Sakila Hemmath

On the first day of the entrepreneurship workshop back in 2014, I was quite stressed. I left my sick daughter at home and this is the first time I would be attending such workshop so I was not sure of what to expect. I was feeling nervous as my mind was still back home with my daughter despite being physically present here at the training. But I am glad I stayed back. Had I not stayed back I would have missed the time of my life.

The training has taught me how to turn an idea into a business. I really appreciated how Miss Sabrina took time with us as if we were kids. She took her time to explain to us and to make us understand fully the aim of this workshop. I don’t know how to read or write well. Actually it’s now that I have started to go learn again. So it was a little frustrating. But luckily Miss Sabrina and the other girls as well were very helpful.

I am a painter by formation but I also collect small jobs here and there wherever I get the chance to. So in the morning after cleaning and tidying up my house, I go clean the house of another person and then I come back and tend to my vegetables. I also sell vegetables at the factory in my area. The training had given me ideas on what to bring to sell at the factory.

My husband used to swear at me and shout at me. We both work, before when I would come home tired, I had to do everything. Early in the morning before leaving the house I would clean and tidy the whole house, when I got back home in the afternoon, the house would be in such a mess, one shoe here, one sock there. No one would lift the little finger to help me out. That was very frustrating. I would stress myself out and speak rudely to my kids. But with time, at the training I learned how to communicate better and I notice a change in the behavior of the rest of the family. The change had to only come from me. My kids have responded positively to this change. They cooperate with me. They help me around the house with the house chores. My husband is very supportive as well now. He does things on his own and urges the kids to act likewise. I feel so blessed.

I have learned that communication is such a blessing. With proper guidance everything will fall into place eventually. I teach my kids to voice out more, I ask them about their feelings and opinions. This way I know what is on their mind and they know what I think and we act accordingly. I want to be well known for my painting skills. I want to create a name in that field because there are not much women painters these days. In 15 years I want to live in a better house and wearing better clothes.