A future worth investing in: Hawa’s Perfume Business

Following the death of her husband, Hawa* became responsible for raising and providing for her three children. Ensuring they could continue their education was particularly important to her, but finding a reliable source of income to support the family presented a significant challenge.

Determined to send her children to school, Hawa took the opportunity to develop a new skill through a livelihoods programme implemented by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and funded by the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).

She participated in vocational training in perfume-making, learning the practical skills needed to produce fragrances for sale. Alongside the training, she received the materials needed to get her business started.

With her new skills and start-up materials, Hawa began making perfumes and selling them at the local market. What began as an opportunity to learn a trade has since developed into a small business that is helping her generate an income and support her household.

And Hawa is already thinking about what comes next, by reinvesting money into her business. She plans to purchase additional materials to continue production and grow her enterprise. Her ambition is to build a business that can provide a more reliable income and help secure her children's education.

Through vocational training and start-up support, Hawa has found a way to turn her hearts goals for her children into an enterprise of her own. Her business provides her the opportunity to build independence, support her children's education and give them greater choices for the future.

Every bottle of perfume Hawa produces and sells brings her one step closer to the future she wants for her family.

*The name Hawa is a pseudonym. Identifying details have been withheld to protect the privacy of households.