Girl Power
10/30/2020
The Chipego bike shop in the village of Nakatindi, Zambia (near Sussi & Chuma Lodge) was established in 2015, and continues to be an incredible success story of female entrepreneurship and economic empowerment. |
In 2019, the lodge partnered with the Nakatindi community to begin another economic empowerment initiative, the Sishemo bead studio. When the news broke earlier this year that Sussi and Chuma was closing temporarily due to the virus, the ladies at Sishemo were faced with losing the vast majority of their customer base overnight. Without pause, the Chipego Bike Shop ladies stepped in to offer immediate support. |
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Since March, Chipego has paid the Sishemo ladies a basic salary, while also reducing their own bike shop salaries. With this interest-free loan agreement in place, the Chipego Bike Shop has provided $2,000+ in salary payments to their sister enterprise. Without this relief package, the Sishemo Bead Studio may have been forced to close its doors, leaving the ladies with no income to support their families.
Hooray for Chipego!