Impact stories
Mawumegno
S H E Cooperative Seamstress My name is Mawumegno, and I'm from Kpové. I learned to sew 10 years ago, and after my apprenticeship, I opened a workshop. But since I am in the village and poverty is common, I would see only one or two orders per month. This forced me to close my workshop and cultivate the fields to survive. When I heard there was an NGO recruiting seamstresses in Kpové, I did not hesitate. I went home and found my old sewing machine to practice. I went to all of the meetings that S H E hosted, and I participated in their sensitization. But the whole time, I thought to myself that this NGO, where the women are so clean and welldressed, will never select me. I thought that no one would see my value. But it turns out that I underestimated myself, and I was selected for the program. I was so proud when I started working for S H E not only because I was earning an income, but because people in the community would start respecting me. Through the salary I receive, I have started hiring people to help cultivate fields for me, and I now help my mom earn an income by selling things at the market. I also opened a bank account and I save money every month. S H E is special because she cares about us, she wants us to be autonomous, she wants us to be women decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and women who are not marginalized. S H E is special because she tells the truth, she pays us on time, and she is not like other NGOs that come to the village and deceive us. S H E keeps her promises. S H E is helping us become extraordinary women; women worthy of the name. S H E has given me a lot of respect in my community, and I'm honored to be part of this program for women like me. 08
