Gunjur - On Wednesday, 27th November 2024, the ‘Julaya-silo’ programme under BE REEL successfully expanded into two new groups in Gunjur. To date, four clusters - Gunjur Missira, Fabaidaa, Freetown, and Berenkan have participated in this programme.
A total of 28 women entrepreneurs have benefited, including twelve in the pilot phase and sixteen in the subsequent phase. The ‘Julaya-silo’ component is designed for individuals with limited or no formal education, enabling their participation in contrast to the main BE REEL micro-business training, which is conducted in English.
BE REEL initiated this programme in response to community feedback and recommendations to include those who lack formal education and were previously unable to join the main business training. Initial data from recent participants reveals a common profile: limited access to business training, leading to insufficient business management knowledge. Challenges include ineffective money management, such as not differentiating personal income from business earnings, and a conservative approach to savings, often avoiding the use of bank accounts.
The month-long, weekly training sessions provided participants with the opportunity to learn and apply vital micro-business management skills. The ‘Julaya-silo’ topics include money management, separating personal and business finances, managing credit sales, customer service, and more, all designed to enhance their income-generating capabilities. The programme commits to support visits to monitor progress, aiming to help participants improve their businesses and achieve greater financial autonomy, thus elevating their standard of living.
Ms. Mansey Jabang-Janneh, a dynamic and emerging female entrepreneur dedicated to continuous improvement, spearheads the BE REEL Julaya-silo programme. She is supported by the BE REEL team, which includes its founder Dr. Nicolan Swan, Senior Professor Dr. Trevor Long, and local staff such as Mr. Lamin Ba Touray, the Senior Programme Officer, and Buba K. Touray, the Programme Director. BE REEL upholds inclusion and equality policies, consistently updated to align with local and international standards based on continuous feedback, thus enhancing the programme’s quality and scope.
The charity is partnering with stakeholders and communities to integrate an expanded version of the Julaya-silo programme starting early next year.
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