A Graduation and A Grand Opening
The day dawned sunny and cool one Saturday in the middle of March. Preparations were being made at the offices of the Ministry of Social Services and the Advancement of Women. The culmination of over a year of hard work and training had led to this momentous moment: the first cohort of women from Sahara Partners’ business internship program was graduating. The six interns arrived bright-eyed and excited. Friends, family, and staff members from several organizations as well as representation from a local news media outlet were present to watch these six talented young women graduate from their business internship.
Two of the interns gave speeches at the graduation thanking Sahara Partners staff for their mentorship and support, summarizing what they have learned the past year, and expressing their hopes for the future.
The director of the business internship program also shared her about thoughts about the success of the first cohort of women graduating:
“I am so proud of these women. Each of them has faced with the real life problems and complications of starting a business. They have shown determination in learning complex business concepts and in thinking through the specific details that make businesses function successfully . . . Not only have I trained these women but I also have learned from them. I’ve learned more about valuing relationships [and] doing things collaboratively . . . [The interns] have made sacrifices to be here, and as a result of those sacrifices, they have become better citizens and women. My hope and prayer for these women is that they will succeed not only in business but in life.”
The day after graduation, Sahara Partners opened up a second new women’s business internship training program in a different camp. A group of five women were selected to participate in the internship program. Like their predecessors, this new cohort of women will be learning business principles through hands-on experience as they run a secondhand children’s clothing store in the same location as the new business internship program. One of the interns was also appointed as manager, and she has shown herself to be an invaluable asset to the smooth running of the day-to-day operations of the secondhand children’s clothing store as well as assisting with the business internship training sessions.
The new interns are learning business principles such as: record keeping, customer management, pricing, marketing, managing business losses, important entrepreneurial skills, and the development of a successful business plan. Additionally, this year’s course offers a new focus on using the computer, and interns are being trained in using Google drive, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, and other computer programs to track, log, and improve business practices. All of the five interns have previous business training or experience and are showing themselves to be capable young women that approach their studies with diligence and enthusiasm.
Currently, in addition to training interns at the second location, the director of the business internship program is in the midst of the selection process for a new cohort of women at the original business internship training center. This second group of interns will begin their studies in the fall.
Congratulations to our first group of graduates and a warm welcome to the new cohort of interns!
