A Little Caution Never Hurts

Leah Wanjiku Muniu is a married woman with three sons. She is a diligent worker within her farming business where the bulk of her income is derived from products such as milk and cereals like maize and wheat. Over the next few years, she intends to cultivate her farming skills so as to maximize her yield; she intends to do this by adding two more dairy cows. A week ago, our Client Relationship Intern for Kenya, Vivien, visited Mrs. Muniu to inquire about her progress and the benefits she is acquiring from her Zidisha loan. The encounter is described below:

Hello Lenders,

My name is Vivien Barbier and I’m a client relationship interns for Zidisha in Kenya. Today, I had a meeting with Mrs Leah Muniu and she showed me the path to her maize and wheat fields.

I meet Mrs Muniu in Karunga village during a meeting organized by current Zidisha borrowers to present the organization to future members. I’m very grateful to her for coming to the meeting. She agreed to share her experience with Zidisha with others. I think that she made a better job than I did to convince others of the advantages of Zidisha. It was wonderful to see how much enthusiastic she was about Zidisha. She explained me that people like her never go to bank because of the high interests rates but also because of the collaterals that are required. She even told me: “I prefer to stay poor than to go to these banks”. She is also grateful to Zidisha because it has been for her an “eye opener” on the rest of the world. It pushes her to learn how to use computers and interact with people outside her community. 

Mrs Muniu has inherited 5 hectares of lands for her parents and she is renting 3 hectares from another villager. In February, after having paid the school fees of her three children, she didn’t have money anymore to buy seeds for her fields. She was planning to rent her fields to other farms in order to earn at least a small profit.. But then, in March, she has received Zidisha’s loan and things changed. She was able to buy maize and wheat seeds for her 8 hectares. As you can see on the pictures, the crops have grown well since then. The harvest season should start in October and we calculated that her profit should be approximately 45 000 Shilling ($535) in only six month. This profit almost equals the amount of the loan she took. It shows that microcredit loans can be the nudges to start a sustainable activity that will then be able to finance itself. This is very encouraging for the future of Mrs Muniu business. 

Regarding the future, Mrs Muniu hopes that she will be able to buy enough fertilizer for all her fields. This year she didn’t have the money to buy enough of it, so the yield of her fields is not optimal. 

It was a real pleasure to spend a few hours in her company; she is a very smiling and lively person. She made me meet many other villagers and taught me a lot about Kenya. At the end of the meeting, she offered me a delicious Kenyan tea prepared with fresh milk from her own cow and fresh tea leafs.

 

Lessons we can Learn from Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was born 94 years ago today in the small village of Mvezo, South Africa. As we reflect on the world's most renowned freedom fighter and peacemaker on his birthday, we should also reflect on the lessons that he has taught us.

Leadership

When confronted with the challenge of changing the status quo of an entire nation Nelson Mandela showed unshakable leadership. When the decision was made to move from peaceful demonstrations to armed confrontation he knew that he should be the one to lead the armed wing of the ANC, known as the Spear of the Nation (Umkhonto we Sizwe). It was only the trust of his people that allowed Mandela to successfully convince the ANC leadership that the move was right. By putting himself in a highly visible position he inspired his people, and altered the course of history.

Forgiveness

When Nelson Mandela won the presidential election in 1994 white people across the nation were concerned about the policies that he might enact. Instead of punishing his enemy, he made them his friend, and thus earned their respect and devotion. It is a special man that can forgive the people and regime that imprisoned him for the better part of three decades. If a man who lost so much can forgive, than the rest of the nation could certainly find a way to forgive, as well.

Accountability

Mandela's actions involving the armed wing of the ANC ultimately led to his long imprisonment. During the Rivonia trial it was apparent that the Apartheid regime was going to try to have Mandela executed on the basis of terrorism charges. Facing death, Mandela did not refute what he was being condemned for, quite the contrary in fact. Nelson used the trial as a pulpit to talk about the Apartheid regime's actions against his people. He took pride in his decision, and explained that Apartheid had pushed the ANC into a corner where peaceful demonstrators across the nation were coming under fire. He argued that the ANC could only fight successfully by employing the use of equal force. Mandela's life was ultimately spared, and he was sentenced to life in prison on Robben Island.

