| Participant | Alabade Janet Funke |
| Location | Kurudu, FCT Abuja |
| Business | Sale of grains and foodstuff including corn, millet, beans and related products |
| Disability | Physical disability |
| Programme | Empower Her Ability |
Before participating in Empower Her Ability, Alabade Janet Funke was trading grains and foodstuff in Kurudu Market, FCT Abuja. Although she was actively running the business, it was close to collapse because she lacked basic management systems such as financial planning, bookkeeping, savings and profit tracking.
Janet was spending business income without a clear structure and borrowing funds to sustain the business without proper accountability. Without records or visibility into expenses, income and profit margins, she could not easily tell whether the business was growing or losing money. This weakened her cash flow, reduced her ability to reinvest and left her discouraged enough to consider closing the business.
She also faced practical accessibility and infrastructure barriers. Her mobility limitations made it difficult to move stock, especially during the rainy season, and the lack of a secure shop space exposed her goods to harsh weather conditions.
Through Empower Her Ability, Janet received online entrepreneurship training, participated in a physical bootcamp, benefited from one-on-one mentorship and volunteer follow-up support, and received a N100,000 business grant. The training and mentorship helped her understand record keeping, money management and structured business growth, while the grant provided immediate capital to strengthen her operations.
Janet now keeps proper business records, operates a dedicated business bank account and separates personal money from business funds. These changes have improved her financial discipline and given her a clearer picture of how the business is performing. She reports increased confidence in managing the business and renewed optimism about its future.
With the business grant and reinvested profits, Janet has increased her stock levels, expanded her inventory and improved profitability. The business that once seemed close to closure is now more structured, better managed and positioned for continued growth.
Janet still needs a secure shop space that can function as both a store and sales point. This would help protect her goods, reduce weather-related losses and make it easier for her to keep operating consistently despite mobility challenges.
| Key change: Janet moved from a struggling business on the verge of collapse to a more structured and financially disciplined enterprise, with improved record keeping, stronger inventory levels, increased profits and renewed confidence in sustaining and growing her business. |
