Kadey: One Mother’s Story of Hard Work & Determination

We came across Kadey in the local open air market, noticing that she was one of the only women with a baby strapped onto her back while she worked. A toddler slept on the dirt floor between the stalls. With concern evident in her voice, Kadey pointed to the little guy on the ground, “My son is sick with fever.”  She was strikingly beautiful, radiating a tangible warmth with a stunning smile that spread effortlessly to everyone around her. Even while busy selling rice, peppers, onions, oil and seasonings, she graciously took time to speak with us, expressing gratitude that she was able to participate in the grantee program, “Salone Rising.”

Salone Rising (Krio for Sierra Leone Rising) is a non-profit program that supports promising small business owners in Sierra Leone, West Africa. From the website salonerising.org:

“The mission is to empower and improve the lives of people and families in Sierra Leone by providing motivated business owners with micro-grants, business loans, training programs and mentoring opportunities to help them obtain their goals.” 

Thanks to so many who have generously partnered with us, it was beyond exciting to welcome 60 new grantees into this program in 2021!

While we have focused more on sharing the stories of the 17 daughters of MamaLand Children’s Village on our blog, Salone Rising is a hugely impactful and important part of the partnership in Sierra Leone. We were tremendously inspired to meet quite a few of the over 360 participants and 6 staff members of this program, a few of which we will be featuring in upcoming posts.

We asked Kadey if we could set up a time to talk with her more in her home and to meet some of her 5 sons. She sweetly agreed. As we pulled up to her solid-looking, square, cement home we saw laundry drying on a nearby line, neighborhood kids curiously looking on, heard a rooster crowing well past the morning hour and were warmly welcomed by Kadey and her sons, sitting along the porch wall.  As we talked, her youngest baby nursed, slipping contentedly in and out of blissful sleep. 

Kadey freely shared her story. She is a 40-year-old married woman with 5 sons, ranging from 19 to an infant. Her voice changed as she lamented the challenges life has thrown her way. Her father stood nearby as we spoke, his arm missing from the devastating Civil War Sierra Leone has endured. Kadey’s husband was a driver but got very sick and has been unable to work for the past 4 years. As the sole breadwinner for her family, she felt hopeful when she heard about the Salone Rising program. Kadey joined the long waiting list to participate and began meeting with fellow potential grantees 3 years ago for training sessions to demonstrate how motivated she was to join the program. When funds came in a year ago for more grantees to enroll, she was thrilled.

So it was a year ago that Kadey received her grant, continued the business training to add to her already solid knowledge base, was assisted in opening up her first-ever savings account at the bank and saw her business take off. As a savvy business woman, she decided to join forces with several other grantees in the market. They work together as a team, pooling their resources which ultimately has increased their buying and selling capabilities, resulting in increased profits and supportive camaraderie.

She went on to say, “Most of the burden to support our families is left on the women here. I had very little business before Salone Rising came along but now I have my own capital to buy goods.” It is the indescribable hard work, entrepreneurial spirit and tenacity of the hundreds of mostly women in this program that is the driving force behind such remarkable progress. This program comes alongside these women to multiply their skills, their ingenuity and their earning potential.

As our time drew to close, this soft-spoken mother became very serious, an urgency apparent in her voice. With the help of our translator her words were unmistakable,

“A lot more women want to join this program. I am pleading with you to include more women. My husband and I were not educated. We want better for our kids. We want to fight for them to have better lives than we do. Please help us!”

The tears that we had been futilely holding back came when Kadey then proudly pointed to her home behind her, beaming with pride, “This house was built from my business!” She gave us a warm, tight hug as we promised to do whatever possible to expand this program.

As we pulled away, I looked back to see Kadey and her sons smiling broadly, waving vigorously at us, the baby now awake from his nap.

This experience left me breathless.

Humbled.

Motivated.

Inspired.

The grant that Kadey had received was $150. I couldn’t help but think about how I rarely walk out of a single Costco trip without spending $150+, without much to show for it. As we have shared before, 53% of people in Sierra Leone are trying to survive on $1.25 a day. Money goes so much farther in Sierra Leone, making a much bigger impact than we can fathom. Lives are being changed, not because of what we are doing but because of who we are investing in…hardworking, persevering, resourceful and empowered women, mothers, wives, and business owners who are transforming their lives, their families and their communities for the better, one cup of rice at a time.

If this story resonated with you and you would like to see your $150 go farther than you can imagine, perhaps you would consider donating below to provide a grant for a woman currently on the waiting list to join this program?