Namibia: *Apple

My name is *Apple born 1951 in Usakos, I moved to Tses in 1954 where I got married in 1974 at the age of 23. From the training I learned to be self-reliant as I believe with what I learned I can do and achieve what other people did and achieved. I attended all three Gender Links entrepreneurship workshops and found it to be very useful, my main challenge however was that as a group we failed to support each other at times not understanding the certain chapters. I overcame my challenges by believing in myself deciding never stop attending the workshop and I would ask the facilitator and a friend that I met at the workshop by the name of  Roline would explained what I did not understand.

I use to farm and do needle work, now I only do farming as my machine is broken. The training helped me so much, I have however not received any assistance from the council but only from my brother. I’m a divorced women who used to experience abuse from my ex-husband, I however want to go on with my life. I am more open now, I speak out and want my voice to be heard for economic empowerment and the fight on gender violence in my council.

In my community I am a  example  to other women, I am seen as a women who brings about change in the community and my family. I wasn’t really an outspoken person because of the abuse I went through with my husband. I now am more involved and almost new to my community. I have learned to believe in myself and be more confident, I will work hard and share what I have learned. I am focusing on my farming as I want to build a house and would like to know how to read and write by 2030. I would like to thank the Gender Links group for sharing and teaching us.