Bookshop & stationery business

Purity

Meru, Kenya

100% repaid

Entrepreneur

Name

Purity

Member since

March 2015

On-time repayments

190 installments  •  68%

About Me

My name is Purity, and I am at my mid-30s, a single mother of one boy who is 6 years old. I went to school at Kianthumbi Primary School and did my KCPE in 1996, then I went to Katheri High School and did my KCSE in 2000. Then from there I got employed at a supermarket in Meru, where I worked for 6 years as a cashier.

I gave birth to my son Elvis and I stayed at home for one year to cater for my son. Thereafter I started a cosmetics shop at Katheri Market. I later noticed that there was a high demand of stationary and textbooks in our market. That's when I started that business.

The uniqueness of my land is that I was born on the slopes of Mount Kenya, and near the Mount Kenya Forest there so many game parks and game reserves around.

My son longs to be a pilot when he grows up.

My Business

I provide services such as photocopying, printing, and typing. The services are in demand since [this is the] only shop in this market, and we have many schools around.

I use my profit to pay the fees for my son and our upkeep. I also plough it back to my business. That's how I manage to add stock of textbooks. I chose this business since it's easy to run and is at a high demand. Education will always remain the main factor in our societies; therefore books will always be needed.

Loan Proposal

hi, may i first take this oportunity to say thank you to zidisha family for the continued support you have accorded me. My son and i will forever be gratefull for this support.
Having completed the repayments for my previous loan, i am in need of more funding to add more stock in my bookshop( this will include suppling of stationery eg. pens, exercise books and text books to the surrounding school since they are in high demand, in this undertaking i will invest kshs 25,000 for stock and kshs 3,000 for transport cost)
since i also offer money transfer service through Safaricom M-pesa i will add Kshs 30,000 to the line i had earlier purchased so as to increase my commission as their agent which in turn will translate to a better profit margin, it will also come as a releif to my clients who are suffering from my constant problem of not having a bigger credit limit as an agent. the remaining amount Kshs 24,000 plus my savings of kshs 20,000 will be used as follows.
1. kshs 15,000 will be used to purchase memory sticks for mobile phones which my customers seem to have a demand for.
2. Kshs 20,000 will be used as hard cash issue my clients upon withdrawing money from my agent number.
3. Ksh. 7,000 will be used to renew my municipal council license which is due to expire in end october.
4. Kshs 7,000 will be used as security incase of any eventuality.

thanks again for your continued support and may you all be blessed.

Show original English  

About Me

My name is purity at my mid 30s,a single mother of one boy 6years old,I went to school at kianthumbi primary school and did my KCPE in 1996 then gone to Katheri high school and did my KCSE in 2000,then from there i got employed in a supermarket in meru where i worked for 6years as a cashier.
I gave birth to my son Elvis and i stayed at home for one year to cater for my son,there after i start a cosmetics shop at katheri market.I later noticed that there was a high demand of a stationary and textbook in our market.thats when i started that business.
The uniqueness of my land is that am born at the slopes of mount Kenya and near the mount kenya forest there so many game parks and game reserves around.
My son longs to be a pilot when he grows up.he loves mathematis and sciences and i pray for him day and night.his hobby is playing football and dancing.

My Business

I provide service such as:photocopying,printing,typing,Mpesa services which is used by over 14 million people to send money to families and business paybills .the services are in demand since its my only shop in the market and having many schools around.
I use my profit to pay the fees for my son and our up keep,and i have also used the profits to help our community buy pipes for kathita water project.i have also donated to baby blessings and Turu childrens home ,helped my assistant Grace pay for her hospitallity course.
I also plough it back to my business.that's how I manage to add textbooks stock.
I choose this business since its easy to run and is at a high demand,Education will always remain the main factor into our societies therefore books will always be needed.

