The day my market cooperative saved Mama Chinedu's shop from closing

Last year during the raining season, I walked into Agege Market one morning and saw Mama Chinedu sitting on her empty plastic chair, face wet with tears. Her husband had fallen sick, hospital bills swallowed everything. Her shop was almost empty, creditors were calling her phone nonstop.

I sat beside her, didn't say much. Just held her hand. Then I called my cooperative women quietly, told them we need to pull together extra this week. We collected ₦3,000 each instead of our normal ₦2,000. That gave us ₦36,000.

I took it to Mama Chinedu that evening, told her it's a loan from the cooperative, no interest, pay when God blesses you. She cried again, but this time different tears.

Today her shop is full again. She paid back every kobo. Nobody in the market knows I'm the one running that cooperative. Not even my husband. But when I see her selling, smiling, feeding her children... that's my reward. 🙏