A 62-year old farmer from Kpatinga in the Gushegu district,Mrs Fatima Abdulai has been adjudged the 2013 Micro Entrepreneurship winner in Ghana. Mrs. Abdulai was the only Ghanaian in the France capital, Paris together with other 7 Asian and some African countries to receive her award.
In her award, she received a plaque and over 25 thousand Ghana cedis for her entrepreneurship in Shea butter and petty trade.
Mrs. Abdulai Fatima started her entrepreneurship as a dress maker at a tender age and ventured into shea butter business about a decade ago. “As a dress maker, I tried my best to be honest to my clients and because of my good service to my clients; I was getting more customers to the extent that I had to turn some away,” she added.
After the death of her husband’s she abandoned the dress making and joined Matantudu, local women NGO based in the northern region amidst mockery of name calling by her peers in the community but that did not prevent her from pursuing her dream to achieve what she wanted.
From Matantudu, she joined PlatNet Finance and Star Shea Network where she held several positions including president of star Shea network to lead 15 communities.
In an interview with Zaa News in Tampion in the Savelugu/Nanton municipality, Mrs Fatima said she borrowed a hundred Ghana cedis from Matantudu to start the shea business which did not last.
The over excited mother of 12 children said ’’for the first time in my life; I entered 3 airplanes, from Ghana to UK and to France.
It was a memorable event which I cannot forget in my life time,’’ Mrs Fatima narrated her experience to Zaa News. ’’The treatment I received was like a royal queen, When I arrived in France, I took a rest the first day and was sent to a house with almost everything one needs on earth; I have never seen such a house in my life’’ where a costumer dresses me and I was like a new bride.
I took my bath, wore my traditional attire (Binmagli) as a proud Dagomba woman,” Mrs Fatima narrated.
She was selected among thousands of her colleague women in about five districts in the northern region. She also had the opportunity to meet business tycoons in the world some of whom were interesting even though she was heard by an interpreter.
The sponsor of her journey to France, a national from Lau-Lee asked her what her problem was and she then told him that her problem was education of her biological children numbering ten. Her children were twelve and 2 passed on and she needed to take care of the rest as a widow. Before she started the Shea butter business, she was farming maize, soya beans and groundnut.
Through her hard work, one Richard, an official of Matantudu introduced her to his brother who stays abroad who was dealing in assorted drinks. Mr Richard wanted alone to do the business but she insisted that it should be a group because it is always better to share good things with other people which he agreed. PlaNet Finance than came in through Mr Richard and the end result was the award by au Ghana. ''The country directory of PlatNet Finance Maxwell Kuunyame was really interested in what I was doing and in all occasions he assisted me to be where i am today'' Fatima Abdulai (Mrs ) acknowledged.
By;Ibrahim Dikunyalala/zaaradio.com
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