Construction of a firewood cooking kitchen

Dora

Kariani,muthambi Location, Kenya

100% repaid

Entrepreneur

Name

Dora

Member since

March 2014

On-time repayments

323 installments  •  47%

About Me

My name is Dora Anne Kageni. I am a project management student, a business lady, and am also in agri-business. Am also a freelancer working online on different jobs mainly article writing, transcription, and online marketing. I am married and a mother of three children. I live upcountry in a place called Marima of Tharaka-Nithi County Kenya with my family. My hobbies are cooking, farming, reading, and adventure.
I own a shop which I sell a variety of items like stationery, second-hand clothes locally called 'mitumba' and cosmetics. I also do freelancing writing and transcription on part-time mainly at night. I have a horticulture farm that I sell to locals and traders from local markets come to buy farm produce on a daily basis thanks to Zidisha loans. Living up-country is an advantage because of land so I ventured into commercial chicken farming in both indigenous and hybrid chicken. From the earnings I get I pay my workers, housekeeping, and some savings for rainy days.
My first born Joe is a third-year student at the Jomo Kenya University of Agriculture -JKUAT in Nairobi taking I.T course thank God he will complete this year and graduate by end-year. My second born Daniel is in form 2 high school class. My third born a girl Linda is in pre-unit class. So far so good I thank God for my kids and people around me like Zidisha for enabling us- me and my husband to take care of them, meeting their needs.
Meru community where I grew up and married are known to be, farmers such that there is a saying that goes around saying 'No Meru people ever die of hunger'. We are known for working hard in the farms cultivating potatoes, maize, maize, yams, bananas, beans, black beans and any other crop does very well in our soils. The only negative culture that is fading away, is female circumcision. This was practiced by our forefathers but it is dying as people are now educated.
My first born son Joe wants to do software that will improve peopleslike agri-business and marketing. Daniel has shifted his career choice to piloting and he has chosen aviation in high school. For Linda, everything that comes her way is her choice of being a teacher like her grandma to a business lady like mum. She is yet to decide what she wants to be at her age, still young.
I am very passionate about everything I do.

My Business

My business originally was selling different items that I bought from Nairobi the capital city of Kenya. I sell stationeries, plastics-basins, cups, and plates, and last week I have introduced back second-hand clothes. I was once way back selling second-hand clothes in 2004-2006 before I shifted to new items. I have started selling second-hand clothes again because of demand by my former customers and it is picking up positively. Pictures are on the dashboard. I still do the shop business but since after meeting Zidisha, it changed my life completely because I had a kitchen garden and backyard chicken which I later expanded into agri-business. And towards the end of 2017, I ventured into dairy farming with the help of my husband and a gift from my mother-in-law. I sell 5 liters at KES 45 and the remaining milk I use it for my kids to take and the extra makes home yogurt.
In the evening mostly, I do freelance writing and transcription. I joined freelancing back in 2012 when I was staying at home and my business was not doing very good because I was pregnant then with preeclampsia complication so I could not go for goods anymore. I bid for work and I have 2 clients I work for when they have to work the request I work for them.
I source high-quality goods from the market to sell to my customers so that I maintain my clients' qualities. Sometimes quality and money don't march but the customers understand. Again leaving in a place where people now you, is very challenging and sometimes encouraging since people take goods and pay at a slow pace or boost the business through referrals I chose this business because it has high returns and it was the starting point of my adult life after completing high school.
In agri-business, I grow vegetables, cereals like maize beans and cowpeas, poultry farming, and dairy farming. I started selling my extra vegetables, eggs, and chicken after realizing I had extra in my house. When I got my first Zidisha loan I bought seed trays and seeds and that took me to another level of thinking and business. So far now I have more than 150 chicken which I have hatched slowly after losing my flock early last year in February 2017. I am greatfulthat they are now laying eggs and I sell at will to those willing to buy eggs, meat or chicks.
I also do outside catering as request arises where I cook for people in any function like weddings, parties and school functions at a fee. This occurs really because I leave in a low and middle-class environment so mainly I get clients from those who are from this area and they have a function. I hire other people to help me since I cannot do it alone and I pay them at the end of the function.
I do bake muffins and cakes where I sell locally to people and local market shop. I bake also cakes for different functions like birthdays and weddings.

