“I Am Now Debt-free” – Meet Katayike Tina: a Young Woman Who is Defying the Odds
At just 23 years old, Katayike Tina has already shown incredible determination to build a better future for herself and her husband. Despite facing multiple challenges, she has refused to let circumstances define her, embracing every opportunity to grow and take control of her life.
Before Tina discovered the Street Business School (SBS) entrepreneurship training program, she was a stay-at-home wife with no reliable source of income. A trained hairdresser, Tina, had hoped to use her skills to earn a living. However, after working for over a year in a local hair salon, she was left without payment, forcing her to search for alternative ways to make ends meet.
She turned to working in the fields, tilling land in exchange for food and a small sum of money. Her husband, too, was struggling to find steady work, leaving them both stuck in a cycle of financial uncertainty.
“I love my husband, but he has no money,” Tina reflects, her eyes filled with emotion. “I feel sorry for him when he takes on odd jobs just to feed us. Sometimes, even when he is sick, he still must go out and look for work.”
Tina’s life began to change when a friend who had attended an SBS orientation shared about the entrepreneurship training. With no capital to her name, Tina was initially drawn to the idea of receiving startup funds. But as she started the training, she quickly realized that the greatest gift of all was not money—it was the knowledge and confidence to become her source of capital.
The most important lesson Tina learned through the SBS training was that she was the greatest asset to any business.
Fueled by this newfound belief, Tina borrowed $28 from her local savings group, “SACCOs,” and began selling second-hand children’s clothes. Once she paid back the loan, Tina reinvested her earnings into buying bales of women’s clothing. This smart strategy allowed her to rent a small space for her growing business. Today, Tina earns $42 a week, with a profit of $14 on good business days.
But Tina’s proudest achievement is not her growing business or income. It is the fact that she is now debt-free. Tina’s business has given her the financial stability she once dreamed of, enabling her to support her family and plan for the future.
“I don’t think my life would have been this much better if I hadn’t attended the training program,” Tina says with gratitude. “I am so thankful for the courage and skills I gained through SBS. It has truly transformed my life.”
Tina’s dream now is to open her beauty salon, where she can finally put her hairdressing skills to full use and continue her journey of success.
Through determination, the right training, and a belief in herself, Tina is proof that age is no barrier to transforming your life.
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