Siaka

Karfiguela, Burkina Faso

100% repaid

Entrepreneur

Name

Siaka

Member since

June 2011

On-time repayments

27 installments  •  41%

About Me

Hello, my name is Siaka Tou. I am 22 years old and I am a farmer who comes from Karfiguela in the south-west of Burkina Faso. I grow rice, corn, peas, potatoes, peanuts and vegetables. Also, I work with my dad to raise beef. The waterfalls of Karfiguela, the most popular tourist site in Burkina Faso, are situated in my village. When I do not work in the fields I guide the visitors to the waterfalls and the other tourist sites. I have been a volunteer with the Peace Corps, an American NGO for three years. I have two goals: I want to help the development of Karfiguela and I want to run a restaurant. It is very important that I diversify the revenue in the tourism industry.

My Business

The tourism infrastructure of Karfiguela is under-developed even by the standards of West Africa. There is no food, drinks, or accommodations less than 10 km from the waterfalls, thus, there is an opportunity to profit from the numerous visitors who visit the waterfalls. Right now, I have built a restaurant and hostel near the entrance of the waterfalls. I work with my brothers and the Peace Corps volunteers to build the building, the majority of the Zidisha funding will be used for a freezer to conserve food and drinks (300,000fcf or 641 USD). Also, I will buy a door and iron window to protect the things in the building (60000fcf or 128 USD). Before the opening of the restaurant I will buy tables and chairs, gas, plates, and drinks. The menu of the restaurant will be comprised of meals with high margins that Western tourists like and also local meals for African clients. After the initial costs, there will not be fixed monthly costs, the variable costs are the food and the drinks and the gas for the refrigerator and freezer. I think that the restaurant will earn 100000fcfa (213 USD) in profit each month after the rooms of the hostel are constructed the profits will grow. The restaurant will aid the development of Kargiguela, I am going to buy local products like bissap, palm wine, and dry mangos and souvenirs directly from girls and women in the village. The men are going to be tourist guides, I will reinvest the profit to grow the enterprise and the next thing I am going to build are the rooms of the hostel. In the future I want to create a bike tour so clients can visit the tourist sites.

Loan Proposal

With the Zidisha loan, I will buy a refrigerator, a door, a window, tables, chairs, plates, spoons, gas for the kitchen, knives, pans, a plastic barrel for water, ice, different food, road signs for the restaurant, plastic tableware, baskets, an arrangement in front of the restaurant for traditional things (necklaces, masks, etc), the construction of a small compartment for pizza, similarly, cases of different drinks with glasses, a shed for parking, and another for the tourists of the waterfall to rest in.

Show original Français  

About Me

bonjour je m'appelle siakatou.j'ai de 22ans et je suis un cultivateur qui vient de karfiguela dans le sus-ouest du burkinafaso je cultive le riz le mais le poit de terre les arachides et les leguemes.aussi je travaille avec mon pere a l'elevage des boeufs les cascades de karfiguela le site touristique plus populaire au burkina sont situè dans mon village.quand je ne travaille par aux champ je guide les visiteurs aux cascades et les autres sites touristiques.il y a trois ans,je suis un volontaire avec le corpde la paix,un ong american.j'ai deux buts:je veux aider le développent de karfiguela et je veux lancer nu restaurant.c'est très importantque jediversifie le revenu a l'industrie de tourisme.

My Business

l'infrastructure de tourisme de karfiguela est sous-développée meme selon les normes de l'afrique de l'ouest.il n y a pas la nourritures , les boissons ou lhébergement moin 10kilomètres des cascades,donc il y a une opportunitéde profite de nombreux visiteurs qui visitent les cascades.maintenant,j'aiconstruis nu restaurantet auberge près l'entrance des cascades.je travaille avec mes frères et les volontaires de corps de la paix pour construire le bàtiment la majoorité de financement de zidisha sera utlise pour un congélateur pour conserver les aliment et les boissons (300000fcf)aussi j'achèterair un porte et fenètre en fer pour bien garde les choses dans le bàtiment (60000fcf)avant l'ouverture du restaurant j'achèterai les tables et les chaises,le gaz les assiettes,et les boissons.la carte de restaurnant va comprendre les repas avec les marges èlévees que les touristes occidentaux aimerant et aussi les repas local pour les clients africains.après les coutes initiaux il n'y aura pas les coutes mensuelles fixées les coutes vriables sont les aliments les boissons et le gaz pour frougaut et congélateur.je pense que le restaurants va gagners 100000 bénéfice chaque mois après les chambres d'aubergementsont construits le bénéfice augmentera. le restaurant va aider le développement de karfiguela je vais acheter les produits locaux comme bissap,vin de palme et mangues fruits secs et souvenires directement des filles et femmes au village les hommes vont etres les guides touristiques je vais réinvestir la bénéfice pour augmenter l'entreprise et la prochaine chose je vais construires les chambres d'auberge dans le future je veux créer un excursion de vélo anfin que les clients peuvent visiter les sites touristiques.

Loan Proposal

avec le prete de zidisha je vais achette d'un friguot d'une porte,
d'une fenétre, des tables, des chaises, desassiettes, des cuièllères,
le gaz pour la cuisine, les couteaux, des casseroles, une barique en
plastique pour l'eau, d'une glaciaire, des nourritures differents, des
panots d'indication pour le restaurant, le basile en plastique, les
vaniers, une disposition de devente de restaurant pour les chosses
traditionnelles (collié maxeques ect), la construction d'une petite
case pour le pizza, de meme les caisses de boissons different avec des
verres, une hangart pour parking, et un autre pour le repos des
clients ou tourism de la cascade.