Monthly Income;
Freelancing $98.10
Vegetables $49.05
*Cereals Half yearly $98.10
*Poultry--Eggs $29.43
--Meat & Chicks $29.43
Milk $58.86
*Cakes & Muffins $78.48
*Outside Catering $98.10
Shop earnings $ 98.10
Totals------------------------$637.65

*This changes upward or downwards depending on the availability of work and availability of produce. So they are not constant but approximates.

Monthly Expenses
Freelancing Airtime $9.81
Househelp $49.24
Foodstuffs $29.43
Fuel & Transport $49.24
Farm Helper $39.24
*Farm casuals $39.24
Chicken feeds & Meds $65.10
Dairy feeds & Minerals $51.39
Yearly shop License $34.34
Water $29.43
Electricity $39.24
Sacco savings $68
*Miscellaneous $39.24

Totals $592.18

* This is subject to change like casuals when there is a lot of work like tilling, weeding and spraying they consume more and extras are used in repairs, Govt vaccinations, and my airtime.
Sacco savings will be used to repair our house roof tiles which we have noticed some leaks here and there. It will be repaired in the month of August when the rains stop.
Currently, have planted maize and beans in 3 acres, potatoes 1 acre and harvesting coffee this season. Potatoes and beans are already harvested and since the rains are continuing, am praying that the beans do not go to waste because of wet weather. After harvesting coffee, it is husked, dried and sorted to sell later in the year when prices are favorable. Maize and beans are for consumption but if there is surplus which most times there is, we sell to individuals or take in my daughters' school to supplement school fees for the term. I do sell also eggs from my flock and local chicken.

So far I have expanded in line with my vision. Early this year I bought 3 rabbits to boast my meat availability. In Kenya rabbit meat is in high demand and also the urine is used as liquid fertilizer. In future hopefully, I wish to have a fish pond and a pig sty so that my farm to be a full round farm where one can get anything natural or organic.

Loan Proposal

I wish to use my loan to construct a kitchen that I can use to cook using firewood. I have been cooking outside and it is challenging when it rains because the wood is rained on and i have to buy charcoal to cook food like legumes and cook for workers.
When this kitchen is constructed it will be possible to leave the workers cook for themselves and save more because no more buying charcoal. Living upcountry is good because, there is a lot of firewood especially when i have to clear bushes and shave trees to allow sunlight penetrate through to the farm especially the coffee plantations.

Items
2 lorries of Building sand $194.228 $388.455
2 Lorries Building sand $145.671 $291.341
40 Bags cement $6.312 $252.496
Roofing Ironsheets $9.71138 $194.228
1 Steel door and 2 large windows $145.671
Labour $ 194.228

For the lalour I have to pay from my farm proceeds I am comfortable with what i get.

Feedback

13

None

None



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Loan Info

Project Type

Classic Loan

Disbursed amount

$1,372.00

Date disbursed

May 13, 2016

Repayment status

On Time

Projected term

19 months

Lenders

Cloudways

Malta, Malta

ads68

Melbourne, Australia

G

guggl

Vienna, Austria

pvilliger

Zurich, Switzerland

Paul Buchheit

Mountain View, United States

mepster

San Francisco, Ca, United States

Douglas St Quintin

Sydney, Australia

AK

Achim Königs

Bonn, Germany

Diego

Monza, Italy

Craig Newmark

United States

The Zinc Team

San Francisco, United States

Humble Bundle Community

San Francisco, United States

K

Kyle

Durban, United Kingdom

Ask Dora 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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  • Madesto    Apr 2, 2021

    called her and she promised to pay the dues this month.

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  • Madesto    Feb 24, 2021

    i called her and she promised to pay the dues soon

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  • Caroline    Jan 13, 2021

    Hi Lenders Dola is working hard to repay her loonas soon as things are ok.

