Deep in Botswana’s Okavango Delta lies Jao Village, a small community that can only be reached by boat. It is a beautiful place to live, but its remote location also brings challenges. Opportunities to earn an income are limited, especially for women who want to start a small business or sell their products outside the village.
That is why Re Jala Peo started a new Women Empowerment Project in Jao Village together with Okwa Foundation. Our goal? To help women discover their talents, believe in themselves and create opportunities to become more financially independent.
From Discovering Talents to Starting a Business
In October, we brought together 15 women for a three-day training programme.
The first day was all about personal development. Who am I? What am I good at? What are my talents, passions and dreams?
On the second day, we talked about money. What is the difference between needs and wants? How do you make a budget? And most importantly, how can you save money, even when you have very little?
Each woman set her own personal savings goal. For all of them it was a first step towards starting a small business.
The third day focused on entrepreneurship. How do you turn an idea into a business? Who are your customers? How do you set a fair selling price? And how can you make sure you actually earn a profit?
At the end of the training, the women wrote letters to themselves, sharing their personal dreams and goals for the future.
And Then the Savings Came Out!
One of our favourite moments happened when we met the women again.
During our follow-up gathering, the women proudly showed us the money they had managed to save since the training.
What a wonderful moment!
Each woman had found her own way to put a little money aside. Some amounts may have been small, but that was not what mattered. What mattered was the determination, commitment and pride behind those savings.
It was about realising that even small steps can make a difference and that you can take control of your own future.
Seeing the women proudly showing their savings was incredibly rewarding. It showed us that the training had not ended when we left the village. The women had taken what they had learned and put it into practice!
Three Women Taking the Lead
But we wanted to go further than organising a one-off training. How could we make sure that the knowledge would stay in the village and reach even more women?
That is why we selected three women to participate in an additional Train the Trainer programme.
During this training, they not only strengthened their knowledge of personal development, financial literacy and entrepreneurship, but also learned how to share that knowledge with others through fun, practical and interactive activities.
And now it is their turn!
These three women will train a new group of women in Jao Village. At the same time, they will continue supporting the original participants, encouraging them to work towards their savings goals and business plans.
The Re Jala Peo team will continue to mentor and support the three trainers as they grow into their new roles.
Our hope is that more and more women in Jao Village will have the opportunity to discover their potential and create a better future for themselves and their families.
