Esther Leadership Training
Esther training is making a significant difference in the lives of the people of Lira City.
Just like bible character of Esther, we encourage women that they are called for such a time as this. It is no accident that they are living during this season of history in the families and communities where God has put them with an invitation to impact the lives of those around them.
WNSP started with their first group of 10 women in Lira City in April 2022 first for leadership training. That same group then continued on with business training in December 2022. The second cohort in Lira City started October 2022 with 18 ladies and completed in June 2023.
Linda Akenya has been a woman leader and leader for widows in a local church for over 10 years. The one significant learning she discovered from Esther training was forgiveness. During the training she spent two months wrestling with how she could forgive those who hurt and wronged her during and after her husband’s death. These people took her property and belongings and made her life hell for several years. She had a book in which she wrote down the name of every person who had hurt her when she had done nothing to wrong them. She would say to God, “see what this person has done to me.” Through Esther training she decided to take a step of faith and forgive and release everyone in her book and after praying about it she decided to rip up the book. Something amazing happened in that moment, she recalled: “I felt great happiness more than I had experienced since the day of my husbands passing. I felt set free like a bird.” The following morning, the first person she ran into was the person who had hurt her the worst and she came asking for some seeds for planting. When she gave this women some the seeds, a wave of peace filled her heart. A few days after that she went to a widows’ conference and I shared her story and many women had had similar experiences and were bound up with anger and despair. After hearing her story, many decided to take the same step of forgiveness and found a deliverance from their despair. Since that time, she gets frequent invitations to share her story and the power of forgiveness.
Linda is the first on the left in blue & pink dress
Esther Business Training
The business training part of the training focuses study on three books:
FOUNDATIONS FOR BUSINESS, HOME, AND HEALTH
PLAN FOR A BETTER BUSINESS
MANAGE YOUR BUSINESS MONEY
After the training ladies are invited to join a village women’s group (also launched and supported by WNSP) which enrolls them in VSLA (village saving and loan association) These ladies started saving and now they have gotten loans to start or expand their small businesses.
- Jusnam Abonyo: she was already selling cloths in open markets in the villages around her home and after her training she joined Obanga-Kica VSLA: “I didn’t really know hoe to run a business or how to manage my money with my limited education, but through the training my business is now doing very well. I got a loan of 1,500,000 lira at 10% interest to make updates and improvements to my business. This business training and the loan has significantly improved my family’s income.”
2. Vivian: After the business training she joined Obanga-Akica women group she got a loan of 2,000,000 lira at 10% interest to improve her business of selling scholastic material. Before the training and loan her business was in decline and now the business is growing again.
3. Alecantorina: is a widow with low education and most people don’t want to have much to do with such people. Through the education and support she received through the business training she learned how to manage money, learn a craft and create a business plan. After joining a VSLA she was able to get a loan of 500,000 lira and start a business selling Shea butter (moo-yao). This business is growing successfully.
4. Sidonia Otim: her biggest struggle was managing her money which was challenging the successful running of her small business of selling produce. After the business training she joined Obanga-Akica VSLA and was able to begin saving money from her earnings. She quickly grew a balance of 600,000 lira and got a loan of 400,000 lira to buy over twice us much seed to expand her crops and income.
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