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  • Dora    Jan 1, 2021

    Happy new year! I thank God for this new year believing everyone around is great. Am trying my level best to re-pay my loan though nothing is working right now. I promise no matter how slow I re-pay, I will clear my debt soonest. Have a fantastic year full of Gods' overflow blessings.
    Dora

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  • Dora    Dec 1, 2020

    Am experiencing low business and some days nothing. So far the layers are not producing eggs well due to low feed quality which I can afford at the moment. Please bear with me.

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  • Erick    Dec 1, 2020

    I spoke with Dora, she said her finances are low at the moment but she's doing her best to resume making payments soon

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  • Lilian    Nov 25, 2020

    Halo lenders.. I have spoken to Dora who says she if financially down but promises to reschedule payment to a lower amount she will be able to pay.. thanks for your patience

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  • Dora    Oct 5, 2020

    I do not have a stable income at the moment but am trying my best to repay my loan as much as possible. Am sorry for the delays and disappointments.

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  • Dora    Sep 29, 2020

    Hi, I know I have been so absent. Am trying my best to repay my loan and I believe I will clear it. Thank you for your patience.

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  • Timothy    Sep 7, 2020

    I contacted Dora and she said her income has not yet stabilised, she promised to look for alternative means to resume repayment of the loan.

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  • Janet    Aug 4, 2020

    I contacted Dora, she said things haven't improved yet but she's trying to find means to help her resume paying her loan

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  • Janet    Jul 4, 2020

    I contacted Dora again she said that her business is still down and she's trying her best to repay her loan as soon as possible

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  • Janet    Jun 2, 2020

    I spoke with Dora, she said her income is very low and shes unable to make payments at the time, she promised to do her best to repay her loan as soon as possible.

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  • Dora    May 10, 2020

    Hi my lenders,
    I am really really sorry for the slow and late repayments for the last two years and more. First of all, I had to stand in for my sister who was in remand for a year and a half taking in all her responsibillites. She is a single mother living in the city. Along the way, my business collapsed my poultry farming and vegetable farming became my only source of income which made it more difficult for me to repay my loan. I do get very little from vegetable and poultry farming which I use to buy food and other small activities in the home as my husband pays all the school fees for our 3 children. This is the reason why am not able to repay my loan as resheduled and I feel terrible and I know have wronged you big time.
    Give me more time to repay as I pay little by little as I can afford and am sure God willing I will complete my dues before the year ends. Thank you for the patience and God bless you so much.
    Dora.

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  • Janet    May 2, 2020

    Dora asked for your patience and understanding, she said her business is slow but will pay the loan as soon as possible.

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  • Dora    Mar 30, 2020

    Hi,
    Hope you are all safe. Am good and my family. Am trying to repay my loan in bits though very small amounts. Am not yet financially stable but am trying my best and am sure I Will repay back. I know have delayed and its long overdue. Thanks for your patience, stay safe.

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  • Dora    Mar 7, 2020

    My business is stagnant and my chicken layers are old not laying enough eggs even to buy their own feeds

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  • Robinson    Feb 13, 2020

    Hi Lenders, ANTONY said he will advise the borrower regarding installments adjustments to an amount she can afford so that she can stay updated with
    her repayments until her financial situation improves

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  • Dora    Jan 24, 2020

    Hi Lenders,
    My hope and prayer the year is doing fine. I am fine though down financially. Yes, its true Robinson got to talk to my husband Antony yesterday. I am not doing any business now, everything just went down and only a few layers to keep us afloat. My husband who pays for school fees and food sometimes, I am not able to get any money at all to my debt. I am asking please to hold my account for 3 months and reschedule my loan so that I start paying in December. I know and I am really sorry that I have held your money for a longer period more than the completion date. I promise to pay my dues as soon am financially stable.
    God bless.

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  • Robinson    Jan 23, 2020

    I reached out to the borrower through her reference ANTONY KINYUA and he promised to explain to her how the borrower can pass to us the updates regarding her loan repayments from her discussion tab on her
    Zidisha profile.

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