Meet Anna, the 11-year-old entrepreneur

Anna, 11, is a grade 5 student in Uganda, where her mother attends Open Doors business training classes. Circumstances meant that she had to go along with her mom during the classes. But Anna was interested, and by listening in she learned some valuable lessons.

 

Today she runs her own venture after school and over weekends. “I thank God for OD and the trainings because it has strengthened my faith, and I now have the courage to run a small business,” says Anna.

It all started when Anna’s mom became a Christian about five years ago. To get her to recant, her husband threatened and beat her. Nothing worked, and eventually he expelled her from the home.

Anna ended up on the street with her mom. Thankfully they were helped by the Christian community. Anna’s mom read the Bible with her and taught her to pray.

Later, when her church invited Open Doors to present a seminar to enhance a Biblical worldview on economics and business skills, Anna’s mom attended. She had nowhere to leave the child, so Anna tagged along and picked up enough of what was being taught that she started spontaneously applying some of the lessons. She grasped things like the importance of saving a portion of one’s income and looking for investment opportunities all around us to grow income.

When her mom noticed this, she decided to invest in Anna. She bought Anna a tray of eggs which she started selling after school and over weekends.

Today, Anna is well known for selling eggs in the area. The money she gets helps her buy stationery and other necessities for school.

“If Open Doors had not come, I could have been a street child because we would not have been able to afford food or school fees,” she says.

Prayer

Emotionally, Anna is doing well too. She was traumatized by the events that had unfolded in her father’s house.

However, her Sunday school teachers helped counsel her. Though her father cut communications with them, Anna has come to see that with her heavenly father, they are safe and loved.

Pray that Anna and her mom will continue to see the Lord’s provision in their lives. “Pray that God enables my mother to buy land and build a house,” Anna asks.

Anna dreams of one day going to university. Pray that she will continue to grow in both intellect and spiritual maturity.