A
woman who refused to start begging for alms which is common with aged
women in Nigeria, has revealed how she now makes an average of N5000
daily from selling akara and pap.
File photo
Fatima Abdullahi, a widow in her early 50s and a mother of four, has found succor in selling beans cake popularly known as “akara”.
Rather than resort to begging for alms as is common with aged women
in some parts of the country, she now makes an average of N5000 daily
from selling akara and pap, known as “koko” to make ends meet.
Abdullahi did not require intervention funds from the government or
access to micro-finance funds for her efforts and determination to
succeed.
The enterprising woman, resident in Rigasa, Igabi Local Government
Area of Kaduna State, told the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on
Wednesday that she started the business about 10 years ago after the
death of her husband.
She said that although she was left with no one to help her and her
kids, she disliked the idea of begging and decided to use savings to
start the bean cake business.
“I started with as little as N3000, and gradually expanded the
business by adding sweet potato and now I make an average of N5000
daily, about N150,000 monthly.
“Although the business is stressful and dangerous because you
have to seat by the fire every day, it is helping me to pay the bills,
take care of my children.
“At least I can afford to pay school fees for my children and medical bills when the need arises,” she said.
The entrepreneur’s business area is usually filled up by
patronisers mainly passers by, residents of the area and others who find
the delicacy satisfying.
Abdullahi called on women to make necessary effort to be
self-reliant rather than going around the neighborhood begging for alms.
“Whether a widow or housewife, you can start a business, no matter how small, so as to have financial freedom,” she said. (NAN)
She decried the practice whereby able-bodied women took to begging
for alms to survive, adding that Islam did not encourage the attitude.
(NAN)
No comments:
Post a Comment