Tailoring in Munanda

Stephen in front of Irungu Modern Tailoring

Stephen in his shop

Stephen Irungu is one of our Kenyan borrowers living in the town of Munanda. At 25 years of age Stephen is quite busy running a tailoring business to support his young family. Stephen designs pants, shirts, skirts, and alters them as needed. For all of his hard work Stephen earns a profit of about $2.38 per day. While Stephen is a tailor by trade, he also farms to make money on the side (like many other Kenyans do). If his loan is funded (this will be his second) then Stephen will be able to stock his store with clothing during the upcoming harvest season. One of our Client Relationship Interns was able to visit Stephen last week. You can read about their meeting below in her own words:


Thursday, July 4, 2012

Hello, my name is Traci Yoshiyama, Zidisha’s Kenya Client Relationship Manager. 

I was welcomed into the town of Munanda today by Stephen Irungu, the proud owner of Irungu Modern Tailoring. It’s hard to miss his quaint shop, even amongst the many businesses blooming in the Munanda, for hanging on his door is a brown all-leather suit created by Stephen himself. 

In 2005, Stephen started Irungu Modern Tailoring with only one sewing machine. With this flourishing business, he now has three sewing machines, an iron, and also employs three people. It is also a family business, for his wife often times assists with the ironing.

This is his second Zidisha loan and he plans on creating a boutique for the people of his village, the first of its kind in Munanda. With the funds, he hopes to buy clothes from Nakuru and sell it in shop. His passion for fashion is evident, as he describes his store not merely as a job, but a hobby and his happiness.

After my visit to his shop, Stephen kindly took me around his village, showing me various shops and introducing me to friends. He even assisted me in finding some much needed supplies that cannot be found in Mugaa, the village I am residing in. 

Best of luck with your loan Stephen. It was a pleasure meeting you. 

A little help can take you a long way

Massamba Diouf used to run a stationary shop for a living, the profits of which would go to support his wife and two children. During a turbulent time, when he was facing strong competition, he came to Zidisha for help. His ultimate ambition was to use the proceeds of the Zidisha loan to start up a t-shirt and sports shirt business. However, he would need the clothing equipment first to make such an aspiration a reality. Sam Gant, our Client Relationship Manager in Senegal, managed to interview Mr. Diouf on the current state of his affairs:

I'm a Client Relationship Volunteer in Dakar and I visited Massamba the other day in his shop. There were basic office and printing supplies in his shop which he shares with several business partners. What he was most intent on talking about, however, was the t-shrt press that he purchased with his loan and now uses to put prints on t-shirts and baseball caps.

He showed an example of his progress with mastering the press as well as a very nice Zidisha shirt he recently designed with a Client Relationship Manager. He seemed to be doing well with his new business and mentioned that advertisement of his business was spreading slowly but surely, mostly by word of mouth. He seems most hopeful of making shirts for sporting events like football and wrestling as well as various festivals and campaigns.

Massamba lives behind the shop with his wife and two young children. He uses the profits from the store and his new shirt-printing business to support his family. He hopes to be able to save up enough with the new profits to buy certain supplies like expensive printing paper in bulk to cut costs. He also expressed interest in another loan upon the successful completion of this loan for buying in bulk for both his t-shirt press business and the boutique.

Catching Up with Djibril at Senegal's Premier Retail Shop

The last time we meet up with Djibril Pouye he was selling various electronic devices in his shop. Now, in addition to selling iPads, laptops, and cellphones, Djibril has added chic perfumes to his stock for resale! Djibril's high-end products allows him to differentiate himself from stiff competition. Even though he sells fancy products, Djibril still only earns about $9.66 per day. While he isn't earning much money, Djibril can still afford to continue paying for his brother's schooling. Check out what Sam Gant, one of our Client Relationship Interns in Senegal, had to say about meeting up with Djibril recently:

Dear Lenders,

My name is Sam Gant and I'm currently one of the Client Relationship Managers working here in Dakar, Senegal. Today I got to meet with Djiby, an extremely enterprising young man who took time out of his hectic workday in Dakar's bustling Alize market to meet with me at his home in Parcelles. Djiby has recently expanded the products of his mobile business to include different perfumes, such as Lacoste, Black XS, and Allure, which e buys in bulk at Sandaga market for 1000 CFA per bottle and sells to his customers for a 50% markup. Often clients will request specific products that he will find for them, but following his partnership with Zidisha Djiby is able to do more business by having a wider range of stock on hand.

