| Participant | Joy Adejo Moses |
| Location | Dei-Dei, Abuja |
| Business | Poultry Farming and Grain Sales |
| Disability | Blind |
| Programme | Empower Her Ability |
Before joining the Empower Her Ability Project, Joy Adejo Moses was running a poultry farming and grain sales business but struggled to manage her finances effectively. Limited knowledge of record keeping and sales tracking made it difficult to monitor business performance, account for transactions accurately, and make informed decisions about her business.
As a blind entrepreneur, Joy also encountered accessibility barriers when navigating marketplaces. Complex layouts and multiple turns often made it difficult for her to move around independently, sometimes requiring assistance when sourcing products and carrying out business activities.
Joy’s main business challenge was the difficulty of maintaining accurate financial records and tracking sales. Without consistent financial management practices, monitoring income and making sound business decisions was challenging.
Beyond financial management, navigating market environments presented additional obstacles. These accessibility barriers could affect her independence when purchasing supplies, engaging with customers, and completing business transactions.
Through the Empower Her Ability Project, Joy participated in online entrepreneurship training, physical bootcamp sessions, mentorship classes, and a business competition through which she received a ₦100,000 financial award.
She found the sessions on marketing, mental health, and business planning particularly useful. The one-on-one and group mentorship sessions also provided practical business advice, guidance, and encouragement to strengthen her entrepreneurial skills.
The combination of training, mentorship, and financial support helped Joy build her knowledge of business management and develop greater confidence in handling everyday business activities.
Following her participation in the project, Joy improved her record-keeping practices and became more intentional about tracking her business finances. She reports increased income associated with better financial management, demonstrating the value of applying the skills she acquired.
Her confidence in customer interactions and business negotiations has also improved. One particularly important change has been her increased confidence in verifying payments and addressing customer disputes.
By becoming more assertive in financial transactions, Joy is better equipped to question questionable payment claims, confirm that payments have been received, and advocate for herself when resolving disagreements with customers. This has helped reduce her vulnerability to fraudulent payment claims and strengthened her sense of control over her business dealings.
These improvements represent progress not only in her business management skills but also in her ability to navigate customer relationships with greater confidence.
Despite the progress she has made, access to additional capital remains a major barrier to expanding her poultry farming and grain sales business.
Joy hopes to secure further financial support to strengthen her operations, improve her capacity to meet customer demand, and build a more sustainable business. Continued access to entrepreneurship support and more accessible market environments would also help her pursue these goals with greater independence.
| Key change: Joy moved from struggling with financial record keeping and customer transactions to improved financial management, increased income, and greater confidence in business negotiations. The Empower Her Ability Project helped strengthen her ability to track sales, verify payments, and advocate for herself, supporting her journey towards more independent and sustainable business management.
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