Meet Nyakoang: A Fish-Invested Widow with a Zealous Purpose

Nyakoang's Helping Young Widowed Women Sell Dried Fish

Ms. Nyakoang Gatkuoth Chang is a thriving widow at the A.R.M. Center who helps fellow widowed women invest in selling dried fish to earn a living. This determined 36-year-old widow's husband sadly was killed in the Malakal South Sudan Civil War in December of 2013. In order to survive, she fled the country as a refugee in early 2014 with her 5 small children in route to Ethiopia. A little bit about her children: 3 daughters and 2 sons all now living in a Gambella refugee camp. Her skillfulness and adept attitude are known to benefit her community. Read below to hear from her in own words the experience they suffered and learn a little bit more about her entrepreneurial experience and activities where she helps so many other widowed women!

“When I heard about the project from the Zonal Authority, I decided to participate thinking it would be a good opportunity to earn my own income. They gave me business skills training for 3 days and at last they give me my start-up cash of 3000 Birr equivalent to US $50. Then I started thinking of what kind of business is actually productive in the camp. In the beginning, I was able to effortlessly start buying dried fish from whole dried fish sellers. For example 1 dried fish is =  40 Birr from whole fish seller, therefore 50 x 40 = 2000 Birr which was used as my start-up capital and then sell it with 60 Birr in camp therefore 50 x 60 = 3000 Birr as my actual business profit. I found it is helpful that ARM came here to show us first-hand how to make small business. It really helped me learn sanitary drying methods."

She continues, "I also learned so much from visiting and cooperated with other business partners in different areas where I took part in trainings like commodities, store management and made a visit to a fish market in Lare village, where I am normally able to earn a handsome income during a good fishing season. I saved up enough money to purchase a shop where I can sell my produces instead to rent from other. Next I want to try making plan for other than dried fishes, and increase production so that I can afford to save my children and give them a good education," she says. I would like to say, thanks to you African Relief Ministries for a well done job!