Success Stories

Breaking Barriers: How Ramlat and Aisha Transformed Small Grants into Thriving Enterprises

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By Aisha Suleiman Ahmad and Roselyn Odeh

In the rural communities of Yandutse and Walawa in Jigawa State, northern Nigeria, a quiet economic revolution is taking place led by young women who once had limited options. Ramlat Abdulhameed (19) and Aisha Isah (18) exemplify how targeted support can unlock extraordinary potential in married adolescent girls who face systemic barriers to economic independence. When we first met Ramlat, she was selling rice by the cupful, operating at the margins of subsistence. Her contemporary, Aisha, harboured dreams of becoming a professional tailor but lacked both equipment and capital. Like thousands of young married women across northern Nigeria, their aspirations were constrained not by ability, but by opportunity. “I knew I could do more, but I didn’t have the means to grow,” recalls Ramlat, whose determination remained undiminished despite her circumstances.

Everything changed when both women enrolled in A360’s Optimised Life, Family, and Health (OLFH) programme. This comprehensive intervention goes beyond traditional microfinance by combining business mentorship with essential life skills development. Through structured sessions on goal setting, business planning, and financial management, participants gained both practical knowledge and a supportive community. The programme’s innovative group savings mechanism provided their first taste of capital formation. “Even with small contributions, we saw how our money could grow when we worked together,” explains Aisha, who began selling modest quantities of pepper while carefully building her savings.

The transformative moment came through A360’s strategic partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs in Jigawa State. This collaboration—built on years of trust and shared objectives—resulted in a seed grant initiative that awarded ₦50,000 to 30 selected programme participants, including Ramlat and Aisha. From A360’s perspective, “this wasn’t just money, it was an investment in proven potential. These young women had already demonstrated commitment through their participation and initial savings efforts,” emphasises the programme assistant who manages the project component. The outcomes speak volumes about the programme’s effectiveness.

Ramlat has expanded from selling cups of rice to trading in full bags of diverse commodities including rice, wheat, pepper, charcoal, and millet. Her customer base has multiplied, and she now consistently saves ₦20,000 monthly—a transformative shift from her previous inability to save at all.

Aisha has diversified into selling both peppers and tailoring supplies, including beads, threads, and decorative materials while building her skills as a tailor. Despite still sharing a sewing machine with her co-wife, she manages to save ₦10,000 monthly and is on track to purchase her own equipment.

What distinguishes the OLFH intervention is its self-perpetuating impact. Both women have become community change agents, collectively mentoring 40 other married adolescent girls—providing guidance on business development and financial access. “When you empower a young woman economically, you transform not just her life, but her family and community,” notes a programme officer from the State Ministry of Women Affairs. “Ramlat and Aisha are now role models demonstrating that financial independence is achievable.”

As northern Nigeria continues to address complex socioeconomic challenges, the stories of Ramlat and Aisha offer compelling evidence that modest investments, when strategically deployed within comprehensive programmes, can yield remarkable returns. “What begins as a small grant becomes a pathway to dignity, security, and leadership,” says the project director. “These young women aren’t just building businesses—they’re building a new narrative about what’s possible.” Their journeys from marginal subsistence to thriving entrepreneurship demonstrate that with intentional support, a determination can indeed overcome circumstance—one sale, one stitch, and one saved naira at a time.

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