Nicsee’s Journey – A Story of True Grit, Faith, and Tenacity.
Nicsee is a soft-spoken lady with a lion heart, an entrepreneurial mind, and big dreams. But she did not live an easy life growing up in Liberia. Being the only girl among four male siblings, Nicsee started elementary school in Monrovia under the care and sponsorship of her elder brother. But when her brother passed away, she could no longer afford education and dropped out of school in grade 12 in 1991.
With only 40 cents in savings, Nicsee resorted to hawking cookies and bread on the streets to survive. It took her six whole years of hard labor before she could stop hawking. Overcoming the impossible, she managed to build her first shop in 1997. But her victory was short-lived as the government zoning department demolished her shop soon after. She was devastated, but through incredible grit, Nicsee rebuilt the shop in another location just a year later.
Despite almost unimaginable hurdles, there has been no looking back for Nicsee. Her business has been growing dramatically. In 2000, she added a second shop in another part of the city, and over the next few years, she went on to start a restaurant, a bakery, a water packaging business and bought two trucks, all while conquering challenge after challenge. Once, a Telecommunications company competed with her for a strategically located shop. Nicsee won! She says it could only be by God’s grace and favor that she got the shop.
While much of her success came from sheer God-given determination, Nicsee recognizes the invaluable help she received from Partner Worldwide’s network of support, especially our microfinance partner, Kendei Empowerment. Kendei has been a strong financial partner for her, providing capital for her businesses at critical stages. When she recently needed urgent funds to pay rent on one of her most lucrative shops, Kendei came through for her!
This large-hearted entrepreneur ascribes her business growth to the grace of God. Today, Nicsee employs 24 people across her various companies, mostly women! She uses her business proceeds to care for her family and pay tuition and fees for kids in her extended family. No family member will drop out of school again because of a lack of money!
As she was recently showing a visiting PW team around her newest shop, surrounded by her happy employees, Nicsee smiled and said, ‘the best is yet to come!' Indeed, the best is yet to come for Nicsee! We are excited to see where God takes her next!