Djiby lives on thin margins, paying an average of 3000 CFA per day on food and transport, in addition to the 25,000 per month he pays for housing-- meanwhile, he earns 5000 CFA on the average day. He is very committed to his family, and turns over part of his money to them to help his brother continue his education. He thanks you for your patience and confidence in him, and hopes to apply for another loan once he has repaid this one. 

An education that paid off

Studying clothing production for four long years has surely led to fruitful results for young businesswoman, Oureye Faye, who started a sewing business after receiving her diploma. Personal and economic hardships such as her father passing away and her household ceiling breaking did not deter her willpower to thrive financially, especially in her efforts to support her four children and the families of her brothers and sisters. It is imperative that she gets back to her sewing space as soon as possible to generate income for her family. She is using her Zidisha loan to achieve this objective, along with investing in fabrics and expanding her workshop. One of our Client Relationship Interns, Sam Gant was able to interview the ambitious Mrs. Faye about her business plans, the details of which are provided below:

My name is Sam Gant and I'm currently one of the Client Relationship Managers active in Senegal. On Thursday June 14th I stopped by Mme Faye's atelier in Parcelles 12, a small workshop attached to her family's house with bookshelves full of brightly colored fabric and a very fat rabbit dozing under the footpedal of her sewing machine. Mme Faye is garrulous and savvy, and explained to me that she had divided her Zidisha loan into three parts so as not to use it all to quickly. Due to the fact that many clients buy BouBous on credit, she needs to have a significant stock of capital to buy fabric to make new clothes while waiting to be paid for completed products. She sells between four and six boubous per month for between 10,000 and 15,000 CFA depending on the complexity of the order and her relationship with the client. She is able to finish elaborate garments in a matter of days, a cabability born of experience (she explained that she has been making traditional clothes since the age of 15, 15 years of experience by now.)

Although she supports a large family and the profit margins of couture are thin, Mme Faye's Zidisha loan allows her to dramatically expand her client base and receive income more regularly. I hope to post a few photos I took of her and her family over the next few days. If you comment she is also planning to put up a post sometime next week and I'm sure she would be happy to answer specific questions.

Patience is the key to success

Developing a small business requires a lot of careful planning and future forecasting. Running a food business and lacking the merchandise to do so can exert a heavy toll on a businessman Gabriel Diops's profit earnings and his family expenses. The luring tactic of his business is that customers prefer to come to his store due to its cheaper products. Mr. Diop is a bartender by profession but he is ardently looking to break into the business arena and a Zidisha loan can help achieve his aspirations. Sam Gant, our Client Relationship Intern had the opportunity to interview him a few days ago. Below is his account of the meeting that had taken place:

My name is Sam Gant I'm one of the Client Relationship Managers active in Senegal right now. On Friday June 8th I had the pleasure of meeting Gaby in his home in Parcelles, where he showed me the bar he and his brother invite their neighbors too and told me more about his future plans. Gaby is enormously popular and well-known in his neighborhood, which explains why when myself and another volunteer visited his house there was already a crew of regular patrons passing the afternoon there.

At the moment he stocks the two Senegalese national beers, Flag and Gazelle, as well as several imported wines, which they serve to neighbors and visitors in the sunny courtyard of their home. Gaby's goal is to refurbish a free-standing establishment where he can sell bottles of alcohol for carry out as well as dry goods, but he explained to me that construction was stagnant over the course of the recent elections and has only recently gotten back on track.

He anticipates completing his store within about 2 months. He remains very grateful to Zidisha lenders for their confidence and patience, and hopes to keep you apprised of further developments.

Staying Busy in Senegal

Serigne

Serigne Mbacké Guèye is a young sheep farmer from Sema, a village in Senegal. Serigne has raised sheep since he was a small child, and has grown quite fond of the profession. His sheep are especially popular during certain Muslim feasts. Serigne originally wanted to purchase 20 sheep, some feed, veterinary services, and a shepard to watch over his flock while he works in Dakar. His Zidisha loan has allowed him to buy the additional sheep and pay for the other related costs. In addition to paying for his farming related activities, Serigne was able to invest in a street boutique! While he was is in Dakar our Client Relationship Intern Sam Gant had a chance to meet up with Serigne. Below you can read what Sam wrote about their meeting.

