Buy a smart phone to become more efficient in journalism

Entrepreneur

About Me

Hi everyone. Am a Kenyan man born along the slopes of Mt. Kenya. Thats where I grew up and also where I attended school until I finished my O'level education.
Due to issues my family was going through then, I was not able to join College but got headlong into earning a living. Life was hard on my own, I worked in a succession of menial jobs but still hoped that one day I woukld be able to continue with my studies; but it wasn't to be for a long time.
In the course of my earning a living, I have movedfrom several towns in Kenya including Limuru, Nyeri, Nyahururu but I finally settled in Nakuru when I got a job with a manufacturing company.
It was exciting in the beginning and I quickly moved from a casual worker to departmental superviser within three years. But still, something was missing. I wanted to be my own boss and better still, I wanted to be in a position where I could bring positive change into the community.
Last year in September, I resigned from my job and started a stone quarrying business and in my free time started engaging in Freelance journalism as a side hustle. It was in journalism that I found my true calling; a chance to speak for the community, to drive change and best of all to engage my passion and talent. Although untrained, the writing and reporting came naturally and this is when I decided to close down the stone quarrying business and engage in citizen journalism fulltime.
I have a wife who is a dressmaker and two kids. My daughter is in primary school and my son will join nursery school next year.

My Business

I earn my living through online journalism and youth mentorship.
When I applied for my first Zidisha loan, journalism was just a side husle but has since become my main source of income. In addition, through invitations by several community leaders to address the youth on Zidisha I have evolved into a youth mentor, motivational speaker and a resource person on working online.
This new world is exciting not only for the earnings, but also for the chance to impact positively on the lives of my community.
My journalism work earns me an average of $25 to $30 per week and my speaking engagements bring in about $15 per session. Usually I have 1-2 engagements per month.
My work expenses vary since I travel to different parts daily. Its the tavelling expenses that usually consist the bulk of my work expenses as I move roung covering events. In a typical week I can spend up to $10.
I save 10% of my profits and the rest goes into taking care of the family needs and paying fees for my daughter.
I spend my earnings on school fees for my daughter, food, rent, clothing and other basic necessities.

Loan Proposal

If successful, I will add my savings and use the money to buy a smart phone to use in my journalism career.
At the moment am losing a lot since I cannot take photos and post from my phone. An smart phone will save me the hassle and cost of having to walk to a cyber cafe and I can be able to post articles in real time from any position and hence increase my earnings from Freelancing from the current $6 to about $8-$10 per week. To view a sample of my journalism, visit

(www.hivisasa.com/reporter/3049)

In addition, I will engage in blogging and I can leverage on adsense and hopefully also attract advertisers to my page. To achieve this, I must be able to post regularly, promptly and from any location.
A loan will go along way in boosting my career and raising the living stardands of my young family.

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