MEET ODIIRA: “CONFIDENCE IS ALL I NEEDED.”

Odiira is such a joyful woman that you would never guess the hardships she has experienced. As an unemployed mother of three, she found it difficult to rely on her husband for all their needs. Then one day she learned that her husband had married two other women in the neighborhood. He began supporting Odiira and her children less and less, until he provided no support at all. When COVID-19 hit, Odiira wasn’t sure how she would carry on.  

“I felt like this was the end for me. Family responsibilities became overwhelming, and I wasn’t receiving any support from my husband.”  

Odiira felt disrespected, discarded and frustrated, but she knew she must find a way forward. She took a job as a waitress in a local restaurant where she earned $1.30 per day. She worked hard, but it was never enough to cover her personal and family needs. 

Then she met a community leader who told her about Street Business School’s entrepreneurial training that would teach her to identify business opportunities and start with what you have. Odiira took a leap of faith and registered for the program.  

Initially, she was afraid to start any business because she didn’t believe she could be successful. She feared failure. “Before starting anything, you doubt your chances of succeeding, especially in the business world as a local woman with no business skills.”  

During the lesson on starting small and finding capital, she realized that the $27 she had saved up was enough to start her own business. She purchased a charcoal stove, a bucket and a wire mesh to roast meat by the roadside. She now provides for all of her family’s needs, and even saves $8 every week from her business. She hopes to save enough to purchase a freezer to sell cold beverages.  

Odiira is grateful to Street Business School for helping her realize her potential as a confident entrepreneur that can achieve anything that she puts her mind to. “I am now very confident, and I understand that I can start any business even if I have no capital. My mind is now awake, and I see many entrepreneurship opportunities in my community.”