The Mosque where Serigne works part-time.

Dear Lenders,

My name is Sam Gant and I'm one of the Client Relationship Managers active in Senegal right now. Today I met with Serigne at the mosque where he works in the genteel Point E neighborhood, and in only a few hours received a dizzying and informative tour of the Mosque, Serigne's home, and the neighborhood in general. Serigne remains engaged in a diversity of industries--he primarily divides his time between doing upkeep work at the mosque and working at his store Parapluies Mondiales in the HLM market. Although he continues to buy food for his sheep he has stopped expanding the flock that his family maintains in the village. 

He explained that business has been slow following the tumultuous elections, and he expects that he will be able to maximize his loan once the commercial climate improves. He anticipates a significant financial boost in the fall as clients begin buying sheep for a number of upcoming festivals, but for the time being the flocks need time to mature. He was very appreciative towards the Zidisha lenders and hopes to keep you apprised of future developments. 

-Sam Gant

Transcending Kenya's borders

Happiness is a word that can best characterize Pst. Joseph Ndungu who is married and is the proud father of 10 children. He makes canvas bags for school children alongside traveling bags and he also makes seat covers for motorbikes. His reasoning and motivation behind developing canvas bags is that children are being born daily and there is a high demand for canvas bags once they become enrolled in school. His business strategy behind motorbike seat cover creation is that motorbikes are being bought on a constant basis and they are prone to damage due to depreciation in value and plainly due to the environment itself.  I managed to interview Mr. Ndungu via email and asked him some questions about the current state of his prosperous business:

1. How is the competition looking in the business of making seat covers for bikes and canvas bags for school children? You mentioned there was low competition, but how is it looking now and how is it affecting your business currently?

I am in Nakuru county about 35km away from Nakuru town. Rongai is the divisional headquarter surrounded by big lands.

I have been in this town since 1990 when I started involving myself in the business area.

When I was looking for the business that I would start I considered some things because I was ministering a church by that time and I could not leave and so I decided to start the unique work that was not in the town. I started binding books mostly Bibles. To expand my business, I thought of making school bags for there was no one dealing with it. I went and bought a bag plus materials and I made a canvas bag. It looked good than the one I bought. I started making school bags from that day onwards.

When the Boda-boda came I looked at the motorbikes and I decided to expand my business again through making seat covers, which is paying me more than other things. I do serve people from 20 square km away.

2. What inspired you to make canvas bags in the first place? Please share any personal anecdotes if you can, it would be greatly appreciated!

I introduced canvas schoolbags and I have been selling them and I do give a guarantee of 2 years just to give surety that what I am making is of high quality. I have been selling in retail and my bags have gone as far as Mombasa and Kitale.

Up to now there is no competition in this business.

3. Where do you see yourself and your business in the next few years? Any plans for expansion?

I am planning to expand my business even to reach other countries. I visited Uganda and I can get market there. Also I am planning to visit Southern Sudan to find out whether I can also get a market there.

4. Further comments?

Through Zidisha, I have achieved a lot because I have managed to purchase my materials, which are very expensive. If only I can be given larger amount like Kshs 100,000 I would be in a position to reach my goals.

What I get as profit, I decide to share it with an orphan whom I have supported him in his education. It’s my prayer that one day I will be in a position of lending to others than being a borrower.

Thanks to Zidisha family for what they are doing.

Apart from the above activities in my business, I do involve in making Fishing Flies as Mr. Achintya Rai quoted in my profile after vising my workshop, which I do sell them in U.S.A and U.K. countries. I do humbly request if in Zidisha family there is someone who do the business to kindly email me.

Juhudi, plain and simple.

