Furaha.

This business can change my life and the life of my family.

In Congo, life was easier. What destroyed all of it was the war. That’s what made us flee and come here.

My name is Furaha. I live in Rwamwanja Refugee Settlement with my husband, my father-in-law, my children, and their uncle.

Life here is not always easy, but I work hard to care for my family.

I operate a small business selling African wax prints and also raise chickens, ducks, and other livestock to support those who rely on me.

Furaha looks into the camera. Behind her is an African wax print fabric.

Before the war, I also worked in business, often with the support of banks that provided us with loans. Life there was easier.

I remember I was pregnant with my second child. I was at home and bombs were falling. Our neighbours house was a multi-storey and we heard a bomb fall on it.

We went under the beds. I lay on the floor with my baby bump next to my father-in-law. My husband ran inside and said a neighbours child had just lost his leg and arm in the bomb.

We knew we needed to flee.

When gunshots decreased, we started to flee. I called my family and they said they couldn’t find my father. It was very hard and sad.

We walked for days at first, sleeping wherever possible. Then took a bus to Nyakabande and continued until we reached Rwamwanja.

Furaha holds out her diploma which she carried with her from the DRC

We fled with our clothes and a little money, everything else was left in Goma. But I did bring my diploma. I thought it was very important because it could help me to get a job.

Starting over was difficult.

I began by selling chickens. I got a bit of money that I used to buy food like beans. Gradually, I rebuilt by expanding into African wax prints.

Furaha rests her hand on a pile of African wax print fabrics folded and piled up.

Life in the settlement can be difficult. Sometimes I have products to sell but no customers, or there are times when I do not have enough capital.

Furaha serves a customer at her shop. They laugh and hold a piece of fabric between them.
Furaha reads from her bookeeping book against a backdrop of colourful African fabric wax prints.
Furaha does the bookkeeping at her fabric shop. She leans down on a table to write in her notebook against a backdrop of colourful fabrics hanging up.
Furaha does the bookkeeping at her bitenge shop.
Furaha cleans a carpet outside her home in Rwamwanja.
Furaha and her children sit in their home sharing a meal from one plate.

Opportunity International taught us financial literacy and business. We learnt to save money, how to budget, how to get a loan to start a small business, how to get capital and how to use your profits.

Before the training, I would earn money and spend most of it without a clear plan. I also didn’t trust having a bank account. But today, I think it’s a good thing. In the past, I was also afraid to take out loans. But today, I take out loans, use them and invest them.

Today I feel confident.

A lot has changed since the training.

My financial situation is stable. My children are in a good school and eating well. Most of the time we weren’t eating until 4pm. Today they’re able to get milk in the morning, beans and sweet potatoes at noon, and some fish at night.

My business keeps growing too, though challenges remain. Sometimes I have customers who ask for chickens at times I don’t have any left. Or there are customers preparing a wedding who need 10 sets of the same African wax print, but right now, I don’t have the capital to bring those products from Congo.

As a woman entrepreneur, I have also encountered challenges. There are times when you get sick, or you have to take a long trip to buy wholesale products, and that creates tension with my husband. Sometimes you can also be discriminated against. They won’t listen to us properly.

It’s important to give women the opportunity to start a business because a woman already has the love of her family: she wants to take care of them. While sometimes a man can get money and spend it on women or alcohol, but for a woman she will use her business to care for her family.

Furaha stands in a wooden warehouse, facing the door and look outwards

My dream is to open a big shop where customers can find everything they need. I want to expand beyond wax prints to sell shoes, wigs, jewellery, and other fashion goods. I also plan to continue growing my livestock business.

At home, I want to renovate our house. I want to be able to buy chairs for the house, to have a food stock, for my children to be dressed well and to be happy. I know in the future I will be able to afford these.

In Uganda there is security, so I would love for them to live well.

 This business can change my life and the life of my family through my income. I am now able to answer every household need; we are getting all we need.

 

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