Young mother’s DREAMS come true
Four years ago, Beata Moses reached a crossroads. With a grade 10 high school certificate and unemployed, the 20-year-old found herself trying to navigate the demands of being a young, single mother.
US Embassy Public Affairs Officer and Spokesperson, Tiffany Miller on 17 May stated that Beata and the father of baby Tulela had split up during pregnancy, and he provided neither emotional nor financial support for the baby, which added to her challenges.
“Beata’s parents passed away while she was still in school, leaving her in the care of her grandmother and namesake, Beata Frans, who is a pensioner and life in the Onangombe village, located in the Oshikoto region has become more and more difficult. From Beata’s perspective, her future and that of her baby look dire,” she added.
Beata said that despite her best efforts to juggle both motherhood and school, she put her education on hold and resorted to odd jobs in and around the village so that she could provide for her daughter. “While I had dreams of completing high school and even going to university, my decision hinged on survival,” she added.
Fortunately, a casual chat with her neighbour informed her about the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) programme, run by the United States Government with in partnership with the Namibian governments that helps young women stay HIV-free.
Together with five other friends from her community, Beata embarked on a journey that would pave the way to realizing her lifelong passion, poultry, and business.
Beata said she attended an information session at Elombe Clinic to learn more about DREAMS and the opportunities it offers. “I was so inspired by the people and the activities that I decided to join the program and fully take charge of my life,” she emphasised.
In 2020, Beata took a course in poultry farming at the Okashana Rural Development Centre in the Omuthiya district plus a refresher training the following year. Equipped with a business start-up kit, consisting of 100 chicks, materials to construct a chicken coop, bird feeders and drinkers, vaccines, medication, as well as plenty of feed, she made the bold move to start her own poultry business in 2021.
She said on average, she sells 4 to 5 chickens every day for N$80 to N$130 depending on the size and she has been able to use her profits to buy more chicks and even diversify her portfolio to include homemade bread, Kapana, fish, and airtime vouchers. “Thanks to DREAMS, I now have the knowledge and tools to not only breed chickens but also to successfully manage finances and keep my business profitable. The impact of DREAMS has been truly life-changing, not just for me but also for my daughter and I am very grateful for that,” she said.
This week, Beata’s coup was visited by none other than the US Ambassador, HE Randy Berry.
Beata is grateful that with her successful chicken farm, she can now provide for her daughter Tulela and other family members.