Juhudi means "encouraging" or "working hard" in Swahili. It's no surprise, then, that Julius Mburu--a self-made craftsman and Zidisha borrower--chose this word for a venture he launched in 1995. Juhudi Welders furnishes gates, doors, and roof repair services for a loyal customer base cultivated in Rongai village, 35km outside of Nakuru, Kenya.  For this nimble, high-quality operation, Mr. Mburu's foothold in the local economy is a rightful reward. Looking to expand, he tapped into Zidisha two years ago to fund a critical capital investment. While the new machinery represents a step forward for Juhadi Welders, Mr. Mburu shows no signs of stopping.

In the past, Julius depended on battery-charged machinery to sidestep a faulty power grid. Today, electricity flows through his neighborhood with more regularity. To some, fewer disruptions spelled greater comfort. To Julius, however, a door had just opened: with reliable power, he could invest in a battery charger to serve surrounding businesses, including cars and motorbikes. In March, our Client Relationship Manager caught up with Julius to talk business.  Ever conscious of shifting circumstances, Mr. Mrubu will leverage improved infrastructure to "generate extra income" to support his wife and five children, notes Achintya Rai. As I write, Julius has repaid 64% of his first loan and continues to soar. Assuming the upward trend persists, he will return to Zidisha for his next endeavor.

Juhadi Welders paints a picture of tenacity and innovation coupled with time-honed talent. Julius' knack for welding, along with the commercial success that's followed, is typical of what countless Zidisha borrowers have already accomplished. Each day, hundreds of bustling business owners invest time and energy into an undertaking that bears their name. Proud ownership breeds a bona fide sense of responsibility, but this shouldn't be news to anyone: When we have a stake in our goals, we commit to excellence and chase it relentlessly. Zidisha aims to act on this truth by linking individuals driven to create value with the means to transform ambition into prosperity. In my view, our generous lending community instills optimism about the potential yet to be unlocked in far away places.

From Ouagadougou to Nairobi, stories like Julius' restore confidence in an economic arrangement that transcends national borders--one that cuts across income levels and resource constraints--to craft a decent society. In short, an arrangement that rewards hard work and a good heart.

Read more about opportunities to empower small business owners here.

Being the change I wish to see..

Over the last several years, the methodologies of microfinance institutions have enabled the provision of financial services to those living in extreme hardship and poverty. Having been a resident of Bangladesh for the first 18 years of my life, I remember reading and watching the news about Dr. Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank and how his vision that small loans could make a substantial change in the lives of the rural poor had changed my country’s social and activist makeup. In this day and age, free market enterprise might not create opportunities for one to attain a high standard of living, given the exponentially high population growth in most developing countries. Due to myriad of reasons, I became drawn to the concept of microfinance from my high school years, especially in its core mission to elevate poor people.

I joined Zidisha to nurture this passion of mine, alongside my economic development and film production interests. Being a communications associate has allowed me to correspond directly with clients from Senegal and Kenya, in order to help them discuss the benefits they have been reaping from their loans. I firmly believe that Zidisha’s free-flowing commentary modes between lender and borrower will escalate microfinance’s reach across international borders. Technology and social media has seeped into our everyday codes of conduct and performances, and microfinance industries’ exploitations of these mediums will surely lead to more improved and transparent methods of communication between lenders and borrowers. I have had a fulfilling experience so far in being a part of Zidisha’s team while balancing my heavy coursework at college. I hope to see Zidisha grow and become a beacon of light in the field of microfinance. 

Noticed Improvements

Sammy and one of his donkey carts

Our Client Relationship Manager Achintya Rai recently met with two time Zidisha borrower Sammy Kanja in Nakuru, Kenya. Sammy runs a donkey cart transportation business in Kenya. Since receiving his first loan, Achintya has noted that he can see a real difference in Sammy's quality of life. Check out what he said about meeting Sammy in his own words below:

Hello Lenders,

My name is Achintya RAI. I paid a visit to Sammy Kanja Nganga in Rongai area of Nakuru (Kenya) on the 28th of March 2012.

Sammy has donkeys and donkey carts which people rent from him to transport water and material. Sammy is repaying his second Zidisha loan right now. He used the first loan to buy new tyres for his cart and to repair it. With the second loan he bought another cart and donkeys. Now he has six donkeys and two carts. The names of the donkeys are- Toto, Jimmy, Tony, Kilo, John and Sammy. 
Kilo, John and Sammy are the new ones he bought with his second Zidisha loan. When I asked him if Sammy the donkey’s name was spelled the same as his, he said “like me” and added, “I do love it” as explanation. Sammy has four children (whose names I didn’t ask).

