What We Do
We elevate the long-term economic well-being of Congolese women by helping them build thriving, sustainable businesses through microgrants and skills training programs.
Microgrants
The founder of Saidiana recognized the great entrepreneurial spirit of the women of The Democratic Republic of Congo. Small grants are the fuel for this spirit, allowing these women to put their business dreams into action. Saidiana’s microgrants enable Congolese women, previously not served by other lending or grant-making organizations, the ability to start new businesses or enhance existing ones. Through the financial support of our grant-giving model, these women now how the economic freedom to use their skills to earn money to feed and clothe their children. Sadiana works to uphold the standard of building long-lasting sustainable businesses, promoting economic stability for future generations to come.
Chicken Incubator Project (2022)
A group of three women applied for a grant from Saidiana to help them start a Chicken incubator business. The objective of the chicken incubator was to help the women hatch their own chicks because finding chicks to raise them proved to be difficult. The women also needed capital to expand their existing chicken-raising businesses and did not have enough capital to buy the right investments and start incubating eggs into chicks. Before Saidiana granted the grant request, they had to travel several kilometers to buy small chicks to raise on their own. This limited their profits and limited how many chicks they would raise. In order to grow their business, Saidiana was able to grant them a funding request and the women were able to buy an eggs incubator and raise their own chicks. This increase how many chicks they were able to hatch and grow into chickens which were then sold at the local market.
Chicken Raising
A group of three women filled a grand request to help fund their new business of raising chickens who needed to build a chicken coop. The women wanted to start this business because they have 22 children who depended on them, and they wanted to create a sustainable income to raise them. Their request included buying chicks, chick feed, and building a chicken house among others.
After Saidiana approved their grant request, the women were able to raise three groups of chickens which were sold at market value and each group consisted of at least 100 chicks. The women were able to generate profits from their business adventure and spent their profits on starting other businesses.
Rental of Catering Equipment Expansion
A group of three women who were raising 12 children wanted to expand their existing business that would help their community and allow them to earn a decent living to raise their children. They wanted to start renting out catering equipment to families who had big occasions and make it easier for people to come together and celebrate as a community. They would rent out the equipment to families having weddings, graduation parties, and funerals. Saidiana approved their grant request to buy catering equipment such as chairs, cooking pots, glasses, generators, and others and started the businesses they desired to have.
On average, three months after starting their business the revenue grew by 138% every three months and they were able to generate enough profits to fund another local business. By working with Saidiana the women were able to be independent and support each other.
Sewing School
The sewing school stands as Saidiana's cornerstone of commitment to long -term endeavors for the women in Lubumbashi. Each cohort of women enrolled in the program immerses themselves in mastering fundamental sewing skills, crafting school uniforms, and creating garments to sell in local markets. As they complete their training, each graduate is equipped with a sewing machine and essential supplies, empowering them to embark on their entrepreneurial journey, stitching together their own futures.
Hair Salon Internship
Saidiana’s Hair Salon Internship program aimed to empower young mothers by providing them with business skills, equipment, and knowledge to start their own hair salon businesses. The program helped the young moms transition from beautification school into their careers by providing them with internships that offered a small income and experience to get hired and start a successful life. With funding from Saidiana, the project successfully trained five young moms to start their own businesses, and the grants used covered monthly expenses such as rent, water, and electricity. By the end of the year, we trained 10 young moms in total to start their entrepreneurial journey in the hair salon business. The project had a positive impact on the community, promoting financial autonomy and self-sufficiency among young women.
