More than 150 women from across Greater Banjul Area gathered at the HCASSC Community Centre in Serrekunda, The Gambia, for a three-day intensive empowerment workshop focused on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and collective economic action — an event participants described as "life-changing."
The workshop, facilitated by HCASSC programme officers and two guest trainers from the Gambia Women's Finance Association, covered practical modules including: how to register and formalise a small business, basic bookkeeping and profit-loss tracking, how to access micro-loans through cooperative saving groups (known locally as "osusu"), and negotiation skills for market trading.
Participants ranged from first-time entrepreneurs to established market traders seeking to grow their businesses. Twenty-two women who completed the programme were selected for HCASSC's six-month mentorship track, pairing them with experienced businesswomen for ongoing guidance and networking support.
"I came not knowing how to separate my business money from my household money," said Fatoumata Jallow, a fabric trader from Brikama. "Now I have a proper ledger, a savings plan, and a group of women I meet with every week. I feel like a real businesswoman."
HCASSC will host two further workshops before the end of 2024 — one in the North Bank Region and one in the Upper River Region — with the aim of reaching 500 women across The Gambia by year-end. Graduates of all workshops will be eligible to apply for HCASSC's Women's Micro-Grant Fund, offering awards of up to GMD 15,000 to launch or expand a business.