Blog Empowering young women to turn bean trading into viable businesses in Eastern DRC
In eastern DRC, the Beans for Women for Empowerment (B4WE) project is helping young women rebuild and grow bean businesses through training and practical support, strengthening incomes and livelihoods amid conflict and economic uncertainty.
“I struggled to keep my bean business stocked and would often run out before the day ended. Today, I have almost tripled my daily sales. I can provide better for my children, and I am even able to save through my savings group,” Deborah Kavira says with a smile. A bean entrepreneur in North Kivu, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), she has seen her small business begin to take on a new life.
Not long ago, Deborah’s bean business was a precarious affair. She bought what she could, sold what she had, and often watched her stock disappear before the day was over. There was little room to grow, let alone save. Today, the picture is different. With more stock and better business skills, Kavira sells nearly three times as much each day. The extra income is helping her provide for her children while putting something aside for the future through her savings group. For her, the change is not simply about selling more beans, but having a business she can begin to rely on and have a little more control over what comes next.
Even for Katale Bahati, the most important change has been what she has learned to do with her business. Before the training, fluctuating bean prices could easily turn a sale into a loss. Today, she understands her margins, keeps closer track of her business and makes more deliberate decisions about when and how to sell. Her confidence has grown with her business.
“I used to sell without really knowing whether I was making a profit. Now I can calculate my margins and make better decisions, even when bean prices change,” she explains.
Bahati showcasing her Beans stock at Birere Market.
Deborah Kavira displays her bean stock at Birere Market in Goma.
Kavira and Bahati are among 13 young women in North Kivu whose experiences point to a broader shift taking place in the bean trade. In a region where conflict has repeatedly disrupted livelihoods and narrowed economic opportunities, bean trading is becoming more than a way to earn enough for the day. For these women, it is becoming a route towards resilience, independence and a more secure livelihood. Their progress is being supported through the Beans for Women Empowerment (B4WE) project in eastern DRC, financed by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
The women were selected to participate in the CHEMCHEM YA BYASHARA Business Incubator at the University of Goma, where they spent three months learning the practical skills needed to run a business. The training covered entrepreneurship, business planning and management, marketing, accounting, bean value chains, and gender and development.
