Stories

• Hajiya Fatsuma Maikudi 32 years old and a member of the Host Community is a member of Gwaila SILC Group in Shelleng ward, Shelleng LGA, of Adamawa State, where Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is assisting Internally Displaced Persons, Returnee and Host community in Agriculture revitalization, Social Cohesion, Governance and Infrastructure since 2019 through its partners (JDPC Yola and Maiduguri, DDI and FOMWAN). “Life in the community has been very challenging for me and my family, for years we survive from the little money I make from locally pounding and winnowing of grains for some community members who need my services. During the raining season we engage in farming activity on our small piece of land. After harvest engages in sale of food items on the table just to keep the family going”. Hajiya Fatsuma is one of the many individuals assisted through CRS’ STaR project on Stabilization and Reconciliation of the Lake chad Region Adamawa state precisely funded by BMZ through KFW. In the month of October 2019, she heard about CRS’ SILC activity from a Field Agent in Shelleng community and decided to give it a trial but with utmost caution, as a lot of people have been coming to the community with activities, but it has never been productive and forthcoming to them. Haj. Fatsuma started saving with a little sum of ₦100, hoping that things wouldn’t be like the previous experiences they have had, but her joy was that “She is in a group with people she trusts and so, they will definitely know how to work our things, should things fall out of place”. Though saving wasn’t easy for her, knowing that she has to help her family financially at home too.

After a period of eight months, the group had a share-out of ₦141,080 amount and everyone got what they deserved. Hajiya Fatsuma was happy to receive the sum of ₦4,700 of the total money she had contributed ₦3,400. Days after the share-out meeting, Fatsuma thought of what she could do differently with the money she had received that is more sustainable and also increase her income with time. She decided to buy a FEMALE GOAT at the rate of ₦6,800 (she added ₦2,100 to be able to purchase the goat) to rear at home, and since her source of income was pounding and winnowing of grains, she will supply the Goat with the shaft from the grains as feed. Her plan is to breed the goat and probably go into animal breeding with time, after seeing the result of this one.

“Animal business is one that always dominates and stands the taste of time, as such, I wish to expand my bounds by going into this trade, and I am hopeful that the second cycle of the share -out will give me opportunity to secure more fund to burst my income by expanding what I do (business) and also to go into numerous trade as the case maybe, but time will tell” she said.

• Mallam Sale Mahmud is a member of Libbo community, 38years of age who is married with 3 kids (2 males and a female) and a member of Hadin Kai SILC Group in Libbo community of Shelleng LGA, Adamawa State. Mallam Sale is a specialized fashion designer with wealth of experience living in a community where CRS’ STaR project on Stabilization and Reconciliation of the Lake chad Region funded by BMZ through KFW is implementing SILC. Mallam Sale during the cycle meeting, collected a loan of ₦25,000 which he used to purchase a BRAND-NEW ELECTRIC GENETOR to assist him in his work. He joined the group in the month of November 2019 and began saving with a sum of ₦500 in the group and had a total saving of ₦58,080 during the first cycle savings and received a total sum of ₦63,700 during the share-out. He then decided to get a NEW MOTORIZE SEWING MACHINE that costed ₦90,000, this was to enable him give out the best to his customers and to employ someone who will equally serve as an apprentice and a colleague to make his work faster and give better output to his customers. His challenge before now, was to buy another machine to replace the old one that has served him for some time now and had developed some problems but this was not possible until he joined the SILC group with conviction from one of the Field Agent in the community.

Mallam Sale thanked the STaR project team for bringing this initiative to their community and promised to utilize this opportunity, after seeing the result at the end of the first cycle.

• Mallam Muhammad Ayuba is 32years of age who hails from Libbo community and a member of Hadin Kai SILC Group in Libbo community of Shelleng LGA, Adamawa State. He is one of the many individuals supported through CRS’ STaR project on Stabilization and Reconciliation of the Lake chad Region Adamawa state precisely, funded by BMZ through KFW. He lives with his wife and 2 daughters and he specializes as a Fashion Designer in the community. Mallam Muhammad joined the group in the month of November 2019 after being convinced by one of the FAs and not capitalizing on previous experiences of fake organizations defrauding them, he began saving with a sum of ₦1,000. During the course of the first cycle, he received multiple loans to burst his business which has greatly transformed the work he does. He saved a sum of ₦72,600 during the first cycle and as earlier said, collected loans to further invest in his business by purchasing a BRAND-NEW ELECTRIC GENERATOR worth ₦25,000. During the share-out his final adjusted saving amounted to ₦15,600 and received a total sum of ₦17,150 which he used to expand his shop by purchasing more working materials such as; thread, lubrication oil, stick gums, materials and packs of needles. He also used part of the money to stock his home. His challenges before now was to get a new generator and stock his shop, so as to upgrade to modern sewing materials for his customers, this was not possible until the coming of SILC in his community.

Mallam Muhammed thanked the STaR project team for initiating the program and opportunity to his community, after receiving his shares and seeing the result at the end of the first cycle.

• Mallam Abare Sale is an indigen of LIbbo community who is 38years of age who is married to 2 wives and has 6 children (3 males and 3 females) and a member of Hadin Kai SILC Group in Libbo community of Shelleng LGA, Adamawa State where CRS’ STaR project on Stabilization and Reconciliation of the Lake chad Region funded by BMZ through KFW is implementing SILC. “For a while before the coming of your program (SILC), life has actually been difficult for me and my family as we live on the small amount I make out of my business which is, sales of provision in a small shop and during the raining season, I farm on the piece of land I inherited from my parents, but this isn’t enough for us” he said. He joined the group after being encouraged by the SILC FA in his community and not minding previous experiences of fake organizations defrauding them. During the course of the first cycle, he received loans to burst his sales of provision which proved to be quite productive and successful. He began saving in the month of November 2019 with the sum of ₦2,500 and in the end, saved a total sum of ₦35,500 during the first cycle and received a total sum of ₦39,100. He invested ₦19,500 by stocking his shop with goods. He also used ₦19,600 by investing in his farm and purchasing farming inputs and it is now farming season.

Mallam Abare was very excited with his savings and the amount he received at the end of the cycle, he thanked STaR project team for initiating this program in his community and hopes to continue saving, as he has seen the result of savings.

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