Growing up, I faced fear of early marriage and endured abuse by my aunt, who raised me. Despite these challenges, I completed my secondary education in 2022 with determination and dreams of my own. I refused to be married off at a young age and decided to rewrite my own story.

I was selected for the vocational and entrepreneurship training program implemented by Neem Foundation and supported by the French Embassy in Nigeria to learn tailoring. Being the eldest daughter in a poor family of eight, I had little means of survival. Joining the program was a lifeline for me.

Also, I have learned cosmetology and tailoring, and I have started sewing clothes and producing homemade cosmetics. I sell these products and display them on social media to increase my customer base.

Furthermore, I joined the ” adashe” savings group to save money for my passion: furthering my education, building my business, supporting my siblings through school, and serving as a role model in my community. I am grateful to the Neem Foundation’s FSPI-R project, funded by the French Embassy in Nigeria. Without a doubt, the project is empowering women and girls like me who are at risk and survivors of gender-based violence and other harmful practices in Northwest Nigeria.