From a Single Car to a Nationwide Fleet
Esther lived in the west African city of Jos, Nigeria, with her husband and their four young children. With so many people to feed, money was tight. Esther needed to find an extra source of income.
Armed with determination and a single Toyota Camry, Esther founded a transportation service, which she named Nengee Smart Logistics and Transportation. Alone, Esther took up the position of sole driver. In no time, her efficiency and dedication to service began to gain recognition throughout the region.
Despite her initial success, Esther encountered her fair share of hurdles in her entrepreneurial journey. She wrestled with the fear of navigating a male dominated transportation industry. Her recordkeeping needed help. And she struggled with how to better integrate her faith with her work.
What she needed was a partner.
Embracing the Call to Business
In 2023, Esther found exactly what she was looking for. She joined Virtuous Women Credit and Loan Cooperative Society, a group of Christian businesswomen in Jos who empower entrepreneurs like Esther.
Through this local partner of Partners Worldwide, Esther attended the PW microenterprise training, where she learned not only how to manage her business more efficiently, but that business itself is a holy calling.
“The most valuable lesson for me was knowing that while doing my business it can be holistic, Godly, and without worldly compromise,” Esther said. “My business is also a channel through which I can minister the love and mercy of Christ to those who come in contact with the business.”
From One Car to a Fleet of Vehicles
In addition to the training and fellowship Esther received through Virtuous Women, she also experienced for the first time the ease of accessing loans. In Nigeria, where 98% of women have no access to formal credit, access to capital can be lifechanging. Such was the case with Esther.
Through her newfound access to capital, Esther was able to expand her business. More cars meant meeting a growing demand, but it also meant providing employment for people in her community; people with families of their own to provide for.
Today, Esther oversees a fleet of nine vans and employs 11 people, providing transportation services to five major cities in Nigeria. But her ambition doesn’t end there: within the next five years, Esther plans to expand into all 36 Nigerian states. With faith and partnership, she’ll be able to make this dream a reality.
You Helped Esther Create Impact
Thanks to you, Esther has been able to grow her business from a single Toyota Camry to an operation with the potential to reach markets in every corner of the country.
Your support for Partners Worldwide makes it possible for people like Esther to get access to the resources they need; resources that empower them to dream big, live out their calling as redemptive business owners, and provide a way out of poverty for their families and communities.
April 18, 2024