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Breaking Ground: Business Skills and Loans for 200 Cameroonian Women (19784)
Breaking Ground’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Program, operational since 2007, trains Cameroonian women to manage small businesses and provides small loans in order to help their businesses grow.
From September to November 2015, our committee, composed of members of Breaking Ground, members of our work partner, GADD, and several business class participants, met together to select which projects will receive funding. Madam Charlotte is among the eight women whose projects have been selected.
Meet Madame Charlotte, Mother and Entrepreneur
Since its debut in 2007, Breaking Ground has empowered local women through our Women’s Entrepreneurial Program (WEP), successfully providing over 250 women with business skills such as budgeting, marketing, conducting feasibility studies, and cost analysis, providing them with the ability to achieve their entrepreneurial goals. Breaking Ground recently sat down with one of our participants, Madame Charlotte, who participated in the seventh round of Women’s Entrepreneurial Classes, from April 2015 to June 2015.
At first glance, it is clear that Madame Charlotte is a strong woman; although short in stature, on the day of our interview she is dressed head to toe in a light green “pagne,” embroidered with gold thread, giving an aura of grace and confidence. Hailing from the village of Foto, Madame Charlotte has five children with her husband of 30 years, Jean Marie. For Charlotte and her children, education is a priority. Charlotte told Breaking Ground, “I want to educate all of my children. It is their right.” Charlotte has faced many challenges in the past, including a husband who suffers from various health problems, reducing his ability to work, and an older daughter who is legally blind. Despite these obstacles, Mama Charlotte has taken charge of her family, running her business and ensuring the academic success of her five children (Her daughter recently completed her university degree in communication)… and her strength and motivation has provided the means for her children to attend school.
With the help of Breaking Ground and GADD, Charlotte gained skills to better manage her growing business. “Before, I would just sell items without keeping track of inventory, inputs, or expenses. Now I have to tools to better manage my business so that I can make it grow,” she said. She is currently applying for a loan with GADD that will allow her to expand her stock, greatly increasing her monthly profit (She currently has only 10 gas tanks in stock and would like to increase this number so she can sell up to 40 per week). Since 2007, Breaking Ground has provided local women, like Charlotte, with over 82 loans in order to expand their businesses.
Madame Charlotte is a prime example of a strong Cameroonian woman: “Women give more of themselves, are motivated, and they have a will to work,” Charlotte said. It is because of women like Charlotte that Breaking Ground continues our business class program, giving them the skills they need to succeed and to serve as role models for young girls… and of course, Breaking Ground realizes that none of this would be possible without you, our donors!! So, thank you for continuing to support Breaking Ground so that we can continue to empower women like Charlotte.
Breaking Ground: Business Skills and Loans for 200 Cameroonian Women (19784)
Breaking Ground’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Program, operational since 2007, trains Cameroonian women to manage small businesses and provides small loans in order to help their businesses grow.
From September to November 2015, our committee, composed of members of Breaking Ground, members of our work partners, GADD, MC2 Foto and Foreke-Dschang, and several business class participants, met together to select which projects will receive funding. Madam Charlotte is among the eight women whose projects have been selected.
Meet Madame Charlotte, Mother and Entrepreneur
Since its debut in 2007, Breaking Ground has empowered local women through our Women’s Entrepreneurial Program (WEP), successfully providing over 250 women with business skills such as budgeting, marketing, conducting feasibility studies, and cost analysis, providing them with the ability to achieve their entrepreneurial goals. Breaking Ground recently sat down with one of our participants, Madame Charlotte, who participated in the seventh round of Women’s Entrepreneurial Classes, from April 2015 to June 2015.
