Brigitte

The most interesting thing in the training and which I liked the most was the way they talked, explained to us how to maintain our competence and how to handle our business. In October 2014 I took the entrepreneurship training at Gender Links and attended all the three phases. The training was very encouraging and motivating. It taught me how to communicate with others. The knowledge and expertise I have acquired in the course are being put into practice and it has been very beneficial to me. I did not encounter much problem since the lessons were to a certain extent easy and understandable.

I was a hairdresser in the past years. I was renting a place nearby but it charged me a lot. I had to pay for the rent, buy products and new equipments. I realized that the income I was making was not sufficient so I made up my mind to do a new business. On the other hand, I continue to do hairdressing. At any time someone needs me, I’m available to display.

Now I’m a vendor and it is working pretty well for me. I have two children, a daughter who was following a course and now is working, and a son who got married and lives up on his own. However, my husband do help me, we cultivate vegetables together. At first, we were growing vegetables like lettuce and green pepper. Nowadays, there are also green beans and ‘chouchou’. When I go to client’s place to deliver the vegetables they ordered, I request them to tell others. Sometimes on my way there, if I find people I will inform them too. By doing so, I’m making the advertising for my business which does get me many clients.

Additionally, I’m a florist too. I’m a very motivated person. The money I make from hairdressing each time, I would buy flowers and make arrangements in bouquets. I can make both natural and artificial on orders. Clients tell me which flower to use and I make bouquets it according to their choices.

Life was not so easy and uncomplicated earlier. I was facing verbal violence from my husband. He was a very jealous and suspicious person. One day he accused me of something I did not commit. I left him and went to my niece’s place. I stayed there for fifteen days. Later he would call and plead me to come back home. I told him I would return if he would not do this ever again or else I would leave him forever. He agreed and since then he changed. He never beat me up. Now he does not have any problem with my work.

During this training, I have learnt many things, for example previously when he would say something inappropriate to me; I would be very angry and would start arguing which would lead to a fight, of course. However, now I came to know how to answer him and when. I’m very thankful to Gender Links. I have learnt how to communicate, how to calm myself down.

I intend to re open a beauty parlor because that is what I love and I’m very keen to do. I also wanted to find a place where I could sell my flowers, bouquets and vegetables. I’m also planning to do poultry in the future. I already own a piece of land, I could raise chicken there. In ten years I see myself as a successful woman.