SUCCESS STORY FOR AYEN ATIOP ATHORBEI
Ayen Atiop Athorbei is a 39-year old IDP who is a member of CINA VSLA group. Ayen’s family fled Bor during the devastating 2013 political crisis that spark a civil war in the country. Amidst difficulties of securing safety God finally led her to resettle in the outskirts of Mingkaman Town. “ My livelihood was totally disrupted by the conflict with no little hope of where to commence From given the fact that my husband is a mere cattle keeper, humanitarian aids was the only single sourcing mean for food and Merry -go- round as the rarest opportunity to borrow money” she explicitly said.
With the kick starting of CINA intervention through BREL 1 project, Ayen was able to join a VSLA group as a member. Together with her fellows they benefited from training on VSLA methodology, fostering entrepreneurship, value addition and farming as a business. As a group they luckily received grants of varying proportions to boost their work. “My conviction impressed me to start a small income generating activity around my homestead bearing the fact that our trainers have inexhaustibly emphasized the significance of petty business in order to witness change in my family laden” She told me excitedly.
Hence comes the day break, at the end of BREL 1, the group made a share out in January where she received a sum of SSP 26,500 as her share.” I hastily bought a 50 kg bag of unshelled groundnuts and began preparing G-nut paste for sale in Mingkaman market. Miraculously my business experience a growth within a short time aided by the business techniques I have learnt.” Ayen relates with a sense of smile.
She utilized the profit Made to procure other Basic Petty small food items ranging from that are readily demand by her consumers especially the neighbors and she additionally stocked dry fish for resale. Ayen Atiop is currently operating her business under an umbrella along the main road linking Mingkaman and Juba.
“ I am often motivated by the passengers , some do stop When coming from Juba to exhort me with Thanksgiving words for being an hard working mother , others buy my goods and some too do give me in-kind Cash though little. I am therefore determined to continue my business however my greatest challenge remains erecting a permanent shelter to protect me from scorching sun heat and rain fall.”
Ayen added that she has enrolled Two of her kids to primary schools in Mingkaman and aspire to Take more kids once her business expand. “My small proceeds directly cater for my family expenses such as medication, feeding and school fees. We now experience a peaceful coexistence at home with my husband since he’s supportive to my work” When I ask her whether she would gave up her desire one day, she laughed it off and responded” how can I backfire while I am shown the right path to follow?. “
BREL‘s Main objective is to help people recover, build resilience and enhance livelihoods. Ayen Atiop is sincerely grateful to CINA as the implementing partner, NPA and NORAD respectively, urging them to give an extra push to reach other vulnerable groups.