Sammy has a small shamba (farm) as well. His wife looks after it while he takes care of the donkey-cart business. He also now employs two persons to assist him in his business. He said that his life had improved because of Zidisha loans. This is something I have noticed in many cases. Second Zidisha loan onwards you start seeing a very noticeable and perhaps measurable difference in most people’s incomes, spending and lifestyles.

Sammy’s wife has studied till form-4 (secondary school) while Sammy himself has just finished primary school (Standard-8). With his enhanced income, Sammy now aspires to educate himself. He told me that he first wants to finish his form-4 and then go on to do a course in accounting so that he could take better care of finances for his business and possibly get a job in the field.

I met Sammy near the Railway Station of Rongai where he grazes his donkeys and parks his carts. I noticed that there were only three donkeys around. When I asked him he told me that the others must have got free and gone home. Apparently, whenever Sammy’s donkeys get free they go home. They reminded me of Homing Pigeons, only cuter. 

While Sammy’s Sammy was finding his way back on his own, I had to take a ride on Sammy’s bike to find mine. I wish Sammy and his family the best for their future.

Achintya
14th May 2012 

Sipping Tea in Nakuru

Our Client Relationship Manager Achintya Rai recently met with another one of our borrowers from Nakuru, Kenya. Margaret Wanjiku runs a food kiosk in Nakuru where she proudly serves the best tea the area! Check out what Achintya had to say about their encounter below:

Hello Lenders,

My name is Achintya Rai. I paid a visit to Margaret Wanjiku Kara on 28th March 2012 in the Rongai area of Nakuru (Kenya)

Margaret owns a small teashop in Rongai. Margaret took the Zidisha loan to buy stock for her shop and to pay the school fee of her daughter who’s in standard 6. She bought things like milk, charcoal, flour etc. with the help of her Zidisha loan and was able to increase her customer base. So much so that now she is planning to open another teashop nearby. The new shop will be looked after by her daughter (Margaret has three daughters and the name of her shop is “Mama Judy”, which literally means- mother of Judy, Judy being one of her daughters).

When I visited Margaret, she was very busy and there was a constant stream of customers at her shop to drink her tea or buy mandazi- a type of snack made by deep-frying leavened dough. I asker her for tea and speaking very frankly, the tea was the best I’ve had in Kenya- and I had a lot of tea in Kenya. Margaret’s tea was richer and had stronger flavors. Though Margaret was quite busy, she graciously answered all my questions. It was a little tricky talking to her because even though she could understand me and I could understand her, many people in the shop volunteered to translate both of us. Margaret was constantly smiling in all this commotion and came across to me as a very pleasant person. She was shy when I took out my camera but I think that’s the reason why her picture came out so well.

Margaret stays on her small shamba (farm), which is a few kilometers away from her shop. She has a few goats, chickens and cows on her shamba. With the next loan she wants to buy a plot in Rongai center and later on build on it.

My one regret is that I could not finish the tea that day. Kenyans serve tea in these huge half-liter mugs and that day I was on a tight schedule. Margaret also later refused to let me pay for the tea, but I explained to her that Zidisha’s aim was to see her business flourish and do well and there was no way I was going to take away from her revenue so she finally allowed me to pay.

I wish Margaret the best for her future

Achintya
11th May 2012 

Computer Services in Kenya

Mr. Chege

Andrew Chege is a Zidisha borrower from Kiptangwanyi, Kenya. Andrew supports his family by running a computer services business. He is able to provide his clients with photocopying, typesetting, printing, lamination, and scanning services. While business is good, Andrew's area is still plagued by energy rationing (even though the electricity is expensive!). Andrew originally wanted to purchase a new camera and printer with his Zidisha loan. The additional equipment, he hoped, would allow him to keep up with the increasing demand for his services. 

