Selling coconuts Fatmata is bringing additional income to the household

February 2011: In Sierra Leone, women consist about 98% of the traders in the market selling the cooking items, while men do the physical job like cutting the meat or carrying the heavy load on their head.  However, thanks to the Village Savings and Loans Scheme (VSL), women can make a change in their lives; they start their own businesses and go into the trade.

Introducing a change

Fatmata Koroma, from Pendembu in Kailahun district, in eastern Sierra Leone, started her Coconut Jelly business in 2005. Selling coconuts from 8 am till 6 pm, she was bringing additional income to the household. When in 2009 Plan Sierra Leone introduced Village Savings and Loans Scheme (VSL) to offer savings and loans services to the community, Fatmata decided to benefit from the loan buying provisions and joining local scheme.

“I buy 2 dozens of coconut everyday for sale and I make a profit of either Le 5.000 or Le 7.000 per day, greater part of which I use to do the cooking for the family,” explained Fatmata.

From the profit she makes, Fatmata contributes Le 2.000 daily towards the Village Savings and Loans Scheme. The bulk amount of this sum is given to a subscriber on a daily basis depending on how many subscribers are associated with the scheme. The scheme in Pendembu has 50 members involved; each member deposits Le 2.000, which after 50 days amounts to the sum of Le 100.000 (US $ 25), which Fatmata collects when it is her time to be the beneficiary.

“For the scheme money I used to buy provisions and I purchased a small wooden table on which my eldest daughter sells packets of sugar, cartons of milk and eggs for me. Thanks to the sale of food products, I make at least a profit of Le 20.000 a day (US $ 5) and from the coconut business about Le 7.000, what gives me a profit of about Le 27,000 (US $ 6) a day. With this sum I increased my contribution to five different deposits, which I collect five times in a year. This gives me up to Le 500.000 annually and I have received it twice making a million Leones (US $ 250),” said Fatmata.

Developing business skills

Now, Fatmata saves and manages her money. She set up a small scale business buying Gara African clothing, giving it out to interested women on a two months credit basis deriving some profit. Now, Fatmata is benefiting not only from the coconut business, but the others she established, thanks to the coconut trade.

Fatmata is happy and proud that she could start her own business and go into the trade

“At first I was a bit shy to do this coconut business, as I was amongst a handful of women in this business, and now other women are doing similar trade, though very few, but I am more proud and interested in it now. More of male customers do buy Coconut Jelly from me, as they admire women doing such trade. I am happy with my trade, as I have empowered myself to some extent of handling the greater responsibility in my house and family” concluded Fatmata, happy to be able to support her children’s education.

Plan has been working in Sierra Leone since 1976 and through its VSL groups enabled people to take credits and start their businesses.

Read more about Plan's work in Sierra Leone.