Florence Nyandoro, a 40-year-old entrepreneur from Makwa Village in Ward 8 Shurugwi, is making strides towards self-reliance through her involvement in the Jobs Creation Project, supported by Hand in Hand Zimbabwe and funded by Hand in Hand Sweden. The mother of seven school-aged children is a supportive wife to her husband, who works in the transport business.

In April 2024, Florence joined Zvamaoko Self Help Group and received the six modular business development trainings which helped her to revive her retail business which had closed twice in 2023 because of mismanagement of resources and lack of record tracking skills.

Before joining Hand in Hand, Florence faced significant challenges in running her business, which resulted in frequent losses, forcing her to close her tuck shop twice in 2023. Her monthly earnings, fluctuated between $60 and $100, making it difficult to pay school fees for her children.

However, after receiving training from HIHZ, her earnings have significantly increased to between $250 and $300 per month. The training provided her with essential skills in record-keeping, separating business finances from household expenses, and calculating profit and loss.

Florence operates a tuck shop where she sells groceries and beer, serving her community and local artisanal miners. She sources her stock from Shurugwi and Chachacha, selling directly from her home-based shop.

The increased income has positively transformed Florence’s family life. She can now pay school fees for all her children without struggling and is planning on transferring one of her children to a better school in Shurugwi town. Her family can enjoy decent meals daily, a stark contrast to previous years of hardship. In addition, she is constructing a 4 roomed house for her family through the proceeds from her business.

Florence has also noticed a personal transformation. She is more customer-focused, friendly, and proactive in marketing her products. Community members have acknowledged her positive change, noting that her tuck shop is now well-stocked and offers a variety of goods.

Florence has also improved her digital skills, using social media platforms like WhatsApp to market her products. Before HIHZ, she used these tools casually, but now she employs them professionally to engage customers.

In her community, traditional expectations assign men the role of project leaders while women manage household duties. However, HIHZ’s gender training has opened Florence’s eyes to equal opportunities, empowering her to pursue her goals confidently.

In five years, Florence envisions owning two large shops and a bar. Her journey exemplifies resilience, growth, and the transformative power of community support.