At first glance, it is clear that Madame Charlotte is a strong woman; although short in stature, on the day of our interview she is dressed head to toe in a light green “pagne,” embroidered with gold thread, giving an aura of grace and confidence. Hailing from the village of Foto, Madame Charlotte has five children with her husband of 30 years, Jean Marie. For Charlotte and her children, education is a priority. Charlotte told Breaking Ground, “I want to educate all of my children. It is their right.” Charlotte has faced many challenges in the past, including a husband who suffers from various health problems, reducing his ability to work, and an older daughter who is legally blind. Despite these obstacles, Mama Charlotte has taken charge of her family, running her business and ensuring the academic success of her five children (Her daughter recently completed her university degree in communication)… and her strength and motivation has provided the means for her children to attend school.
With the help of Breaking Ground and GADD, Charlotte gained skills to better manage her growing business. “Before, I would just sell items without keeping track of inventory, inputs, or expenses. Now I have to tools to better manage my business so that I can make it grow,” she said. She is currently applying for a loan with GADD that will allow her to expand her stock, greatly increasing her monthly profit (She currently has only 10 gas tanks in stock and would like to increase this number so she can sell up to 40 per week). Since 2007, Breaking Ground has provided local women, like Charlotte, with over 82 loans in order to expand their businesses.
Madame Charlotte is a prime example of a strong Cameroonian woman: “Women give more of themselves, are motivated, and they have a will to work,” Charlotte said. It is because of women like Charlotte that Breaking Ground continues our business class program, giving them the skills they need to succeed and to serve as role models for young girls… and of course, Breaking Ground realizes that none of this would be possible without you, our donors!! So, thank you for continuing to support Breaking Ground so that we can continue to empower women like Charlotte.
Breaking Ground: Business Skills and Loans for 200 Cameroonian Women (19784)
Breaking Ground’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Program, operational since 2007, trains Cameroonian women to manage small businesses and provides small loans in order to help their businesses grow.
From September to November 2015, our committee, composed of members of Breaking Ground, members of our work partner, GADD, and several business class participants, met together to select which projects will receive funding. Madam Charlotte is among the eight women whose projects have been selected.
Meet Madame Charlotte, Mother and Entrepreneur
Since its debut in 2007, Breaking Ground has empowered local women through our Women’s Entrepreneurial Program (WEP), successfully providing over 250 women with business skills such as budgeting, marketing, conducting feasibility studies, and cost analysis, providing them with the ability to achieve their entrepreneurial goals. Breaking Ground recently sat down with one of our participants, Madame Charlotte, who participated in the seventh round of Women’s Entrepreneurial Classes, from April 2015 to June 2015.
At first glance, it is clear that Madame Charlotte is a strong woman; although short in stature, on the day of our interview she is dressed head to toe in a light green “pagne,” embroidered with gold thread, giving an aura of grace and confidence. Hailing from the village of Foto, Madame Charlotte has five children with her husband , Jean Marie. For Charlotte and her children, education is a priority. Charlotte told Breaking Ground, “I want to educate all of my children. It is their right.” Charlotte has faced many challenges in the past, including a husband who suffers from various health problems, reducing his ability to work, and an older daughter who is legally blind. Despite these obstacles, Mama Charlotte has taken charge of her family, running her business and ensuring the academic success of her five children (Her daughter recently completed her university degree in communication)… and her strength and motivation has provided the means for her children to attend school.
With the help of Breaking Ground and GADD, Charlotte gained skills to better manage her growing business. “Before, I would just sell items without keeping track of inventory, inputs, or expenses. Now I have tools to better manage my business so that I can make it grow,” she said. She is currently applying for a loan with GADD that will allow her to expand her stock, greatly increasing her monthly profit (She currently has only 10 gas tanks in stock and would like to increase this number so she can sell up to 40 per week). Since 2007, Breaking Ground has provided local women, like Charlotte, with over 82 loans in order to expand their businesses.
Madame Charlotte is a prime example of a strong Cameroonian woman: “Women give more of themselves, are motivated, and they have a will to work,” Charlotte said. It is because of women like Charlotte that Breaking Ground continues our business class program, giving them the skills they need to succeed and to serve as role models for young girls… and of course, Breaking Ground realizes that none of this would be possible without you, our donors!! So, thank you for continuing to support Breaking Ground so that we can continue to empower women like Charlotte.
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