Empowering Women in Agro Food Processing at MOTIE Job Fair 2025.
Buzz Women Master Trainers Fatou Camara and Awa Cham are igniting a wave of empowerment in Agro Food Processing across the Smiling Coast. This year, the MOTIE-duped job fair 2025 took place in the vibrant town of Jarra Soma, Lower River Region of the Gambia. Our dedicated master trainers have successfully equipped another 30 women with essential skills in basic food processing, including making Pepper sauce, Tomato Paste, Groundnut Cake, and Baby food. These local women, actively engaged in gardening, are now poised to reduce post-harvest losses and unlock new business and employment opportunities in the region.
With over 15 employers offering more than 300 jobs and internship opportunities across diverse sectors like health, education, construction, security, etc.
The growth potential is immense. Consultants in business development and microfinance, such as NEDI, GYIN, Startup Incubator, Light Innovation Work Place, and GTUCCU, were on hand to connect with the community. Buzz is immensely proud to contribute to this ripple of change, empowering communities with skills and knowledge to foster meaningful transformation.
“I feel I can now do anything I set my mind to.”
Vanita, a 32-year-old graduate from Dalasagere, Bangalore Rural District.. “I always wanted to do something for myself, but I didn’t know how to start,” she confessed, struggling with her shyness. Her husband, an agricultural worker, was supportive, encouraging her to pursue her dreams. “I want to encourage you to be independent,” he told her, which gave Vanita the confidence she needed. Her journey began when she learned about the Vyapar training program/entrepreneurship training program through Gelathi (Community Anchor). She enrolled in August 2024, eager to gain entrepreneurial skills. She was keen on opening a beauty parlor as she had previously completed a beautician course. During the Vyapar program, she did a refresher course on beauty costing her Rs. 48,000 which she borrowed from her friend.
Despite her hesitations, she found courage through the program and soon started publicizing her skills through WhatsApp and conversations with her neighbors. By November 2024, she began receiving calls for makeup services and started her business from home or by visiting clients. To fund her venture, Vanita needed an initial investment of 2 lakh rupees. She took a loan of Rs.50,000 from her self-help group, mortgaged her jewellery for Rs. 80,000, borrowed Rs.50,000 from her husband and used her own savings of Rs. 20,000. Notably, her mother-in-law, who had taken the same training (started sheep farming), was extremely supportive of Vanita’s aspirations. Their relationship deepened as they started discussing business ideas together.
Through her hard work, Vanitha now earns an average of Rs. 80,000 per month. Committed to financial independence, she has already repaid Rs. 30,000 of SHG loan. Her husband, proud of her achievements, assured her that she didn’t need to repay him, considering it his support for her journey. However, determined to stand on her own, she has already returned Rs. 30,000 to him as well. Additionally, she cleared Rs. 48,000 borrowed from a friend for a refresher course. Now, she is focused on saving enough to reclaim her gold jewelry from mortgage in a single payment. Alongside this, she manages to save Rs. 5,000 in a chit fund to invest in the beauty academy she plans to start.
Her engagement with the Vyapar program further enhanced her skills. Vanita said, “I learned how to build a customer base” and this knowledge helped her improve her communication and confidence. After completing a Self Shakti by Gelathi /financial literacy program taken by Community Anchor in October 2024, she not only set financial goals of setting up a beautician academy and complete construction of her own house, but also began tracking her household expenses, identifying patterns in her spending. This accountability led her to eliminate unnecessary purchases.
As Vanita gained confidence, she was elected as a representative in local society elections, a role that allowed her to meet with other village representatives and advocate for her community’s needs. “Winning the election was a huge deal for me,” she stated proudly, reflecting on her earlier shyness. Now, she helps connect her village with necessary government resources, reinforcing her community standing. Looking towards the future, Vanita aspires to start a beautician academy, leveraging her beauty business’s success. She is actively seeking a space to launch the academy. Despite her new responsibilities, she remains grateful for the immense support from her husband and mother-in-law, believing that this encouragement was crucial in her journey. Vanita said, “I’m proud of how much I’ve changed and grown. I feel I can now do anything I set my mind to.”
This woman is catalysing young green advocates
In the village of V. Battarahalli in Chikballapur District, Lakshmidevi, a 38-year-old graduate, lives with her mother and three daughters. She is a widow and works as a Kannada teacher. She and her mother jointly run a flour mill, care for three cattle, and engage in agriculture.
She learned about Buzz in June 2024 through an Anganwadi teacher. Passionate about learning, she participated in the Self-Shakti/financial literacy program.”When I learned about maintaining books of accounts, I realized I had never tracked my income properly. After keeping track, I discovered that I was earning a monthly income of Rs. 30,000,” she recalled.
In June 2024, immediately after the training, she began saving a minimum of Rs. 200 daily in her hundi (A cash box or money box kept at home.). By February 2025, she realized that the amount had grown to Rs. 55,000. In March 2025, she used this amount to retrieve her gold jewellery, which she had mortgaged to run the household and provide for her daughters’ education when she was unable to work for a year.”I didn’t realize how savings could change my financial situation until I started this practice,” Lakshmi admitted.
In September 2024 she enrolled in the Green Program, focusing on ecological initiatives. She sought to improve her knowledge further, saying, “I wanted to quench my thirst for knowledge and share it with my students.” Lakshmi’s interest in sustainability, particularly in agriculture, blossomed through the Green Program. She learned about critical topics such as water usage, soil types, and local produce cultivation. Inspired by these lessons, she implemented a kitchen garden at home in December 2024, planting chilies, okra, brinjal, and greens for her family’s consumption. This initiative allowed her to save about Rs. Rs.500 rupees weekly, significantly easing her household budget. “I used to spend a lot on vegetables, but now I grow them myself,” she explained proudly. Utilising household waste water—like the water used from washing rice and vegetables, water for mopping the house—and cow dung as manure has made her garden thriving and sustainable.
She also learned about the benefits of mixed cropping during the training. As part of the curriculum, the ‘Seeds Exchange Program’ was conducted in January 2025, where women exchanged seeds among themselves. Through this program, she received seeds for ridge gourd, bitter gourd, and various greens, which she then planted in her kitchen garden.
Lakshimi also coaches children in the village learning center (Kalike Kendra) earning Rs.200 per month. Lakshmi’s teaching role in her school and also at a local NGO allows her to promote eco-friendly practices among her students. She has integrated lessons on soil types, water conservation, and sustainable gardening into her curriculum. “I want to teach my students the importance of these practices at an early age so they cultivate a habit of caring for our planet,” she stated passionately.
Buzz Field Associate noted, “Whenever there’s a training program, Lakshmi makes it a point to attend, always eager to learn and apply what she can to her teachings.”She continues to encourage her students and fellow villagers to adopt similar habits for a better future. In the coming years, she plans to widen her impact by instilling sustainable practices within her community, ensuring that the lessons of today sow the seeds for a greener tomorrow.
Taking inspiration from her, the parents of school children have started kitchen gardens. The Buzz Field Associate shares that during her visits to the village, she now sees no waste littering the grounds or public spaces. Both children and their parents are actively working to keep their surroundings clean. Lakshmidevi is not just a teacher; she is a beacon of hope, teaching her children the importance of sustainability and the value of knowledge for a better life.
