uzoamaka busied herself in the farm, certain group of women in Ephuenyim community gathers for peer education meeting, where they learn from the content of the Peer Education Manual produced by ActionAid.
One day, she was invited into the group. That invitation changed her perspectives in many ways. It was at the meeting that she learnt about a loan scheme by the women cooperative. The Ephuenyim community women are beneficiaries of the LRP women empowerment scheme. They acquired canopy, chairs, tables and other essential items for event management and rental services.
Quickly, Uzoamaka applied to be considered for a loan; she received 20,000 approved as loan. The day after her loan approval, she hurriedly made her way to market, bought palm kernel, a huge bunch of plantain and began her first business. “I made profit from the first business; I will save it and go back to the market to buy more. That was how I was selling and saving the money for one year. Then I returned it, collected another loan and started doing business with the profit I made” said Uzoamaka.
“I make like 4,000 Naira as profit from my business on market days, sometimes I make 2,000 Naira every day” Uzoamaka said her household nutrition has improved and her children are back to school: “I have small money now, to take care of myself and my children. Before; my children only eat once in a day, they wear dirty clothe, even myself I will wash and wear the same clothe to the farm when I get home and waits for it to dry so I can use it the next day. I can change clothe now and feed my children well”.