Wayziro Worke is a mother of two young girls, and she is raising her niece. When we first met her, she was alone, worried, with a lot of responsibility; a rent that was hard to pay, lack of confidence that she would be able to keep her children in school, and not enough money to keep her 3 children well cared for at home.  Worke had an overwhelming sense of concern for her future. She wondered, “How can I survive with so little hope?”  Worke joined our Roots Ethiopia Self – Help Entrepreneurs (SHE) network in January 2018. SHE members tell us Worke is one of the most ambitious, trustworthy and committed members of her Halaba SHE network.

Wro Worke, November 2018

Roots Ethiopia Self-Help Entrepreneurs (SHE) invites women with poor access to economic resources to join a peer savings group to work together to nourish their economic skills and to gain confidence as community leaders. When we met her, Worke was selling vegetables at the local market.  After she was selected to join SHE, Worke transformed her life. An enthusiastic learner, Worke quickly gained the skills to develop her vegetable market business through SHE training. She also enjoyed the support and encouragement of other women in her SHE network.  Worke carefully and thoughtfully adjusted her daily work strategies to create a sustainable and profitable vegetable business.  For the first time she is meeting her family’s needs AND saving money.

Halaba Self-Help Entrepreneurs

Recently Worke borrowed 4,000Birr ($141USD) to raise chickens and sell them. She said, “I had no idea how to raise a chicken, I did some research and I learned that it would be good work for me.” She had great success until her chickens succumbed to a disease. Reflecting she says,  “At least I have tried, and now I know what is missing to raise them strong. I am confident now to ask for solutions to the problem with my chickens, and I am confident in my business wisdom, and so I will try again.”

SHE Group Savings Account ,available to all members of Worke’s SHE savings group

Worke continues with her vegetable market as she repays the interest free loan she borrowed from her SHE savings group. She will try her hand at chickens again, and she is prepared for success!

You can be part of building Worke’s amazing network of women entrepreneurs. Right now we are adding 40 women to our SHE Network, so we can share 40 new powerful stories of success. We need your help to invite 40 hard-working women into our SHE network.