After reviewing the learnings of the day before (in the form of problems and solutions), the participants discovered another type of participatory training through the use of stories. The story of Esengo, a mother who makes and sells soaps – a case that we had set up with APPEC, our Congolese partner – enabled the trainers to analyse the problems of a small business, practise bookkeeping (cash accounting), separate personal and business expenses, calculate profit, forecast next day’s cash and calculate how much Esengo could afford pay herself.
Then the afternoon was devoted to managing personal and family expenses. After the morning priorities game, the participants made a budget with a daily income, including for non-daily expenses (rent), or occasional expenses (festivals, ceremonies, back-to-school expenses). The day ended with the explanation of the daily spending limit.
