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

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