Aminata – Merchant in Sierra Leone
Today, I’m on my sixth microloan, for 10,000 SLE (€418), and my business has taken on a whole new dimension. I now sell fish, clothing, palm oil, household items, and toiletries. Thanks to my savings, I’ve been able to improve my production and expand my inventory.
My name is Aminata Kamara. I am 48 years old and an entrepreneur in Portee. Coming from a disadvantaged background in Freetown, I never had the chance to go to school because my family couldn’t afford it. To ease the financial burden on my family, my parents married me off at 16, and at 17, I gave birth to my first child. Today, I am the mother of seven children. For a long time, I wanted to grow my business, but without a guarantor and faced with high interest rates, I couldn’t access loans from microfinance institutions in my region.
Growing with MUNAFA
In 2022, I discovered MUNAFA, and my determination led to my election as president of the “EIB FOR ME, EIB FOR YOU” group. On August 31, 2022, I received my first loan of 1,200 SLE (€50), which allowed me to improve my fish business. After repaying it, I took out a second loan of 2,400 SLE (€100) in January 2023.
Thanks to MUNAFA’s business training, I learned how to diversify my products and reinvest my profits. I thus added a clothing stall to my original business, which gradually increased my income.
A life-changing success
Today, I’m on my sixth microloan, for 10,000 SLE (€418), and my business has taken on a whole new dimension. I now sell fish, clothing, palm oil, household items, and toiletries. Thanks to my savings, I’ve been able to improve my production and expand my inventory.
MUNAFA has given me the chance to grow, and today, my business is stronger than ever.
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