We can overturn the 'downturn'

There’s no global economic tailspin can keep us TnT Women from making tamarind balls, packaging it and selling it to our co-workers and making an honest dollar to help pay the electricity bill – only false pride can.

Do you know what false pride feels like? It feels like an empty wallet, it feels like panic when piano lessons fee is due again and you still need to buy that text book your child has been talking about since last week, it feels like regret that you can’t go to that comedy festival show because there’s just no extra money for that.

Ok, so maybe it’s not selling tamarind balls, or fudge, or pineapple chow, or sugar cake. How about clothes, or shoes, or handbags, or perfumes? All your fellow workers, neighbours, and friends use them, don’t they? So get to investigating the best way to supply these sistas’ needs by your efforts.

I remember a few months ago buying two sets of coconut bake from the aunt of a co-worker. My co-worker would take the orders for bakes, breads, and other baked goods, and her aunt would send the goods next day. Easy squeezy. The day I took home my bakes, I felt like I had won the lottery. I had gotten two wholesome, tasty, rich local fare for a reasonable price, I did not have to make it for myself (major plus here), and I had supported a sista in her venture as an entrepreneur. See? People are willing (and perhaps waiting) for an item that they are otherwise too busy to make themselves or go get in the store because of time constraints – things that can improve their experience or lives.

For some other sistas, selling might not be their bag of tea (to each her own), but writing a proposal, or an ad, or an article, or doing some small book-keeping or document filing, or data entry might sit better with them. Only, don’t sit doing nothing! Sure, you’re tired, sure you’re not sure that you’ll have quick and easy success, but narrow down the risks and increase the possibilities of success by doing your homework such as a small survey as to who wants what you plan to offer (or what product or service is most needed by most people), investment versus potential gain, and so on.

Another idea is to form a cooperative where a group of women purchase things in bulk and each get things cheaper that way.

And to those sistas who are ‘ok’ financially - please buy some tamarind balls, or bakes, or a nice pair of sandals from your fellow sistas. You might be helping to empower them and change their story. You don’t have to do it every day, or even often, but often enough to make some sense to her overall sales.

 The economy might be down, but don’t let that keep us down. We TnT women are resourceful. We know how to make a dollar stretch and how to make an extra dollar.

And that’s the truth.