V.O.A., also HIV positive, was driven from her home when her husband, who had infected her with the disease, died. She started a small kiosk for selling food but could not sustain it. With her seed loan from JDF, however, she was able to start petty trading again. V.O.A. is now able to take care of herself and her children.

F.M.O. is also HIV positive and has a beer parlor in an uncompleted house left by her husband. With the JDF seed money provided to her, she added the sale of fruits to her business. Gradually, she has started renovating and completing her late husband’s house.

F.A. lost her husband to AIDS, and also became infected. She was driven from her home, along with her only child. Although she is a trained seamstress, she works as a hawker until someone gave her a small shop. The Janet Dozie Foundation empowered her with the amount of N100,000 which enabled her to buy a power-generating set and a weaving machine. Today, she has moved from sewing for individuals to sewing school uniforms for private primary and secondary schools on a contract basis.

Augustina was operating an eatery, with the use of borrowed tables and chairs, at the Eke Ahiara junction, and the provision aspect of her store was virtually closed. As a result of the JDF Empowerment Programme, Augustina’s business has received new life. She purchased her own tables and chairs, and has restocked her provision store. Her dishes, especially the delicious ukwa and vegetable soups are usually booked in advance. The most interesting part of Augustina’s story is that she used N1,000 from her seed money to buy two suckers of a special species of banana. Not only has she established a plantation from it, she now makes a reasonable amount of money from the sale of mature banana fruits and suckers.

Virginia used her JDF loan to restock patent medicine store for more profit; from the workshop organized for widows before fund distribution, she learnt to differentiate between profit, capital and savings, and was able to apply these concepts to her business. This knowledge helped her to effectively manage her business and pay back her loan.

When staff members from the JDF met her in 2012, Nora was a mobile food vendor who hawked her food with the use of a hired wheelbarrow. After being empowered by JDF with fund in the amount of N100,000, Nora now has a place to stay and from which to sell her food. She has carved out a store in her house, where she sells provisions. As a result of her efforts and hard work, the JDF recommended her to MTN, who further supported her with a deep freezer and a power-generating set. Nora, who repaid her loan by the due date, continues to work hard to take care of herself and her family.

Maria used the profits she made from her empowerment to assist her in the sale of drinks which helped her pay her son’s university fees and expand her palm oil business. Now she is actively involved in the production of palm oil and in the sale of palm kernels.

A man in financial distress leased 20 palm trees to Ogechi. The lease was for a period of two years, after which the man would pay back the money and take back his palm trees. Ogechi used her seed money to buy and store palm oil, which she later sold at a profit of more than 50%. She also expanded her business to include the sale of provisions and was able to buy a fairly used deep freezer to include the sale of cold drinks in her provision store.

The very first time JDF staff visited her, Prisca was in tears as a result of suffering and hunger. Having an interest in the sale of fish, Prisca used her empowerment seed money to buy fish from Bayelsa, her state of origin, which she sells in her marital home in Imo State. She is so successful that she now helps some of her friends whose husbands are still living, by giving them quantities of fish and crayfish on credit. Prisca’s philanthropy is evident in her extension of interest-free credit to her friends, who keep the profits from their sales and give her the capital. With her profits, Prisca has built herself a small kitchen and a small kiosk from which she sells provisions. Her success has also enabled her to take care of herself and her children.