Safiatou – saleswoman in Senegal
When I lost my husband in 2015, I had to provide for my family on my own. This difficult experience pushed me to become an entrepreneur and start my own business to secure our future. Today, I am proud to have achieved my goal of independence. FANSOTO gave me the keys to move forward with peace of mind.
My name is Safiatou Diallo, I am 47 years old, I am a widow and mother of eight children aged between 11 and 25. When I lost my husband in 2015, I had to provide for my family on my own. This ordeal pushed me to become an entrepreneur and start a business to secure our future.
A shop that is growing thanks to FANSOTO
I started by selling clothes and shoes on credit, but difficulties in collecting payments led me to switch to foodstuffs. With the help of my eldest son, who advanced me 500,000 CFA francs (€762), I opened a small grocery store. To develop my business, I obtained my first loan from FANSOTO in 2021, for 100,000 CFA francs (€152). Thanks to this assistance, I stabilized my business and increased my stock. My membership in FANSOTO has eliminated all my difficulties, both socially and financially.
Financial independence and a positive impact
Thanks to my business, my monthly income has increased from 85,000 to 200,000 CFA francs (€130 to €305). I have been able to pay for my children’s education, finance their business activities, and guarantee our food security. Today, I also put my skills to work for others. I have helped a friend and a sister start their own businesses. I tried to hire young people, but after a bad experience, I decided to run my business on my own, with occasional help from my children.
Always look further ahead
My next step is to build a house to rent out to diversify my income. Thanks to FANSOTO’s training courses, particularly on saving and management, I have learned to set aside 10,000 CFA francs (€16) per month, which allows me to secure my business and manage unexpected events. Today, I am proud to have achieved my goal of independence. FANSOTO has given me the keys to move forward with peace of mind.
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