Mallama Hawwa’u Abdullahi, 59, a resident of Huda Village of Kardi Community of Birnin Kebbi LGA of Kebbi State is a mother of nine and has several grandchildren. Before the project’s intervention, she was engaged mainly in farming activities and small petty trade in her community. In 2015, she was registered as a member of a women producer group. As a result of her engagement with the project, she received trainings on SMART skills and best agronomic practice.
As a result of the SMART skills training she received, which included Marketing Basics, Hawwa’u picked particular interest in adding value to her produce. She decided to upgrade her Kuli –Kuli (groundnut cake) and groundnut oil business by applying the skills learned to her groundnut oil business. She excitedly exclaimed: “Before now I make profit of 2,000 naira per week. After undergoing the training on marketing basics, my sense of doing business changed. So I started purchasing groundnut in bulk through money borrowed from other women, which I later repaid. My business has grown to the level that I now own four groundnut threshing machines and an oil processing machine”.
Her weekly profits have increased by about 300%. She has created 4 new jobs and has been able to build a house. In addition, she said, “I now sponsor four of my grandchildren in school. I lend money to many people within the community. This project has really opened my eyes to new business world and has resulted to a changed lifestyle”.