Esnath Mudzingwa (35) from Mubhika village in Shurugwi District is now respected young business woman in her community as a result of interventions from the Hand in Hand Zimbabwe’s Motivated and Entrepreneurial Youth (MEY) project.

Before meeting Hand in Hand Zimbabwe, the mother of four was just an ordinary person in the village, with little recognition and had no consistent source of income to meet the needs of her family. In 2021, she opened a grocery shop, but due to lack of knowledge in business management and other factors such as the instability of the local currency and COVID-19 lockdowns, she closed the shop.

The COVID 19 lockdowns also had a negative impact on her husband’s job, making their situation worse

“I was so confused, I became frail and sick, life was just difficult as we had no school fees for the children and we could not afford food for the children,” she said.

Esnath persisted in prayer for a livelihood transforming breakthrough until God answered her. In February 2022, she joined Hand in Hand Zimbabwe programs through the local EDF and was encouraged to join a star club.

After forming the Shooting Stars star club with other interested women from her community, the members were taken through the Hand in Hand  enterprise development modular trainings. Despite the challenges she faced, through her participation in entrepreneurship, motivation and health trainings, she gained confidence and refocused on setting up an income generating project.

After the six (6) month long trainings, the hardworking woman set up a retail store business.   To date, she makes a profit of US$700 per month from the business.

Esnath’s life has changed for the better as she can now cater for all her family’s needs.

“I no longer have much challenges in looking after my family and can now pay school fees for my school going kids with ease,” Esnath said.

She has also managed to acquire wealth for herself in the form of livestock and is currently building a 5 bedroomed house at her homestead.