Gbankoh community, Boyoh village, Tombo environs, Western Rural District has testified to this medium that, the initiative of First Lady, Fatima Maada Jabbie Bio, in her quest to empower women is heavily brewing in their community.
Residents in the community said, women in that community have been doing series of engagements with stakeholders to work modalities on how women’s empowerment would be felt among them. In view of this, a conclusion was drawn that, the area being a fishing locality, investors seeking to do business into the area should focus priority to women’s employment. Among the few fishing investors that have yet started doing business in the area, a Foods Company that is managed by one Fatmata Fofanah aka Fatmata Big-One tops the list in women empowerment.
Madam Fofanah, while speaking to journalists said, it has ever been her passion to be a woman that would positively contribute to her fellow women since she was a child. “I grew in an environment where women find it too challenge to do as men. So I have been wishing to get the opportunity that could enable me help fellow women to stand for themselves”, she told, add that, she was so impressed by the gestures and initiatives of the First Lady whose quest is to help women’s security, and that, she has ever been mindful of what she would do to help contribute to women’s employment.
Fatmata said, even though she employs men in her company, her business is focused on buying fish mainly from women whom she said are too obvious in the fish market. “Many a times, they laboured too much without much to show as profit”, she disclosed, adding that the women that are doing business with her are really appreciating her business pursuit because they’re making more profit as compared to their past experiences in the business. “l believe in hard work as a woman but hard work without much dividend could lead to frustration,” she noted.
Further, she said, the name of her company is Amtaishpat, which comprises of four siblings with the names, Aminata, Tata, Patrick and Asha. She said she is always looking forward to cooperate with the government and the immediate community to make sure of an amicable working umbrella.
Fatmata thanked the First Lady, Fatima Maada Jabbie Bio for her help towards women and prayed that God continue to guide and protect her.
A fish seller who is doing business with Fatmata said that, she has ever started making better profit when she began business with her company.
Community Youth leader, Ibrahim Kamara said Fatmata’scompany always adhere to the needs of the community with whatever is available with her for the community’s progress.