Meet Evaline Nasary from Arusha. A 42 years mother of 3 children (2 girls and one 1 boy) aged of 17, 12, and 7. She is married to Jacob Nasary, who is 54 years old. Evaline and her family are living in a block made house with iron sheet roof contain two bed room and a sitting room. Evaline is a member of Zawadi group with 20 members. They were motivated to join HIHEA TZ since the projects focus on improving farmer’s efficiency and support rural dwellers in establishing sustainable enterprises as well and gender training which will change their lives.
Before joining Hand in Hand, the Zawadi group members had difficulties with savings, business records, and family communication. Previously, Evaline could afford to make TZS 90,000/= per month by selling vegetables at home, that income was not enough to meet her family’s needs. Whereas her husband was doing farming activities but his income was not full contributed to the household income as they were not sharing their income and expenses.
After Evaline attended the training and participated in community event with her husband she declared after the event there is good communication in their family and they share income and expenses of the family and discussing family budget as well as going together to their working place. Moreover, Evaline said the life was difficult before gender training as there was no good communication and cooperation within the family and male dominance system was taking over in her family.
The most important thing she learn from HIHEATZ training is saving technics that she acquired, how to keep business records, how to prepare financial plan. She decided to use the knowledge of entrepreneurship she was taught by adding another enterprise of buying cereals (maize and beans) from farmers and sell it at NGARENANYUKI market to earn more income. Currently she can earn 160,000 tshs per month, the income uplifted has helped them to meet family needs including food, children school and medical expenses