Helping a Young Entrepreneur Rebuild Her Livelihood
Volunteer: Becky
At the Empowered Servants Global Initiative (ESGI), we believe that one act of kindness can become the turning point in someone’s story. Many people carry burdens that are invisible to those around them—struggles that threaten their livelihood, their dreams, and even their hope for the future. Through our outreaches, we seek not only to meet practical needs but also to remind people that God sees them and cares deeply about their circumstances.
This week’s outreach from Abuja tells the story of a resilient young woman whose small business was brought to a standstill by a painful act of dishonesty, and how a timely intervention helped restore her hope.
An Encounter During Evangelism
During an evangelism outreach to Suleja, the volunteer met a young woman named Xxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx.
As they spoke, she began to share her life story—a testimony marked by hardship, perseverance, and an unwavering determination to survive despite difficult circumstances.
Behind her smile was a young woman carrying the weight of responsibilities and setbacks that would challenge even the strongest person.
Growing Up Without a Father
She explained that she comes from a family of six children and is the second-to-last child in the family.
Their lives changed dramatically when they lost their father while they were still very young.
Without a father to provide for the family, life became increasingly difficult. Like many families facing similar circumstances, they had to find ways to survive with limited resources and opportunities.
Determined to improve her situation, she later moved to Abuja to stay with her aunt in search of a better future.
Building a Future Through Hard Work
Despite the challenges she faced, she refused to give up.
With financial support gathered from family members and well-wishers, she was able to raise a small amount of capital to start a business.
However, the funds available were not enough to fully establish the venture.
Undeterred, she adopted a creative approach to business. She began collecting goods on credit, selling them, paying back her suppliers, and then obtaining more stock.
In addition to this, she diversified her income by:
Selling masa
Selling puff-puff
Operating a small POS business
Through hard work and determination, she gradually built a means of livelihood for herself.
A Devastating Setback
A few weeks before the outreach, tragedy struck her business.
While attending to a large number of customers, a man approached her POS stand to carry out a transaction.
He claimed to have transferred ₦16,000 to her account.
Because she was overwhelmed by the crowd and pressure from other waiting customers, she allowed him to leave after taking his phone number, planning to confirm the payment afterward.
Unfortunately, when she later checked her account, she discovered that the money had never been received.
She immediately began calling the customer, but he repeatedly gave excuses and delayed resolving the matter.
Eventually, he stopped responding altogether.
When One Loss Changes Everything
For many established businesses, a loss of ₦16,000 might be manageable.
For this young entrepreneur, it was devastating.
The money represented a significant portion of her working capital.
Since she had obtained many of her goods on credit, the loss meant she could no longer repay her suppliers.
Without the ability to settle her debts, she could not obtain additional stock, effectively bringing her business activities to a halt.
What had taken months of effort to build was suddenly thrown into crisis by a single dishonest act.
A Heart Filled With Despair
By the time the volunteer met her, she was still deeply distressed by what had happened.
She spoke through tears, unsure of how she would recover financially or rebuild the business she had worked so hard to establish.
The loss had affected not only her finances but also her confidence and hope for the future.
She felt trapped and uncertain about what her next steps should be.
A Timely Act of Compassion
Moved by her story and determination, the volunteer felt led to provide practical support through ESGI.
A sum of ₦10,000 was given to help her begin rebuilding her business and take the first step toward recovery.
Although it did not replace everything she had lost, it provided much-needed encouragement and a foundation upon which she could start again.
For someone who had almost given up hope, the support came as a powerful reminder that she was not alone.
Joy Replaces Tears
The young woman was overwhelmed with gratitude.
What touched her most was not merely the financial assistance but the realization that God had remembered her during a difficult season.
Filled with emotion and thanksgiving, she exclaimed:
“Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for loving me and for coming through for me.”
In that moment, tears of sorrow were replaced with tears of gratitude and renewed hope.
Empowering Resilience
This outreach highlights the importance of supporting hardworking individuals who are striving to create better lives for themselves despite adversity.
Many small business owners operate with limited resources, making them particularly vulnerable to unexpected setbacks.
A timely intervention can mean the difference between giving up and starting again.
At ESGI, we remain committed to empowering individuals, strengthening livelihoods, and helping people rediscover hope in the midst of challenges.
Conclusion
This week’s outreach from Abuja is a beautiful reminder that even in moments of disappointment and loss, God is still at work.
Through the generosity of ESGI supporters and the compassion of dedicated volunteers, a young entrepreneur who had nearly lost hope received the encouragement and support needed to begin rebuilding her future.
We are grateful to everyone who continues to make these life-changing interventions possible.
Together, we are restoring hope, empowering resilience, and demonstrating the love of Christ—one life, one family, and one community at a time.
To God alone be all the glory.