Micro-Enterprises for African Women
By Sheila Rasuli
Challenges Women in Africa are Facing Everyday
Everyday people, especially women, are facing so many different hardships in Africa. For example, some women have babies at very young ages. This causes multiple hardships for them. Young women might not be ready, mentally and physically, to have a baby. They might barley have enough money for themselves, and now they have more mouths to feed, more clothes to buy, and also other extra things to buy like school supplies. They might not have enough money for sickness of themselves and their babies, or not having even access to health care. Next, there is very high infant mortality rate. Furthermore, there is a risk of dying while giving birth or their baby dying. These aren't just problems young women are facing, women all around the world are having these issues.
Micro-Enterprise that Women have Developed in the Past
One type of micro-enterprise that women have developed in the past would be for example, soaps and drinks. Saabjjabi has a soaps and drink micro-enterprise. She off started selling laundry soap and soft drinks. She saved up enough money that she earned then bought land in Kalerwe Market.
How these Women Changed and Impacted their Communities
These women and their micro-enterprise's have really have helped their communities. Because of making a new business, women have jobs open, which opens up opportunities for people in the community to have jobs. They can earn money from those jobs to provide for their families. Women who have started these micro-enterprises also encourage other women to start their own. Also it could provide resources, and provide or influence even things like a school.
How these women have changed themselves and their families
When a women has a micro-enterprise of any kind, she is able to do so much that she may not have been able to before. Women can support and raise much more easily their own children, along with raising other family, like nieces and nephews. They can make sure that the kids have a good education and go to school. Also she is able to feed her family, and lastly get all of their necessities.