So yesterday has been about making sure that the five women selected to run the business fit the criteria we set out. They need to be in dire need of help, highly motivated and passionate about the community spirit. Having spent a lot of time over the last 3 days observing and talking to women of the village the first couple were easy. We wanted the final few to be chosen by them. Doing this was a reversal of something I have to do often when facing a tricky customer - you know - when you have to make a decision but convince someone else it was there idea in order to make it happen. In this scenario the women would face future animosity by other villagers for not picking them so we wanted to blame to lie with us. We talked to the women about potential strengths and needs of other women in the community and settled on the final group. If challenged they can blame 'those guys from England'.
In the evening we invited the 5 around to dinner at the hotel to go into greater detail about the project and the bigger vision and ensure they were aware of what was expected and were prepared for the commitment. We also asked them to start thinking about a pledge that they would produce to set out the rules for the business and it's place within the community. It's the same set of rules we expect elders, community leaders and all future benefactors to agree to.
It was an amazing night. Sitting with five women who when they woke up at the start of the week would never have imagined they would finish the week as business women. They were all so happy, appreciative and excited. They've already been helping with the build and now can't wait to get stuck in to the marketing, relationship building and planning that goes into the the making of a business.
The highlight of the night, and something that will probably stick with me forever, was when I asked them about their concerns. Leah explained, through our interpreter Seb, that she was worried about how the men of the village would react. I asked Seb to explain to them word for word that whilst being respectful and understanding they must change their mindset. This belongs to them. It does not belong to the elders and it does not belong to the men of the village. If they are to make this work and see the plan through they must think differently. They must break with traditions. They must change the way things are done. They must take ownership and disrupt. Seb translated word for word and as the last syllable of the last sentence left his lips the women let out a huge cheer.
Time might prove otherwise, but it felt like a big moment for these women and for the village. There are many battles to be fought, and some may be lost, but for tonight these women were ready to take on whatever obstacle was thrown in their path to make the vision laid out for them a reality. Not just for them but for the good of future female entrepreneurs of the village.
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