International Women’s Day: One Inspirational Woman in Micro Enterprise
Empowering Women: Jillo’s Journey
HopeCore is celebrating International Women’s Day 2024 by spotlighting Jillo Gubal Shamzad! Jillo is from Marsabit County, a semi-arid area where educating girls is not a priority. Despite this hurdle, Jillo attended university and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Community Development from Moi University in 2013.
Jillo embodies women’s empowerment and advocates for strong community development, first as a HopeCore intern in 2012.
After completing this internship, Jillo returned to school and also volunteered at HopeCore. In 2014, she was recognized for her hard work and dedication as a volunteer and was hired as an Assistant Coordinator in the Micro Enterprise department.
Jillo has been instrumental in the growth of the Micro Enterprise department, which expanded from just six groups in 2014 to 162 groups in 2024. Her HopeCore journey reflects her commitment to learning and personal growth, ultimately leading to her promotion as department manager in 2024, while continuing her education with a Master’s in Project Planning and Management at Mt. Kenya University.
Her leadership has significantly impacted over 1200 individuals annually through sustainable livelihood programs. She has initiated innovative projects, including Filling Station, Motorbike, Dairy Goat, Strawberry Value Addition, and Poultry. These projects continue to uplift communities and inspire members to find innovative ways to expand their businesses.
Dedicated to women's empowerment, Jillo established the HopeCore Women Empowerment Group, which currently has 33 members. The group was formed to address challenges faced by women, including domestic violence and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Through saving and lending among its members, the group has grown its resources from Kshs 20,000 ($200) to over Kshs 3 million ($30,000).
Jillo's advocacy of women is evident: over 78% of funded self-help group participants and Street Business School (SBS) trained participants are women.
Celebrate Jillo 's journey this International Women's Day as she continues to promote inclusion and empowerment in the community she serves! Watch her speech below!
