Mwana, who was granted microcredit to develop a cement business
« I sell cement that I store in a container on my mother-in-law’s plot of land. I started with other commercial activities: selling doughnuts, embroideries and children’s vests. Then I gave everything up to deal exclusively with my cement trade. Thanks to Apef, I got credit to increase my capital and add 30 sacks of cement to my 50-sack inventory. A lot of my suppliers are in Bukavu but I also buy directly from Uganda. I make 125 euros a week from my work, which allows me to feed my family and send my children to school. I was trained by Apef in credit and supplies management. I always get paid, I give my customers invoices and I demand that my suppliers also give me invoices. I am going to sell 1,000 sacks of cement to a charity for the building of a hospital. »

Thérèse is a member of the Abygaëlle association in Bukavu
« We got support from Annie, an Apef organizer, to help create our association in 2005. Since 2006, we have taken part in different training sessions set up by Apef. With the session on women’s rights, we learned about our rights and ways and means to get them. For instance child rape used to be hushed up or settled out of court, but now we use legal means to denounce the violation of children’s rights. Marriages are now put into proper form as civil marriages and women are entitled to have their share of inheritance. Such training also allows us to be self-sufficient and not to depend on our husbands or our relatives anymore. »

Yvonne was given training in order to improve the small business that she set up thanks to micro credit
« Thanks to micro credit management training, I became familiar with the new management tools and I understood that it is important to save money for retirement. I am better now at managing my second-hand clothes business. I keep two account books to monitor the sale of the products that I deal in. I really appreciate the fact that Apef continues to follow up and support my activities. Since I’ve had my business, my life has changed a great deal: I have bought a house and opened an account in a savings and loan cooperative. All the members of my family are involved in my business and help me with the household chores. »