Feedback

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Loan Info

Project Type

Classic Loan

Disbursed amount

$1,128.00

Date disbursed

Aug 9, 2011

Repayment status

On Time

Projected term

12 months

Other loans

Lenders

M

mblue0953

United States

Wiseclerk

Remagen, Germany

melliecarma

Portus Town, Germany

AWOL

USA, United States

E

Errol

Bradenton, FL, United States

IJAZBOF

Chihuahua, Mexico

Feldborg

Stuttgart, Germany

M

Monarch84

Las Vegas, United States

CatholicNetworking

Galway, Ireland

Archie

Rochester, United States

M

Megivern

Ankeny, United States

sworthington

San Francisco, United States

B

BRWorthington

San Francisco, United States

D

Daniel

Cupertino, United States

Ask Siaka a question about this project, share news and photos of your own, or send a simple note of thanks or inspiration.

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  • Siaka    Feb 10, 2015

    i'm siaka the coache of siaka tou. i'm very discourage with the comportements of siaka tou. he refuse to take my call. he is living far from me and i made my effort to meet him but impossible two times. in my program, i want to go to meet him in the night. it is only the last solution.

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  • MienDeGraeve    Sep 24, 2012

    When I first visited the Karfiguela Falls 3 years ago, there was nobody or nothing to welcome me but a run-down and abandoned ‘campement’. Such a shame for the most beautiful and important tourist attraction in Burkina Faso! On a short distance of the old ‘campement’ you will now find a restaurant where Siaka Tou serves tasty meals and fresh drinks. The Karfiguela Falls are far away from everywhere so it a great advantage that Siaka is offering lodging as well. Two charming huts are ready by now, one is under construction and he is planning to build a few more, in the different housing styles of the people of Burkina Faso.

    It is only fair to tell you that this is not exclusively the result of Siaka’s loan with Zidisha. He was offered a small grant by Peace Corps Burkina Faso as well and both he and Peace Corps Volunteer James Megivern invested lots of time, energy and ideas in the construction works. Thanks to the Zidisha loan though Siaka was able to actually start the restaurant: he could buy a large fridge, tables and chairs and all the necessary materials for preparing and serving food.

    Because tourism is not a very stable sector in Burkina Faso (and today even more under strain because of the troubles in neighbouring Mali) the restaurant is a very important asset. Even when weeks go by without a tourist coming along Siaka’s restaurant is doing very well and the villagers appreciate it very much. The closest town is 15 km away and Siaka has become the guarantee for fresh bread, cool beer, a decent meal. This means off course a steady income for Siaka, but it also turned the site around the Falls more lively and cosy.

    I was particularly charmed by the catering service Marleys (because that is the name of Siaka’s restaurant) is offering. It is a steep walk up to the falls and people who want to spend all day up there can now order food and drinks at the restaurant. Siaka will send it up with a smile! I can certainly recommend a visit to the website marleysbf.weebly.com to all who want to have a closer look at Siaka’s project.

    There is no shortage of future plans (more huts, a new and more solid roof for the restaurant, a fence, …) and Siaka will probably get the help of a private investor to realize them. So this is one more beautiful example of how Zidisha helps enterprises grow and how it gives entrepreneurs the chance to rise above invisibility. It is also very clear that Siaka’s loan has been and still is much talked of in Karfiguela and although few people in the village are computer literate there may be more loan applications coming up from the region soon.

    Siaka asked me to thank Zidisha and all the lenders that helped financing his project once again and you should know that you all will be most welcome when turning up at Karfiguela Falls one day!

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  • MienDeGraeve    Sep 17, 2012

    Hi everyone, I just want to let you know that I have well arrived in Burkina Faso and that I will travel to the region where Siaka Tou lives on Wednesday 19 September. If you have any questions for him, please don't hesitate to post them here. I will be more than happy to pass them to Siaka and to give you the answers when writing a report on my visit.
    Thanks,
    Mien

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  • MienDeGraeve    Jul 19, 2012

    Hi everyone, my name is Mien and I am living in Belgium right now but I will be arriving soon (beginning of September) in Burkina Faso as the first Client Relationship Intern for Zidisha in this country. This afternoon I had the chance to speak a few moments to Siaka Tou on the phone. He lets you know that everything is fine at the Karfiguela Falls. The restaurant is working well and he has constructed 3 rooms already. He is planning to build more as soon as possible because he has hosted quite some guests during the past months. He promised to show me around when I will visit him and the project in September. I am sure we will be able to give you more detailed updates at that time, so please continue to follow Siaka and his business!
    Thanks,
    Mien

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  • Siaka    Feb 19, 2012

    Good morning. I bought the freezer in December and now, there are cold drinks in the waterfalls. These days, I am doing the rooms for the tourists. Each will be housed in a different style hut, and will represent a traditional housing design of one Burkina's ethnic groupe: peul, karaboro, lobi. James is helping me create a website. Thanks! siaka

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  • Siaka    Oct 17, 2011

    Hello and thanks very much, I am very happy to have the loan. I used the money to buy the tables and chairs, spoons, sign, and the building itself. Now the Karfiguela Waterfall restaurant is open for business. Next month I plan to buy the refrigerator and begin to build bedrooms for the tourist lodge.

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    • Megivern    Dec 7, 2011

      Hi Lenders! My name is James, a Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso who is working along side Siaka to build his restaurant. I helped construct the latrine and mud-brick building and we even did cooking lessons! (pictured here) Siaka recently purchased a gas-powered freezer and can now begin stocking a wider variety of food and cold drinks. He has done an incredible job launching and managing his restaurant and it is very rewarding watching the impact on the village of 1,000 people. Village parties are now held at Siaka's restaurant and everyone has truly benefited. We're going to begin building several traditional huts for lodging because tourist season is here!

      Stay tuned for more updates,

      James

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