Source: Radio Netherlands Worldwide
Thirty-year-old Cynthia Jadot is the woman behind Valancy. The store in Goma, in the DRC province of North Kivu, has done well, appealing to men and women with a penchant for quality clothes imported from Europe.

But since Valancy's launch three years ago, this businesswoman has also opened two other new shops and, somewhere in between, ran for a seat in parliament.

Mélanie Gouby recently spoke to Jadot about her experiences of retail, gender and politics in the DRC.

How did you come to start your business in Goma?

After finishing high school here, I went to study in Belgium, where I got a degree in business law.

After university, I looked for a job and got a few offers, but it was office work and that's not what I wanted to do. I wanted something more personal, I wanted to go back to my roots. That's how I decided to return to Goma. I opened a prêt-à-porter clothing store in town. I started with nothing but my degree, not really knowing if it would take off.

Do you think your education contributed to your success?

I think studying in Europe helps develop a different perspective. I travelled around and saw how things were done elsewhere. The West is of a different mentality. That also made me ambitious. After Goma, I opened new stores across Congo: in Kinshasa and recently in Lubumbashi. I'm trying to expand.

Did you need financial assistance at the start?

Starting a business is not easy. You need capital. I was lucky to have parents who supported me in the launching phase. Without this, it is almost impossible to start a business here in the DRC because there are no bank loans.

There are few cooperative that assist with small loans, but the basic terms are actually difficult to meet. For example, they often require a house or property as collateral, and not everyone can afford it.

This is really the first obstacle to entrepreneurship in the DRC. I meet a lot of ambitious women who do not have the means to start their business and that is quite unfortunate.

If only the government could help women launch their enterprises, if only there was a well-functioning banking system, things would be different.

Who are your clients?

I sell men's and women's prêt-à-porter that I import mainly from Europe.

They are quality goods so the prices are not low. My price range is suited for almost all budgets but most of my clients are people looking for a certain standard.

What was your toughest challenge?

It was to launch in a country with so many problems. I kept wondering if I wasn't making a big mistake.

What scared me at the beginning was the fact that I was starting from nothing, in a war-torn African country with major security issues, not knowing if it would take actually take off.

But I was prepared to go through all that and prove there are also opportunities here, amidst all the negative stories about the DRC, Goma mainly.

What are you most proud of?

My greatest satisfaction is being able to say that I tried, that I took a leap and succeeded, although I still have a lot to accomplish.

I am proud to have returned home after so many years in Europe. In my desire to set up a business, I also created jobs. It's also a source of satisfaction to know that people have jobs thanks to me.

How do you see the future of business in Goma?

There is so much potential in Goma and Congo, in general, despite everything that is going on. There are so many opportunities here; it's an untapped market.

I encourage people to try, despite the numerous uncertainties at the beginning. There is virtually no structure or infrastructure on the ground so everything needs to be built from scratch.

That's the DRC's problem and its advantage. When opening my store in Kinshasa, I was hesitant because there were already so many other stores.

Was your gender a handicap?

Everyone knows that when you are a woman in the DRC and in Africa, you immediately lose credibility. You are told No.

But I said to myself: I am a woman and I am as capable as a man. This discrimination does really affect the clothing industry because it is dominated by women. But when I went into politics, I felt the handicap of being a woman in our society.

You ran for parliament in 2011. Why?

I am from Goma. I grew up here and after six years in Europe, I was disgusted when I came back to open my company. I wanted to promote socially conscious politics that would help the people. I didn't get elected but I hope things will be different in three years.

Was the campaign difficult?

It was difficult in the sense that I had to prove my worth more than the men did. Most people kept telling me that I was too young, that I was a woman, and that it wasn't my place. But interacting with the people, gaining their confidence, that was a real pleasure.