A group of women in the area of Group Village Head Golden under Traditional Authority Chekucheku in Neno district are in a drive to economically empower themselves through small-scale business. The development comes following a community-based production line they have established through which they are producing Petroleum Jelly and Soap which they sell locally.

Concerned Youth Organization under COL4D’s Empowering Women & Girls project provided technical skills in Petroleum Jelly and Soap making to a group of 60 women in GVH Golden in 2024. As part of promoting community ownership to ensure sustainability, the project only provided materials that were used during the training sessions. At the end of the sessions, the groups were encouraged to locally mobilize funds to serve as capital to start a community-based production line.

Following successful resources mobilization, the group managed to procure soap and petroleum jelly raw materials with support from CYO staff and started the production line. The income realized from the business is expected to boost the women’s financial freedom as they will be able to generate income and support in meeting basic needs in their respective households rather than completely looking up to their husbands.

The project under which CYO supported these women seeks to achieve improved realization of human rights and a life of dignity for women and girls from disadvantaged communities in the defined geographical areas. CYO is implementing the project with financial support from Canada’s Foreign Policy—Global Affairs Canada through Commonwealth of Learning