More than 100 grassroots women mostly subsistence farmers and petty traders have received practical leadership and business training designed to boost their income-generating activities and improve community well-being. The one-day workshop, held in Buzunkure, a rural community in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was organised by ENS Innovation Hub Ltd. and White Gold Initiative, in partnership with the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC).
The training, themed “Leading Self to Lead Others,” focused on empowering women with the skills and mindset needed to grow their small businesses, manage resources more effectively, and become change agents in their communities. Through interactive sessions tailored to their daily realities, participants explored ways to strengthen money management, improve entrepreneurship practices, and develop leadership capacity starting from the individual level.
Facilitator and co-founder of ENS Innovation Hub Ltd. Shirley Igbinedion highlighted the importance of self-leadership as the foundation for business and community transformation. She explained that building confidence, setting achievable goals, and exercising discipline with resources are essential steps toward leading others and sustaining growth.
Participants engaged in storytelling, group discussions, and role plays that mirrored real-life challenges faced by rural women entrepreneurs. A key lesson was the “three pots” money management method dividing income into business, family, and savings which helps women plan better and reinvest profits. They also discussed simple but effective ways to add value to their businesses, such as repackaging farm produce or bundling complementary goods to increase sales.
At the end of the workshop, each woman committed to a concrete action she would take within a month to improve her farm or trade. Many described the training as transformative. “I never thought about separating my money before. Now I know I must save for the future, not just spend everything,” said Hauwa, a petty trader. Grace, a local farmer, added, “The stories shared today showed me that I can start small and still grow my business.”
Beyond individual impact, the organisers said the programme underscores how targeted capacity-building initiatives can transform grassroots economies. By equipping rural women with leadership skills, financial discipline, and entrepreneurial strategies, such interventions not only strengthen household livelihoods but also contribute to the resilience and growth of local micro and small enterprises vital drivers of Africa’s economic development.
