Dry-grain farming to boost supply for my retail cereal shop

Entrepreneur

About Me

I am Wairimu Gathii, a second born in a family of 4.I am now 31 years old, and my son is 9 years old.

I graduated from University in the year 2014, and enrolled for a series of short courses to prepare me for life as a business lady.

Having completed schooling, I now have more time to focus on my business, which thanks to Zidisha, I was able to start, and grow to the successful enterprise it now is. For that, I shall remain forever grateful.

My story is that of inspiration and hope that one can rise from nothing and make something out of themselves with determination and selfless help from a few individuals, such as Zidisha did, and has continued assisting me with finances and encouragement.

I hail from a single parent background and it is my mother who has single handedly worked to bring up my siblings and i and give us an education. She recently acquired a diploma in community service.

I have continuously striven to raise my son with the values that my mother and indeed my donors in Zidisha have inculcated in me. That selflessly assisting each other in our own small ways can help make this world a better place, by assisting one determined and driven individual at a time. Thank you Zidisha for helping this one girl from a remote part of the world make a difference for herself and her community.

The idea to get into business is in order to raise my family's living standards having been brought up in an environment of apparent lack though not permanent lack.

In order to start my business in the formative stages, i had to approach a local community leader to give me a boost for a start up small scale business, and food being a basic need, was the most viable kind of business for me. The community
leader therefore gave me a few kilograms of cereals to start with, before i could figure out a way to get on my feet. I remain grateful for the kindness of that particular community leader.

What is unique about the land where i live is the fact that the land is fertile and arable and the landscape is simply breathtaking.

I love nature and taking in the Beauty of God's handiwork is simply phenomenal. I take long walks just to appreciate the beauty in almost everything I see. I love doing retreats with friends and take lots of pictures. I also love interacting with people and i do not pass by an opportunity to make new friends. I love dancing, am not a good dancer though, and dance moves especially the new and upcoming, which i am forever trying to nail, have proved quite elusive. I am also quite recently trying to learn a new language.

Did i also mention that i love books?, a good book can keep me hooked all day long, a hobby i like to believe significantly alters my vocabulary for the better. My current read is 'The river between' by Ngugi wa Thiong'o.

I always strive to encourage my son and indeed my younger siblings to apply their best efforts to any task they set their minds to, and to claim success against all odds. My son claims he wants to be a pilot when he grows up, i told him he can be anything he wants to be, but he gotta keep his grades up. I got him a kite, just to keep his goals and aspirations in sight, i mean, gotta start with a kite before graduating to a pilot, right?

I am a bubbly person, highly motivated and self driven.

My Business

I am a medium scale cereals trader(though not so medium now, thanks to zidisha) mostly selling to the ultimate consumer as my business has not expanded enough to make me a supplier.

I mostly trade in dry grains namely maize, rice, beans, green grams, lentils, to name but a few.

I conducted market research and did due diligence whereby I discovered that food products are very unlikely to lack a market because they are basic necessities.

The target group for such kind of commodities is virtually everyone. Another motivation is that I wanted to contribute to food security (albeit in a small way), and ensure it`s done by ensuring that my customers are always well supplied.

As previously explained in my former applications, operating costs of this business comes with the fact that I have to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar by paying what is due from me to the local government authorities(you know what they say, the only thing as sure as death are taxes). I also need to operate with a license and the backing of the health sector, seeing as the handling of food items is a matter of public concern.

My monthly revenue has stagnated at an average of $ 175 and comes purely from selling the grains. My monthly costs go up to averagely $100 or more given the current Covid Situation, leaving me with a profit around the neighborhood of $ 75-80 per month. The profits I get to glean from my business go my son's education, and towards meeting my family's expenses.

I am grateful that through my small business I have been able to uplift both myself and those around me.

Loan Proposal

Hello,

I come from the Rift Valley province of my country Kenya, a beautiful country located in East Africa

The climate of the place that I come from is ideal for farming especially, maize, beans, sorghum and millet. I will be sending pictures in my next post, for you to see exactly what i am talking about.

You will note that previously, i have been buying grain for my cereal outlet from middle men who have in turn been buying the same from the farmers. You will note a chain of four parties before the same can reach the ultimate consumer.

In my next phase and indeed in this new year, i intend to spread out my wings and venture into farming of the products which I stock. Ours is a perennial farming season and there are approximately 3 harvest cycles in a year.

I therefore intend with the loan, to take out a one year lease of an acre of agricultural land, which costs around 100Dollars, I thereafter intend to till the land, which labour for the same will cost me about 35Dollars, Thereafter i will buy seeds from the stores, mainly maize and been, which the norm fro this side of the world is to plant them together, and then have a small space where I will plant Millet and sorghum, buying the seeds will cost me about 38 Dollars. There will necessarily require labour for the planting, the weeding when the time for the same comes, and the ultimate harvesting and storage, costing approximately 40 Dollars, and the remainder will be to cater any unforeseen expenses when and as they arise.

My first crop will be ready to harvest by end of March or early April when I plant in January. This will ensure that my cereals outlet is stocked with produce directly from the farm and will enable my products to sell at a lower price to the ultimate consumer, as costs will lower, having eliminated the need for middle men, and increase my customer base as i will be able to even supply schools and institutions. My profits will therefore increase exponentially, enabling me to also benefit my society by the friendly prices, I will also be able to pay for my son's education, it will also be a dream come true for my mom who has a passion for farming, and the fact that bi will also be able to create employment for others.

My family will be assisting with the farming, and they are so excited, as am I.

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