Meet Bertha.
We met Bertha today at home just outside Dar es Salaam. We were welcomed into her living room and were introduced to her by our guides from The Gatsby Trust. They have been supporting Bertha for the past year and have provided her with training in order to grow her business. A business she had started before she went to them, but need help to make it grow and expand.
Bertha produces three types of wine, a garlic paste and a flour that is used to make porridge. All of this is done from a purpose built building behind Bertha’s house. A building that she herself has been extending as and when she has the funds to do so. For instance, the Tanzanian Food and Drug Agency said the had to have a separate room for processing the flour. So she built one.
Bertha explained to us that she makes about 600 bottles of wine a year. She is not allowed to make any more than that without approval. But there are three rooms dedicated to its production in her processing plant. One where the wine is stored in barrels for a year and a half, another where the bottling is done, and the last one is where the bottles are stored. Bertha buys the bottles from local suppliers, soaks off the old labels, sterilises them, and then when her wine is ready she bottles it all herself. And then it leaves out of the back door. She was very proud of the fact it comes in one door, and goes out the other.
In fact she was very proud full stop. As well she should be to be honest. From what we could see her business was thriving. To the extent were she is now employing four other people too.
So you see when Comic Relief fund a project they don’t just support one person, they could be supporting a whole community. Indeed Bertha is now training other women in how to be a food producer so they can go on and run their own businesses. And it is this #LastingChange that we are out in Tanzania to witness first hand.
Yet again we have been inspired by these women. Truly inpsired. And to Bertha I can now raise a glass of her very own Hibiscus Wine.
Will you join me? Grab a glass and then sit and watch today’s video
It must be wonderful to meet people like Bertha finding their feet and making a business grow
Well, I’m deeply impressed. Well done Bertha.
Oh my, that is just amazing. Bertha is amazing.
go bertha!!!
It’s so fantastic to hear how so the money raised by Sport Relief is creating so much lasting change through the ripple effect you expressed in the video 🙂 How amazing these women are with their determination and passion!!
Go, Bertha, Lucy and Claudia! What wonderful stories and it’s great to see what the money goes towards. Enjoy that hibiscus wine, ladies. I’m drinking a nice Pinot Grigio here myself. Jx
Bertha is amazing – such happiness and productive passion – lovely x
I love how you told us about your inspiring wine producing mum and how you totally resonated with what Bertha is doing. She was an amazing lady, Can’t believe she built the rooms herself!
what a wonderful woman and how amazing that she did this all by herself !!! fab x
I’m in awe with every single story I’m reading. Such amazing ladies and who’d have thought wine production was possible in Tanzania. Every day is a school day x
I think that’s just fabulous, and the fact that she had the support to fulfil her enterprise is wonderful!
So amazing to read all of your updates T (and Annie & Penny’s too).
Bertha sounds flipping epic!
I am stroking all of your faces on every video I watch – you’re all bloomin’ incredible xxx
Wow! Such inspirational women. Love the grandchild on hip story. Love things like that, proving yet again how we are all, at the core, the SAME! Keep it up you beauties. Loving your updates x
Hibiscus wine! I would love to try that and how wonderful that she invests in her business and now employs others too. Great to see the #lastingchange
Loving all of the inspirational stories. Go Team Honk…
The flour will be such a help to those who need the nutrition especially those with newborns I would love to try the garlic paste also x
Very inspirational!
That wine sound very nice! BTW – follow this page down for a new good read badge – the one you have is a broken link. http://www.britmums.com/badges-2/