Martha - Jos, Nigeria

When I first met Martha selling her yams on the outer edges of the market, she seemed desperate, completely void of hope. She was not making any progress selling her yams to the passers by in the market. She is a widow and is taking care of her five children by herself. Like so many other widows in Africa, she had been abandoned by her husband's family shortly after his death. Alone, desperate and discouraged she made every effort to survive on her own. Every two weeks, she would pull together her minimal savings and buy 530 Naira ($4.25) worth of yams. She would sell each plate of yams for only 50 Naira ($0.40) and was not making nearly enough to live on or support her children. Most days Martha would end up taking her over-cooked yams home for her children to eat before they spoiled.

A Glimmer of Hope...

Martha's selling spot in the market happened to be just outside of Margaret Ahmed's downtown office. It was here that Margaret began to instill the first ounce of hope. Martha began attending Home Makers' monthly training sessions with fourty to fifty other women, learning skills that would allow her to build a small successful business. Each time she came, she got a little more confidence. She applied for her first loan. In February of 2007, Martha received a loan for 10,000 Naira ($80) to start her own bread and candle making business. She continues in her training with Home Makers each month, and hopes to continue providing for her children so they can have a better future.