‘Women entrepreneurs are rare here. If it works, people say it's thanks to the husband. And if it doesn't work, they make fun of the woman!’ Despite this, some women take the plunge and manage to create a virtuous circle around their idea and their work. Louvain Coopération supports these women who dare to take action to change their destiny.
Irène, DRC
Irène, 43, mother of eight children, set up her workshop along a small road in the Kabare area of South Kivu. "As a woman, it was important for me to create something for my independence. So I decided to start this small business. We produce baskets that prevent women from having to carry the food they buy at the market in the cloth that ties their hair. It's much more practical and hygienic! We also make braziers that consume less embers. I know that we need to limit wood cutting for the sake of the environment, and I also know that several of my neighbours have been raped while collecting wood in the forest. Thanks to my braziers, they don't have to go there as often..." Irène employs several people, including women who have been rejected by society and children who are on their own, enabling them to pay for their school fees. The Guichet d'Économie Locale (GEL), a partner of Louvain Coopération in South Kivu, supported Irène in setting up this business. "It allowed me to broaden my thinking and my project. I now own a plot of land where I find the clay for my braziers and I have better control over my income. Every month, I receive a visit from the GEL team. We talk and they point out things I can improve." Today, Irene has become a proud and respected woman who can take part in her community's decisions.<:P>
Giorgia, Bolivia
Giorgia lives alone with her son on the outskirts of Oruro, Bolivia. Without an income and in need, she joined the ‘Las Abejitas’ cooperative and started producing and selling pastries. Louvain Coopération and its local partner Aprosar supported her in this venture with technical and management training. "Thanks to this support, especially the technical advice on confectionery, I have been able to diversify my products: cake preparation and decoration, fine pastries, biscuits... The quality and presentation of my products have improved, making me more competitive. As a result, my sales and income have increased! I can now cover my household expenses, save a little and give my son a better chance to study and live properly."
Suzanne, Benin
Suzanne lives in the small village of Cobly, in northern Benin, where the population lives mainly from agriculture. "I started my small business in 2004. At first, I grew rice and yams and owned a few goats. But I wanted to work harder and produce more. So I sought help from Louvain Coopération's Local Economy Desk. This organisation supports small entrepreneurs with administrative and financial procedures. Thanks to this support, Suzanne was able to apply to various organisations and obtain a micro-loan. "This money enabled me to buy equipment to process my rice: tarpaulins, a plastic barrel, a steaming kit, pots, an improved stove... I can now sell my rice in the village and I also make arrangements with the ladies who work in school canteens to buy my products." Month after month, Suzanne has managed to invest wisely to make her small business grow. She has become an example in the region. "I have enough to live on, so I help other villagers to pay for their children's school fees and health insurance. I have also bought three houses where I take in children who go to school far from home. It seems natural to me to help others, because I too was helped when I needed it. I hope that they too will be able to grow, sustain themselves and share what they have learned.‘ And when Suzanne is asked what she hopes for the future, she simply replies: ’I hope that these children will succeed and live well. When a child succeeds, the whole community wins."