| Participant | Mary Maikano |
| Location | Sabon Bwari, FCT |
| Business | Pharmacy (Chemist) |
| Disability | Physical disability |
| Programme | Empower Her Ability |
Before participating in the Empower Her Ability Project, Mary Maikano was running her chemist business primarily to meet immediate financial needs. Although the business was operational, her focus was largely on daily income rather than structured business growth.
She operated without strong systems for tracking performance or planning expansion, making it difficult to assess the progress of the business and identify opportunities for growth.
Mary’s main challenge was poor record keeping. She did not consistently track sales, profits or losses, which limited her understanding of how her business was performing.
Without this information, her approach to managing the business was largely reactive, making it difficult to make informed decisions about stock, finances and future expansion.
Through the Empower Her Ability Project, Mary received online and physical entrepreneurship training, mentorship support and a ₦100,000 loan to support business expansion.
The training strengthened her understanding of business management and helped her recognize the importance of proper record keeping and structured business operations.
Although her engagement with mentorship was limited, Mary remained committed to submitting her business records and applying the lessons from the training. The financial support also enabled her to restock and diversify her inventory.
Mary has become more intentional about how she manages her business. She has expanded her stock to include additional fast-moving products such as sanitary pads, biscuits and food condiments, giving customers access to a wider range of products.
She has also established a social media presence where she shares health and drug-related information with the public. This has increased the visibility of her business and created another way for her to engage with customers.
Mary reports increased confidence in promoting her services both online and offline and in taking a more deliberate approach to developing her business.
Financial constraints remain a challenge for Mary, particularly as she seeks to further expand her stock and strengthen her business operations. Additional capital would support continued inventory expansion and help her build on the progress she has made.
| Key change: Mary transitioned from managing her chemist business primarily for daily survival to taking a more structured and growth-oriented approach. Improved record keeping, diversified stock, increased visibility and greater confidence have strengthened her approach to managing and developing the business. |
