Development Cooperation Handbook/Stories/Women as Entrepreneurs - Petifu Chain

Sierra Leone

MDG3: Promote gender equality

Youtube ⇒ playlist

⇒ MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Women as entrepreneurs
Project implemented by Concern Worldwide
Petifu Chain, Sierra Leone, December 2010
Co-financed by Europeaid

‪Petifu Chain‬

In the language of the Temne tribes in Sierra Leone, Myogbo means "try and God will give".

Myogbo is a woman's group in the Petifu Chain village located in the Tonkolili district of Sierra Leone. In an effort to combat poverty and empower women, Concern Worldwide, an international non-government organisation, cooperates with the Myogbo group to support women's entrepreneurship in cultivating and marketing farm products.

Women play an important role in economic development but they often lack the skills and education to optimally utilise their potential. They are usually excluded from access to credit and loans if they want to start small business initiatives. Concern Worldwide believes that the poor must have access to micro-finance services to move out of poverty. Funded by the European Commission, the project implemented by Concern Worldwide in the Petifu Chain village facilitates women in accessing small business loans through self help groups and helps them acquire skills and knowledge to run these enterprises.

Now, the women of Petifu Chain have become capable of generating their own independent income. Now, their families are less vulnerable to droughts and their children have better access to education and health care.

"If women are encouraged, they can be productive. Women also have a better understanding about the need to preserve their environment and eco-system. Whe women in Africa will start getting educated and empowered, Africa will change for the better", says a local leader and parish priest.