Thank you for your generosity, which has given Mrs. Susanti the opportunity to expand her stock and receive business guidance to help support her family.
Mrs. Susanti, affectionately known as Mama Tian, lives with her husband and two children in a small settlement surrounded by public cemeteries. The family relies mainly on her husband’s income as a church security guard. Despite their financial struggles, “Praise God” is a phrase she often uses when sharing about her daily life.
To help meet her family’s needs, Mrs. Susanti had already started a small business on her own. She had customers, but limited capital made it difficult to purchase more equipment and stock.
Through her children’s participation in the School of Life program, we met Mrs. Susanti and learned about the challenges she faced.
Following that meeting, OBI reached out to the family and provided a display case, staple goods, business supplies, a banner, and a sign to help promote her shop. She also attended training on managing business capital and bookkeeping. With guidance from a facilitator, Mrs. Susanti learned to keep financial records so she could monitor her business’s progress.
She quickly put the assistance to use. In addition to selling staple goods, she used some of the ingredients to make fried snacks, which sold out every day during the early stages. She also received daily coffee orders for a time from a nearby food stall.
However, her business journey has not always been smooth. As similar vendors opened nearby, customers had more options, and her sales declined compared with the first month. To reach more buyers, Mrs. Susanti was encouraged to promote her shop through WhatsApp groups and her church community.
As of August, her shop remained open. She continued restocking to meet her customers’ needs. Ongoing guidance is helping her manage her finances and develop her business amid growing competition.
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Obor Berkat