Kadiatu Conteh is a 46-year-old mother of three children. She is a petty trader living at Wilkinson Road in Freetown, Sierra Leone. “I did not have the opportunity to get a formal education because my parents did not know the value of education for girls and could not afford it”, says Kadiatu.
Kadiatu was 20 when she got married, her husband was working in a construction firm as a day labourer and was the only breadwinner of the family. He has been out of a job for the past few years since he is too old for work now. It became difficult for Kadiatu’s family to manage food and shelter for survival. She started her fight to get out of poverty by starting her business with only one crate of soft drinks and a cooler.
“My sister, who had once received loans from BRAC Sierra Leone, introduced me to the Microfinance programme. After receiving my first loan, I bought more crates of drinks and invested the profit to expand my business. I have been with BRAC Microfinance programme for almost four years now, and it continues to help my business grow. I now have a shop where I sell drinks and other household items”, says Kadiatu.
With more loans in 2019, Kadiatu bought her second freezer to keep the drinks chilled. She is now able to support her children’s education and has become the breadwinner of the household.
“My two children are now a step away from university and my eldest son is learning a trade. I am thankful for BRAC Sierra Leone’s support for helping me become the proud owner of a flourishing shop”, shares Kadiatu.
