My name is Kazi and I'm 33 years old. I come from Plateau State in Nigeria. I couldn’t find a job after my studies in Public Administration. As a married woman with three children I was living from hand to mouth. That was nothing to be proud of. I had wanted to achieve something with my studies, but I had failed.

My shame and frustration meant that I hardly left my house. A friend eventually told me about the Nigerian-German Centre. She had attended a training course there, and advised me to go as well and finally do something with my life. I plucked up courage and followed her example.

My experience with the centre was just brilliant. I felt understood straight away. The advisors put me back on the right track. They listened to me and suggested a few potential training courses. I decided on fish farming. As a child I had often watched how the fishermen went to the river, came back with their catch and earned good money from it.

Training in fish breeding and care

My training course at the EMBA Excellence Academy taught me everything I needed to know about how to use large tanks to rear, feed and care for different species of fish. I also learned how to smoke and process the adult fish. I was given juvenile fish and food for them after the course. I set up a cooperative with three of the other participants. Together we could rustle up enough money to rent a place for our fish farming.

My company is called “Dinchi Farm Resources”. I love going to work, and I'm involved in my fish farming from morning to evening. Lots of customers now come to me on a regular basis – and they call me “Mama Fish”. I supply the fish the way people want it: grilled, smoked, whole or cut into pieces. I now earn enough money from it to feed my family. I always have something to do and I am completely satisfied.

As of: 07/2021

The opportunities for advice and assistance described here are offered as part of “Returning to New Opportunities”.