Extraordinary Woman: Meet Selena

BY SARAH ALLEN

This story is the third of five in our Extraordinary Women series. Learn more about our Extraordinary Women campaign and help us raise $1 million for Extraordinary Women.

Meet Selena, a 56-year-old entrepreneur living in Gbarnga, Liberia. I met her through BRAC’s agriculture program, where she trained to raise chickens. While raising chickens is Selena’s main source of income, it’s actually helping her finance her dream job. More on that soon…

Orphaned at age 12, Selena grew up in a remote part of the country. She moved to Liberia’s capital to study biology at Monrovia University. Unfortunately, she shares, “I didn’t finish for a number of reasons… a lot happened, including the war.” Selena was disappointed to not finish college, but she didn’t let that stop her. 

Selena eventually moved to Bong County, Liberia and spent two years in an entrepreneurial skills training course, learning soapmaking, sewing, and baking. Deciding not to marry, she took in four foster children and adopted one during this time. Soon after, her church came to her with a big question. 

The church had started a home for girls, and Selena was a standout candidate to run it. It was an easy decision. Selena recalls, “I really love working with children, so it was my dream job.” That was 2013, and to this day, she runs the organization. It’s home to 38 girls ages 5–16.

The girls who live in the home are either orphaned or don’t have family members that they can safely live with. They would be otherwise unable to afford an education, if not for the support they receive. None of the girls will be adopted, so this will be their permanent home. Once Selena took on the responsibility of running the home, she took up pig farming, looking for a way to supplement her income and provide more meat to feed the girls.

A local children’s home for girls needed someone to run it, so Selena stepped up. She raised chickens to supplement her dream job.
 

The girls who live in the home are either orphaned or don’t have family members that they can safely live with. They would be otherwise unable to afford an education, if not for the support they receive. None of the girls will be adopted, so this will be their permanent home. Once Selena took on the responsibility of running the home, she took up pig farming, looking for a way to supplement her income and provide more meat to feed the girls. 

Then, someone recommended BRAC to Selena. Seeing her tenacity and potential, BRAC provided her with more pigs, trained her in poultry and livestock farming techniques, and connected her with a farming group in her community. Selena learned quickly, and became a lead farmer supporting 20 other farmers who were raising pigs, chickens, or other livestock.

After the year-long program ended, Selena was armed with new knowledge of raising and caring for chickens and other animals. She even bought a few of her own chickens and started a kitchen garden with the proceeds she made from selling pigs. 

The next year, BRAC recommended she join their Chicken Rearing Unit. Once Selena became a chicken-rearing entrepreneur, everything started to change. She received intensive training from BRAC on how to raise baby chicks, starting at just a day old, into young adult chickens. 

“I got chickens because I was thinking about feeding the children. I bought 50, then 70, then 100 chicks from BRAC,” Selena says. She raised the day-old chicks and could sell them back to BRAC for a profit once fully grown. 

She continues, “I did really well with them and had the confidence to grow the business.” Selena now runs her own business with 500 chickens, and is raising another 235 chickens for her children’s home. “We always have eggs, and I have someone who buys the chickens in the market,” Selena says. 

Today, the children’s home is a sprawling property with a kitchen and dining hall, staff house, and dorm, where Selena lives with the girls. There’s also the chicken coops, pigs, vegetable gardens, and a field for playing games. Nearby, there’s a school. 

The children’s home Selena runs is a warm, welcoming place to grow up. Depending on the time of day, the girls can be found helping Selena pluck chickens to prepare for dinner, picking vegetables in the garden, or playing board games for hours on end.

From her own life experience, Selena understands the importance of helping girls build their confidence at a young age. She also knows the power of education to set them on their life path. There are three tutors on staff who help the girls with their homework and studies after school. 

Whether spending long hours in a giant chicken coop or collecting dozens of eggs every day or cheering the girls from the sidelines of a dodgeball game—Selena’s big heart and belief in these children shines through. 

Selena remembers, “My parents emphasized to me to always be truthful. Be truthful to others, and most importantly, be true to yourself. I hope I instill that in these girls.” We have no doubt that she will! 

“My hope is for these girls to grow up to be independent, responsible people,” says Selena. “I want them to be proud when someone calls their name. I tell them, ‘Raise your head high when someone calls your name.’”

Across Asia and Africa, smallholder farmers like Selena provide about 80% of the food consumed. But these farmers are on the frontlines of climate change and economic shocks, often experiencing extreme poverty and hunger themselves. 

BRAC’s agricultural programs help farmers adapt and boost their incomes. To date, 900,000 farmers have been supported.

This season, we’re on a mission to raise $1 million for Extraordinary Women like Selena. Will you join us? Donate today to help more Extraordinary Women like Selena build a ladder to climb out of poverty—and usher the next generation up to the highest rungs. 

Sarah Allen is Communications Manager at BRAC USA.