Building Beyond Survival: Shylet’s Story
Harare, Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe, economic instability affects daily life in real and practical ways.
Income is often unpredictable.
Small businesses struggle to grow without access to training or capital.
And for many families, opportunities to move beyond survival are limited.
Shylet Joni knows these challenges well. Living in the Kalama area, she began building a livelihood through farming—raising chickens, pigs, goats, and growing crops. She worked hard, but like many entrepreneurs in underserved communities, she didn’t yet have the tools or guidance to grow her efforts into a sustainable business.
That began to change when she connected with Gilead—a local, Christian organization equipping entrepreneurs through business training and discipleship. Through Hope Ventures’ partnership with Gilead, Shylet received training, coaching, and startup support—gaining practical skills to manage and grow her business.
“Our training taught us how to do business… making profits and writing down everything you do,” she shares.
With these tools, Shylet began to approach her work differently—tracking her finances, understanding profit, and making intentional decisions. What started with 50 chickens has now grown to 300, alongside her pig farming and horticulture activities.
As her business has grown, so has her impact. She now hires people to help with her poultry operations, creating income opportunities for others in her community. Together with her husband, she also supports Vimbainesu Children’s Home—providing food, vegetables, clothing, and a desire to give even more in the future.
Her journey is not only about business growth—it’s about transformation.
“Now I am someone else because of Gilead.”
This is what your partnership makes possible. Not short-term relief. Not dependency. But entrepreneurs building sustainable businesses that strengthen families and communities.