Crayfish business

Mabel

Lusaka, Zambia

100% repaid

Entrepreneur

Name

Mabel

Member since

March 2018

On-time repayments

142 installments  •  64%

About Me

My name is Mabel Majula and i am a hardworking mother of two children. I am a businesswoman and i trade mainly in fish products from the lake to the market. I have a business called Lake Farms where i sell mainly Tilapia Fish, Bream and Crayfish. In my country this business is mainly dominated by men but because of the perseverance i have managed to overcome some of the challenges i have faced when setting it up.

Every day i got out to the lake and welcome the wild catch of local, independent fishermen. My goal is to make their delicious, sustainably-caught and reared fish available to everyone. I have spent years developing relationships with fishermen and docks around Lake Kariba, and i support traditional fishing communities that take pride in feeding their fellow fish fans. My business is built upon transparency, so you always know where your fish comes from and the short trip it takes to your table. Almost as if you caught it yourself.

Lake farms is committed to the idea that we can, and should produce more fish in Zambia. This fish should be free of hormones, antibiotics, and industrial pollutants; it is our responsibility to provide the consumer with a healthy product. And this product should be produced in a way that does not do damage the local environment, respects our gift of water, and enhances the local social system that produces it. here the lake is vital to the local culture and economy, and we are committed to protecting marine biodiversity in ways that benefit coastal people for whom the lake is a source of livelihood and so we see a need to diversify traditional small-scale fisheries which are fundamental to the livelihoods and food security of many of the people around this area. Yet marine ecosystems and the fisheries they support are facing unprecedented pressures.

My Business

the primary product that i sell is Nile Tilapia and crayfish which is found in Lake Kariba and caught wild. I discovered the Crayfish was being caught in the fishing nets and cages with the fish but the fishermen and women were throwing it back into the water because they didn't know that it could be eaten or that there was a market for it and yet this is a delicacy in other countries that can earn up to $20 a kg, so i organised the women in the community to be collecting and harvesting the crayfish as another source of income. Bream fish, popularly known as tilapia, is one of the most known members of the tropical and subtropical freshwater fishes. It is recommended as a culture fish species because of its importance in aquaculture and its capability in contributing to the increased production of animal protein in the world. Tilapias are successful aquaculture fish because they are hardy and easy to grow, white-fleshed, mild-flavoured, and appeal to the palate of consumers.

Because of this business i am able to pay for a small oulet where i sell fresh fish and live crayfish to my customers. The crayfish is highly profitable and very much feasible for surrounding shrimp cultivation areas. Also, the market is very smooth and linked with international market. The project will support many households for the fishermen who harvest the tilapia crayfish. With Zidisha Lenders support we want to increase our sales of crayfish and set up a floating cage on the lake.

Loan Proposal

We will create more employment as most companies have closed down but we as a local fish company have managed to work far and beyond so that we do not close down otherwise our fishermen and women will be unemployed which will be a disaster. We have introduced the sowing of face masks to help the community and support the business as we slowly pick up from where we left and the government has opened up the restaurants which is a plus to us as most business which is the hospitality industry had closed down. The have now opened up again giving us a new leaf and we can work better in future. We have new clients that have come on board and are now making orders

Income Source

When the covid19 times started we faced hardship especially we in the rural area,with time we have adjusted and have learned to live around it and sensitising the community our packaging has changed and we have introduced a more convenient way to work. We have added value to the product unlike before we sold live crayfish now we package it and deliver it to places where we haven't been to promote the product. We have managed by not giving up and living the new normal. Thanks to you and the community that have come through to support and believe in us during this period.

My Videos

Jan 29, 2021: To buy styrofoam boxes

Feedback

5

None

None

  • Ronald    Oct 27, 2021

    Good work! I wish you and your family a happy life :-)
    Never give up!
    Sincerly Ronald (Switzerland)

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  • Ed    Feb 26, 2021

    Glad to loan to Mabel, it was a pleasure, good luck in all your endeavors

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  • David    Jul 14, 2020

    Loan was originally scheduled to take two weeks. Comments explained a delay and a large sale resulted in the loan being paid off after about a month. Well done and good luck.

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  • Erik G    Jul 12, 2020

    Prompt repayment and in full... Thanks and well done Mabel!

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  • Eric Albert    Jul 12, 2020

    Well done!

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Loan Info

Project Type

Classic Loan

Disbursed amount

$123.00

Date disbursed

Jun 6, 2020

Repayment status

On Time

Projected term

5 weeks

Lenders

Jason

Auckland, New Zealand

EA

Eric Albert

United States

EG

Erik G

Switzerland

LM

Logan Max

McKinleyville, California, United States

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