Jennifer, Village Enterprise Fund

Jennifer has soft eyes that contradict her noticeable strength. She is a tall woman and carries herself with a quiet confidence. Her confidence stems from her amazing transformation from a widowed mother of 8, struggling to provide for her children, to a successful business owner who can now provide for her family.
Jennifer spent four years trying to make ends meet and care for her large family after her husband died. She had the same desire all mothers have for their children ‐‐ to see them healthy and successful, but she had no means to do this.

Then Jennifer received business training, a seed capital grant, and mentoring from Village Enterprise Fund, thanks to DFW, to help start a business with four other women in their local market. Together, these five women turned their initial grant into a successful business selling chickens. Jennifer now owns a dairy cow (a very expensive investment in Africa) and brings in additional income selling milk. Most importantly, Jennifer’s business successes have translated into improvements for her family. She can now send her children to school, feed them nutritious meals, and provide better housing. It’s apparent that Jennifer’s role as a strong business woman has made her children what they are today. Two of her older children have completed high school, and one has even completed college. She provided the capital for one daughter to open a hair salon and two others have ventured into selling flour and shoes. Her children are pushing her to retire and spend more time at home, but Jennifer has different plans. She says “I still have two children to get through school, but I have been dreaming about buying a motorcycle, hiring a driver and going into the taxi business!” When asked how the grant and business training from VEF changed her life, Jennifer responds “It has lifted me up ‐‐ I feel confident and can stand in my home and do the jobs of a man. I have the assurance that I can feed and support my children, the fear is gone.” Jennifer is an inspiration to her children and her community. A small investment in an entrepreneur like Jennifer reaps
benefits for her family and generations to come!