Check out what Client Relationship Manager Achintya Rai had to say about meeting Andrew below: 

Mr. Chege's work station

Hello lenders,

My name is Achintya Rai

Yesterday I visited the business premises of Andrew Chege Mbugua.
Andrew runs the business of instant pictures. He has a desktop computer, a digital camera, a printer and also a small photocopying machine. Most of his clients come to him to get instant passport sized photographs, which they had to get from Nakuru earlier. Andrew’s printer cannot print beyond small sized photographs and he feels that there is a potential demand in Kiptangwanyi and nearby areas for larger photographs (family photographs for example)

He wants to invest the loan money in either buying a bigger printer, or replacing the old one before it breaks down (last time it broke down, it was three months before he could get a new one). He also wants to buy what he calls a “state of the art” camera. This would cost him 20,000 to 25,000 shillings. Always a businessman, Andrew offered to exchange his camera with mine (which has lesser megapixels than his, but is green and sits in a red cover which perhaps made him think it was better than his). I said “sure, as soon as you get your state of the art camera”. There was general laughter at this (there were many people who had collected to watch the discussion/interview)

Of all the people I have met here, Andrew is the first one who has been to college (even though I must add that the general level of education in rural Kenya is exceptionally good). His wife is a teacher. He wants his kids to study even further than him and do well in their lives. 

As a last note I’d like to add that it is hard to believe that Andrew is 35 and has 2 kids. He doesn’t look a day beyond 25 (when I told him this, he was quite delighted-I guess a little vanity finds us all some time or the other)

Achintya

Going to the Movies

Meet Peter Kamwaro from Kiptangwanyi, Kenya. Peter supports his family of three children by buying and selling cereals such as corn, beans, wheat, and rice. Because Mr. Kamwaro's goods are in high demand, they usually sell quickly. However, shoppers especially prefer his cereals because of their freshness and quality.

Mr. Kamwaro recently started a new business venture, thanks to his Zidisha loan. Learn more about his new venture below:


Hello Lenders,

My name is Achintya Rai 

Yesterday I visited Peter Kamwaro at his business premises in Kiptangwanyi. Peter runs a “Video Room” which he opens everyday, including the weekends. He has a beautiful business model- he buys CDs (for 50 shillings each) and DVDs (for 100 shillings each) from Nakuru (the town nearby) and shows them in his video room where he charges 10 shillings per head. He shows 5 (different) movies each day, and more on weekends. And once he has used a CD, he sells it for 60 shillings and he sells his used DVDs for 150 shillings each. So, he makes money from his video room (on week days he get 30-40 viewers per day), and he also makes a small profit out of the CDs/DVDs he purchases. That's like buying sugarcane and taking out the juice to make sugar to sell, while also selling the remaining husk at price higher than that of sugarcane.

Peter used his first Zidisha loan of 40,000 shillings to buy this plot with a video room where he runs his business. Earlier he used to rent the premises where he ran his business. He paid a rent of 5000 shillings a month, and his installment for the Zidisha loan is around 4300 shillings. Understandably, he is very happy with Zidisha.

Peter has 3 children, 2 of whom are in school. His wife runs a small boutique from the premises. 

Achintya

Dakar's Apple Store

Monsieur Pouye

Meet Zidisha borrower Djibril Pouye. Dijibril is from Dakar, Senegal, and is in the electronics business. He sells everything from mobile telephones to laptops (even iPads!). However, because his stock is costly, he needed some additional capital to purchase stock. That is when the Zidisha lenders gave Djibril a loan that helped him reach his goals!

Our very own Madeline met with Djibril in Dakar this past week. Check out her impression of Djibril and his shop in her own words below:

Hi Lenders, 

I was able to visit Djibril (Djiby) last week at his electronics business. He and his brother own a small shop located in a bustling indoor electronics market. They sell cell phones, but also secondhand laptops, iPads, and other specialty electronics. With many other vendors surrounding them, Djiby's business differentiates itself from competition by selling higher-end electronics. Currently, Djiby says the iPhone is their best seller. 

They are currently paying back their first loan and are eager to finish the payments quickly in order to take out a second, bigger loan to support their growing business.

The Best Laid Plans....

Mr. Mwathi in his barbershop

Meet John Mwathi from Nairobi, Kenya. John started his transportation business in order to provide for his family. Because of the rough terrain in John's area, donkey carts are one of the only viable methods of transportation. John accredits his businesses success to his affordable prices, efficiently, and speed. John planned to use his Zidisha loan to purchase a motor bike, with some additional money from his personal savings. This would allow John to offer faster service to his customers. However, the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.

