Namibia: *Thandeka

My name is Thandeka a 34 years old woman born in Walvis Bay, Erongo region. I have three children and I do community work. I learned a lot from the training and I started with the Gender Links entrepreneurship training in February 2014. I did not know that there are many women who go through abuse and believe its part of life and don’t share these problems or seek help.

After the training I went to register my business and have high hopes that next year all will go well. Because I just had a baby I could not attend all the workshops however everything I learned in the training proofed to be very useful.

Being just a community worker with no knowledge on how to write a business plan or marketing, I learned so much from the training that I now am doing catering whilst still continuing with my community work. A lot of doors have opened for me; although I do not have any financial assistance at the moment I believe next year there will be opportunities for my business.

Before the training my partner didn’t notice me much and simply because I had no income but now he realized that I can do so much without him as I now help out in the house, support the children and the family, I assist with giving food packages and money where needed. The communication in my family has improved drastically, we discuss thing like the expenses of the family and how to budget for them.

I believe that if women are empowered they are healthier and violence is reduced. People including my partner, now look up to me with faith, confidence and see me as a leader within the community. I have learned that I have to share in order for others to also share with me, one need to work hard, one needs to have goals stick by them and apply ways to achieve those goals.

I aim to get more knowledge by reading a lot and in creating networks in order to strengthen myself and my business. By the year 2030 I am planning to have a building where I can operate from, expand the business for it to reach more people and thus employing other people.