“For women, financial independence is a matter of necessity”
– Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz
Cecilia Atiah a forty-seven (47) year-old widow who became widowed in 2013, has six children. Two (2) boys, and four (4) girls. She hails from Zebilla in the Bawku West district of the Upper East Region and is a trader.
She was a food vendor at the Zebilla barrier some years back but her business soon collapsed due to low capital to run it. Her children at that time were at the basic and second cycle levels of their education and the huge burden of caring for their needs worsened her plight. According to her, it became difficult to even feed her family.
Ms Atiah visited WOM’s office in Zebilla after she was introduced to the scheme by a friend. Subsequently, she organised her colleagues and formed the “ANONTAABA” group. The group received their first disbursement of loans through their group bank account. Cecilia received eight hundred Ghana cedis (GH₵800.00) from this disbursement and started selling drinks. Her subsequent loans were one thousand five hundred Ghana cedis (GH₵1, 500.00), two thousand Ghana cedis (GH₵2,000.00) and two thousand five hundred Ghana cedis (GH₵ 2,500.00) respectively. This facilitated her expand the business. In a span of two (2) years, her weekly profits have increased by one hundred per cent (100%).
She is now able to pay her suppliers upfront at lower and normal prices instead of high prices when she does not have money to pay upfront.
“I am now able to care for my children, pay our water and electricity bills, etc. with less difficulty. I am also well respected in my society and I get included in many social events”
– Cecilia Atiah
Read More Success Stories
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- A Step To a New Income Source for Atampoka
- The power to sell or not to sell: 52 Years Old Widow Tells Her Story
- Livelihood Training Impact Through the Words of Segebon
- Richmond Discovers Cooking as a Life Skill
This was made possible through the support of Swisshand