The sausage kiosk

Mr. Mwathi met with our Client Relationship Manager recently. Learn what our own Achintya Rai had to say about meeting Mr. Mwathi below:

Hello lenders,

My name is Achintya Rai and I am Zidisha’s current Kenya Client Relationship Intern. On 24th March I met John Mwathi at his shop in Utawala, Nairobi.

John used to live in Nakuru earlier. He took his loan to purchase a bike, which he intended to use as a taxi (boda-boda). The bike did not give him the returns he expected so he sold it and moved to Nairobi. Now he has a small barbershop. He uses the front of his shop to sell shoes and also has a small kiosk to sell steamed sausages and boiled eggs. 

John is just 23 and he has already experimented with a number of jobs. After finishing school he did a small course in IT. He then did a course in driving a lorry. He started work by buying a donkey and a cart, which he used to supply water. He also did manual labor to supplement his income. Later John bought his bike.

I found John to be a very pleasant person. And even though he seemed a little shy in my presence, he was constantly smiling. He told me the economics of the sausage and eggs business. John’s future plan is to open a snack shop where he can sell hamburgers, cakes, biscuits and chips. 

After hearing John talk about hamburgers and cakes I was obviously hungry so I decided to buy a sausage. John asked his friend, who was manning the cart at that moment, to move and prepared the sausage for me himself by slitting it and filing it with a salsa like preparation called kachumbari and sprinkling it with salt. It was delicious. 

John was having trouble making his Zidisha payments because of shifting to Nairobi and starting a whole new business. I helped him reschedule his loan. Having talked to him I feel sure he will be now able to meet his loan commitments.

Achintya
Nairobi
1st April 2012 

Looks good!

"The Fish in Kenya Are Not Educated"

Pastor Joseph Ndungu is one of our most active borrowers on Zidisha. Pastor Ndungu is from Rongai, Kenya where he lives with his wife and 10 children. Besides running his ministry, and helping with his large family, Pastor Ndungu also creates canvas bags for school children and seat covers for motorcycles. Pastor Ndungu wanted his Zidisha loan so he could purchase the material needed to make the Boda Boda (motorcycle seat covers). Our in country Client Relationship Manager Achintya Rai recently met with Pastor Ndungu. Read about their encounter below:

Pastor Ndungu creating his bags

Hello lenders,

My name is Achintya Rai and I am Zidisha’s Kenya Client Relationship Intern. I recently met Pastor Joseph Ndungu in Rongai town of Nakuru.

Pastor Ndungu’s main business is making seat covers for bikes from a material called Rexine (a Wikipedia search reveals that Rexine was a British trademark that has now become the generic name for this leather like synthetic material). He also makes school bags and he used his Zidisha loan to buy canvas for making these. The Pastor told me that he got the loan at the right time because he had just then received an order for 280 school bags

Pastor Ndungu is a very very jovial and interesting man. He seems to be very popular in his area and is full of life. He is also a dynamic businessman. He has designed fishing hooks that look like live insects. When I asked him if there was much demand for such hooks, he said “the fish in Kenya are not educated enough for this kind of bait” so he mostly looks for exporting these. 

Apart from designing these hooks/bait, he also designs jewelry. He says that while the fishing hooks are for husbands, the jewelry is for the wives. He explains- “what’ll the wife do when you go fishing?”

Pastor Ndungu’s workshop is the railway station of Rongai. No trains stop here any more so he rents the place (the small railway station), which also serves as the church on Sundays. He also makes covers for bibles. When I asked him how he learnt to make all these things, he told me that he trained to stitch clothes and everything else is “just from God”

Just before I was leaving someone tried to pull the Pastor’s leg and said, “now the pastor will show us his tie”. Pastor Ndungu replied, “First good Christians have to PAY FOR my tie!”

Pastor Ndungu told me that on Sundays his church is full of people. Looking at his energy, charm, great wit and charisma, I’m not surprised. I had a great time talking to him and I wish him the best of luck for his future.

Achintya
Nairobi
1st April 2012

Some of Pastor Ndungu's fishing lures

Another lure