| Participant | Isaac Perpetua Ada |
| Location | Nyanya, FCT Abuja |
| Business | Bead making and sales, household cleaning agents production, spice production, and skills training services |
| Disability | Physical disability |
| Programme | Empower Her Ability |
Before participating in the Empower Her Ability Project, Isaac Perpetua Ada was engaged in several income-generating activities, including bead making, production of household cleaning agents, spice production and skills training.
Although she was actively running these businesses, her operations were largely informal and she had no structured system for tracking business performance. She did not consistently keep records of income and expenses, making it difficult to assess profit, loss or overall business growth.
Perpetua’s main challenge was the lack of financial management systems and a clear business structure. She often mixed personal and business funds and operated without proper records, limiting her ability to make informed financial decisions and plan for growth.
She also had limited exposure to structured entrepreneurship training and digital tools that could help her organize and promote her businesses.
Through the Empower Her Ability Project, Perpetua received online entrepreneurship training, participated in a one-week physical bootcamp and benefited from mentorship and ongoing accountability follow-ups.
She also received a ₦100,000 business grant, which provided additional support for her business activities.
The training strengthened her understanding of financial record keeping, business discipline and structured enterprise management. Mentorship and follow-up support reinforced accountability and provided guidance as she applied the lessons to her businesses.
Perpetua also participated in advocacy engagement opportunities, which strengthened her understanding of disability inclusion and business development.
Perpetua now maintains proper business records and tracks her income and expenses, giving her a clearer understanding of her business performance. She has also taken steps to separate and formalize her business finances by opening a corporate bank account.
Her approach to marketing has also changed. She now uses social media to promote her products, reach customers in different parts of the country and share customer testimonials. This has helped increase referrals and improve the visibility of her businesses.
Beyond these practical changes, Perpetua reports increased confidence in her ability to manage and grow successful businesses as a woman with a disability. Her business operations are now more organized, with daily shop activities and increased support from her family.
Perpetua needs access to additional capital and improved production equipment, particularly machinery for spice processing, to increase her production and sales capacity. She is also interested in continued training to strengthen her skills and keep up with changing market trends.
| Key change: Perpetua transitioned from an informal and largely unstructured approach to running multiple businesses to a more organized enterprise with stronger financial record keeping, formalized business finances and increased use of digital marketing. The programme also strengthened her confidence and expanded her ability to reach customers beyond her immediate location. |
