A nineteen-year-old from Nigeria is gaining skills and confidence to grow her business and inspire others.
Nineteen-year-old Nigerian Aisha Aminu is building a life full of hope and promise. Born with a physical disability, Aisha has faced many challenges growing up in a society where opportunities for girls with disabilities are often limited. Yet, thanks to the love and support of her mother and her participation in a project led by Sightsavers, she is now harnessing her potential to create the future she wants for herself.
A senior secondary student, Aisha has always had the determination to test her potential. With her mother’s support, she did not let her disability define her. Her prospects and confidence improved further after joining the the SABI-Woman (Strengthening Access to Business Education and Inclusion) initiative from Sightsavers, which aims to improve the financial know-how and economic inclusion of girls and young women with disabilities.
Before joining the SABI-WOMAN project, Aisha felt unsure about how to navigate the business world. “I used to sell fabrics online, but I didn’t have a plan. I had no real marketing skills and didn’t know how to compete with others,” she explains.
Through a series of trainings, Aisha has gained practical business skills, including how to handle market competition. “One of the most impactful lessons for me was about market competition. I used to worry about competing with my friends who are also selling fabrics, but now I have a strategy. I feel confident that I can do well.”
The project has not only provided Aisha with tools for her business but has also shifted her perception on achieving her potential. Aisha hopes to become successful businesswoman who can employ others and give them a source of livelihood.
She’s also passionate about inspiring other girls with disabilities to avoid circumstances that make them vulnerable. “I want to tell girls like me not to go to the streets. There are bad people who will use you. Instead, find a way to build yourself up, like I am doing.”
For Aisha, the future is bright, and her confidence is growing daily. “Sightsavers has a good strategy for encouraging people with disabilities to achieve great things in life,” she says. “I see my friends looking happier and more confident, just like me.”
Sightsavers is supported by the Girls’ Education and Skills Partnership (GESP) from UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited to equip girls and young women in Nigeria like Aisha with high-quality, market-relevant skills that prepare them to access opportunities for economic empowerment.
*UNICEF does not endorse any brand, company, product or service.
Author:
Karen Reidy