“I came empty handed, but I now have a business that generates money even though it is little compared to the work and time I invest in it”, says Masika Baseme Jeanne (47). She feels that her life is back on track.
She flew from her homeland DR Congo two years ago. After the father of her children was killed, her son was taken, her daughter raped and abused by soldiers. Her mother, her five children, a grandson and herself crossed Uganda and Kenya before entering Ethiopia. They passed through the capital city Addis Ababa, and then settled in Sherkole refugee camp in the Assosa Benishangul Gumuz Region.
In 2014 more than 80 people were trained in business management through the NRC Assosa programme. They were put in groups of four and received startup money in the amount of 1500 Ethiopean Birr (about 72 US dollars). Most of the groups succeeded in opening and sustaining small shops: cafeterias, poultry sellers, bakeries and fruit, vegetable and cereal businesses.
Back in DR Congo, Masika used to be a taxi driver. Now she is in a group of four in a bakery business. Their bakery produces 1050 bread every morning, which is distributed to restaurants, shops and sold by the road side for one birr each.
Most people hang on to the past, only to find out it is the only burden that prevents them from moving on and grabbing the future. It is not easy, but strong people like Masika have moved forward. She carries the painful memories with her, but has transformed the anger into a positive drive that pushes her do more to succeed in life.
She has rented a place and started a restaurant business with her daughters and sons. She has managed to buy the property with the money she saved from catering for various trainings in the camp. Part of the restaurant is used to bake bread with her business partners.
Today Masika is not only able to provide for her own family, she has also become an adoptive mother:
“If you are under my roof, then you are family whether I gave birth to you or not”, she says.
Clovise (7), Fleury (5) and Berciy Yoseph (3) came to Ethiopia with their older brother. When he had to go to Addis Ababa to get medical assistance, the three orphans moved in with Masika.
“It brings tears to my eyes when I look at them sometimes, but I am glad I took them in. They go to school and they have a place to call home and a family that loves and take care of them.“
Life was hard for Masika and her family in DR Congo. And their loss was huge. When they had to flee their homeland, life became even worse.
“But I thank God for keeping us safe and I always include NRC in my prayers because they gave me hope and all the assistance I needed to start my business and keep it going. I am now a self-sufficient woman. And I am proud of it. For me, Sherkole camp is home. All I want is to work hard and keep my family safe”, she says.