Botswana – Afitile Lebakeng

I met Gender Links in 2014 at an entrepreneurship-training workshop in Maun. In all my encounters with Gender Links, I have learned quite a lot. I learned about abuse, business, counselling opportunities with social workers as well as funding options such as Gender Affairs and CEDA.  

 Gender Links has changed my life; I no longer stand for abuse. Currently I own a growing laundry and beads business in Maun and I am financially better off than when I last saw Gender Links. I know how to run the business and how handle my money. Gender Links also helped by making sure we were fine emotionally; they would check up on us and make sure we were not still suffering from abuse. They would check up on our businesses to observe whether they were improving.  

 The most helpful person to me at Gender Links was Gomolemo Rasesigo who taught me how a business is started as well as how to remove myself from an abusive relationship. I was also helped very well by Keletso Metsing who taught me about money; how to handle my business money and separate it from my personal money. From the trainings, I learned the importance of advertising my business along with multiple ways of doing so. I also learned to tackle any challenges that may come my way. One other person who helped me greatly is social worker  

 In the past, my family members did not show me love; whenever I would ask for help they would refuse to help me. The changes in my life have led to my family having an influence in it. They show me love and encourage me to do whatever it is that I want to do. 

 The biggest challenge I came across was when I started my business; I did not have any place to store the clothes as a business location. I have been able to locate a place; I asked my family if I could use a spare room to do the laundry in. I have also added the beads business, as I was not making a lot of profit from laundry business. I am now making a lot profit that I can use to support my family. People from the my village prefer to do their own laundry but I have so many customers on beads business. 

 I wish to see my businesses growing, having a bigger location and living in happiness. I would like to thank Gender Links for showing me the light. I am now a business woman who always uses opportunities when they arise.