You are here:

Patience

Published on

Updated:

My name is Patience

In 2018, Patience graduated our Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is 52 years old and a mother of 9.

I am Patience. I was born into a family of 12 – I am the 11th. I am married to Mr. Thimothe and together we have 9 children (8 girls and 1 boy).

Before Women for Women International, I had a small business, but it could not cover all my needs.

Back in 2018, I heard from my neighbour who is a headmaster of a primary school that there is an NGO called Women for Women International and they are enrolling vulnerable women in the community. She tried to explain what she was told about the organization and I was convinced – I decided to join.

One month after joining the programme, we started a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) from the first stipend. I got 180,000 FC (£67 GBP), which I injected into my business of making soap. This was the vocational training I chose to learn in the programme.

A short video showing soap-making in the DRC

The revenue gained from soap making went up to 600,029 FC (£225 GBP). I am to build a house to live as well as installing a soap production unit. I have bought land in Lushebere centre. For now, I have bought 6 steel sheets rent land to build a soap-making unit. 
 
I would like to thank Women for Women International for making an order of producing soaps during the COVID-19 lockdown which was distributed to different sites of Women for Women International. I have trained my husband and five girls on how to make soaps and we work together to cover all the demand. 
Patience's land purchase agreement
Thank you Women for Women International for the skills acquired because I used to depend on my husband totally to cover all expenses, pay children school fees and medical care - but now I am empowered.
 
 
Women for Women International's work in the DRC is generously supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery.
In 2016, a surge in violence in South Sudan forced us to suspend our programmes, for the security of our team and the women we served, but we were committed to returning. Photo: Charles Atiki Lomodong

WHEN THE WORLD’S ATTENTION MOVES ON, WILL YOU STAND WITH HER?

Support a woman survivor of war through our year-long Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme. Your solidarity will help her use her voice, realise her power and rebuild her life.

Stand with her

Read more stories

Seve - Iraq

Seve

subtitle:

Our neighbour knocked at the door and asked ‘Why are you not escaping?’ She told us that they are kidnapping girls and killing men, so we decided to run away and not take anything with us.


Claudine - DRC

Claudine

subtitle:

I know that I should take courage because I survived a hard situation. Every day, I have to wake up and pray and say, thank you God, for I’m still alive. It was hard but now I’m here.


Zarghuna - Afghanistan

Zarghuna

subtitle:

One of my friends told me about Women for Women International and how it provided training for women. That’s when I learned that I wasn’t alone in my suffering. There are other women, who have the same pain.