BizATE

Creating opportunities for people to launch and grow businesses, increase profits and employ others is at the heart of our work. Sustainable businesses build resilient communities.

Our BizATE programme was born in 2012, when women at an HIV workshop told us they had skills and the motivation to work hard, but no money to run to buy the equipment they needed. The wider community told us the same – talented, hardworking people without the resources to get started. A handful of budding entrepreneurs were given grants, training and mentoring – and that was the start!

Since then, we have enabled 135 businesses (including 24 dry season farms) to thrive. Profits of our latest cohort have almost tripled since we began supporting them. Business owners report they have more customers, their business is more sustainable, they have been able to diversify.

On average, we spend £1000 launching and supporting each business – with kickstart grants, 12 months of mentoring and 2 years access to entrepreneurial and financial skills training. The impact of that £1000 ripples through families and communities, and into the future.