Meet Albetinah, The Chicken Master
It has been an exciting couple weeks here in our Women’s Empowerment meetings! All nine of the women received loans! Loan day was a very exciting, joyful time. Periodically, I hope to highlight different women from our group to share their stories and share how the program and loan are changing their business.
Today, I want to introduce you to my friend, Albetinah! I wanted to start with Albetinah because she is not only part of our program, but her leadership has been integral to the success of the program. A key component to the ministry of One Collective is to utilize and work through locals in the community. Albetinah is one of those people.
We were first introduced to Albetinah through Mapalo, the school that we work with. She was one of the cooks that helped feed the kids at lunch time. We soon realized that she had a heart for discipleship, learning, and seeing her community transformed. She has helped us run a Girls Empowerment Program, and now she is helping us in our Women’s Empowerment Program. Before even starting the program, Albetinah helped us connect with women in the community she felt would benefit from and be dedicated to the program.
Albetinah is a strong, smart businesswoman. Some of the things we’ve taught, like separating business and household expenses, she was already doing. She has helped the women understand the importance and benefits of utilizing the things we talk about. There is more power and understanding that comes when a Zambian is teaching and encouraging another Zambian that just won’t happen from a foreigner. She has become a leader of the group and we have used her knowledge and experience greatly.
Albetinah’s main business is selling chickens. Before the loan, she would have one batch of 100-150 chickens at a time that she would raise from a day old to about 3 weeks. Her dream and goal were to be able to stagger her batches so that she would always have chickens on hand ready to sell. With the loan, she was able to buy another batch of chicks. So now she is on a rotation of two or three batches at one time. She realized that chickens were always on demand and that her customers often found a lack of chickens. Now, she is solving this problem by always having chickens. The day after receiving the loan, Albetinah sent me a text that said, “Once more thanks for everything! (The loan) is working very well and I managed to buy more chickens which will come next week…I thank GOD for his grace.”
God is alive and moving in the businesses of the women in our business program. Albetinah is just one of many stories I hope to share with you. Keep praying that the women would honor God with their businesses and that He would bless them in their endeavors