August 9th I had planned on the next two posts being posted over a week ago. Alas, TIA! Between flights being randomly cancelled (without notice, of course: where would the fun be if I knew in advance that I needed to totally rearrange my schedule in Ethiopia?), being too wiped out at night to write, and spending time in the Somalian region of southern Ethiopia, I am just now able to get my brain to function.
The next two posts will cover some of our micro-enterprises in Nakuru. After this, I will write a report on Somalia ... and then, I am going to announce a brand new charity I have recently begun; Stopping Traffic, International. +
August 2 After the workshop, I wanted to visit some of the businesses we were helping out by providing micro-loans, as well as some trainings. I took Sunday off, and then headed out to see and to hear exactly how our investments were paying off!
Agnes is a single mom. When she graduated from Beauty School, her mother provided her the capital to open up her own shop. Given her skills and the care she gives her clients, she quickly became the most successful stylist in the area. Depending on the season, she often hires more stylists so her customers never have to wait too long. One day she hopes to establish her own beauty school.
With her first loan, she was able to purchase various products to sell at her salon. With these products her profits increased, helping her pay for living expenses and to place her son in a private school!
Florence is a retired primary school teacher and a mother of two. She practices mixed farming on her small piece of land. She grows vegetables, keeps a few chickens and is a renowned dairy farmer in the area. Being a widow, she had to work extra hard to ensure that her children received the best education possible. The two are currently in the University.
Green house technology is a new technology amongst small scale farmers here in Kenya. It is usually associated with the rich and particularly with huge flower farms owned by the Delemare family. Florence visited a friend who was practicing green house farming and was so impressed by the profits being generated that she went home and constructed her own green house. While she told me that it was quite a challenge, she saw a profit of $500 in only 6 months. (Remember: out here in Nakuru, a family can survive on $50-60 a month!)
After her initial success, she asked FSK for a loan of $200 for a dairy cow. After repaying this loan, she received a second for $350. Adding the profits from her dairy cow, she now had $1,000 with which to construct a much larger green house, where she grows the most beautiful tomatoes that she sells to local hotels and restaurants.
The business is so successful that she has had to hire help. Plus, the neighbors saw her success and are now constructing their own green houses.
Mr. Opondo sells green maize in the retail market in Nakuru. This business has supported his family of four for the last 5 years. His wife was a stay at home mom for some years but, through the proceeds from the maize business, he started her a business– selling ‘Mali Mali’ (assorted products) like, jugs, basins, cups, bowls, beauty products, clothes, stationary, toys, and etc. The family has been pooling resources together to achieve their vision of establishing a shop to expand the Mali Mali business -- a business that seems to be doing better than the maize business! The family hopes to shift the business into town where they can get more customers.
Mr. Opondo borrowed $200 to help increase his stock. He has plans of acquiring more money to inject into his business for expansion. He told Amos (Director of FSK) that his family has known severe hunger and, at times, his children were sent home from school because he was unable to pay their fees. Now, because of the help these loans provided him and his family, that is all a memory.
More reports on these micro-enterprises, tomorrow!
Copyright, Monte E Wilson, 2011
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