Loan Proposal

hi, may i first take this oportunity to say thank you to zidisha family for the continued support you have accorded me. My son and i will forever be gratefull for this support.
Having completed the repayments for my previous loan, i am in need of more funding to add more stock in my bookshop( this will include suppling of stationery eg. pens, exercise books and text books to the surrounding school since they are in high demand, in this undertaking i will invest kshs 25,000 for stock and kshs 3,000 for transport cost)
since i also offer money transfer service through Safaricom M-pesa i will add Kshs 30,000 to the line i had earlier purchased so as to increase my commission as their agent which in turn will translate to a better profit margin, it will also come as a releif to my clients who are suffering from my constant problem of not having a bigger credit limit as an agent. the remaining amount Kshs 24,000 plus my savings of kshs 20,000 will be used as follows.
1. kshs 15,000 will be used to purchase memory sticks for mobile phones which my customers seem to have a demand for.
2. Kshs 20,000 will be used as hard cash issue my clients upon withdrawing money from my agent number.
3. Ksh. 7,000 will be used to renew my municipal council license which is due to expire in end october.
4. Kshs 7,000 will be used as security incase of any eventuality.

thanks again for your continued support and may you all be blessed.

Feedback

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Loan Info

Project Type

Classic Loan

Disbursed amount

$829.00

Date disbursed

Sep 29, 2016

Repayment status

On Time

Projected term

11 months

Lenders

joerg

Berlin, Germany

T

Tmann

Los Angeles, United States

P

ploeger

Perkasie, United States

ErikN

Stockholm, Sweden

Judith

London, United Kingdom

M

Mårten

Inden, Switzerland

BF

Bob Fitzjohn

Fontvielle, Monaco, Yemen

Matching Fund

Sterling, United States

B

beckynagel

United States

Paul Buchheit

Mountain View, United States

JA

Jorge Alagon

Munich, Germany

trincowski

Vilar, Vila do Conde, Portugal

Michel Bavin

Antwerp Area, Belgium

M

mbarbier

United States

Lotus Flower

United States

JK

Hamburg, Germany

V

Vivek

Arlington, VA, United States

MR

Michiel Rauws

San Francisco, Netherlands

wissam

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

I

Irene

Switzerland

Carl D Patterson

United Kingdom

R

Rahima

United States

roark22

Geneva, Switzerland

Ren

Minneapolis/StPaul, United States

Craig Newmark

United States

The Zinc Team

San Francisco, United States

Seppo Ruohonen

Vantaa, Finland

Humble Bundle Community

San Francisco, United States

Vratik Krocik

Prague, Czech Republic

Ellen

Michigan, United States

A

Anonymous

United States

A

Anonymous

United States

NB

Nolan Beal

United States

B

Brian

Rancho Cordova, United States

Paul Buchheit

Mountain View, United States

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  • Purity    Jun 23, 2022

    To my dear lenders,i sincerely apologise for not been able to pay the loan but i trust God one day i will. My business crushed and i was left with nothing even raising school fees for my son was hard.covid 19 hit me really hard and i have been hospitalised thrice and the medical bill were to high.l was left with almost nothing and i lived by mercies of God and help from friends.my son Elvis joined high school one month late than others because i could not raise school fees and well wisher came through for us.
    Thank you in advance for understanding my situation and i trust God one day i will rise on my feet again and pay the loan. Iam trying to be virtual assistant and see if i will make it. Have great time my dear lenders and God's blessings

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  • Purity    Mar 15, 2021

    Greetings greetings and Apology my dear lenders and entire Zidisha lending community for defaults on loan repayments and my long silence..it's almost one and half year since i made my last loan payment my dear lenders. Let me take this opportunity to inform you that my world crushed on me and my business failed terribly and i also sold my smart phone to settle some bills making it impossible to log in.
    Remember early 2019 me informing you that i was down with hpyroli?i spent like $275 on treatment.while on treatment and on bed rest i left my assistant Grace to do business transactions for me and she was frauded $752.with me still unwell we reported the matter to the police and they refered us to DCI(Director of criminal investigation) but it was unsuccessful and i just lost my money like that since i had not even insured my business.it was now struggle after struggle i was paying rent, licences ,your loan and my medications on the meagre earnings and my small profits.my business deteroriated .on August 2019 my business was slowly collasped since no adding but expenditure only.life lost its meaning for i lost even close "fake" friends and i started getting depressed and i conteplated suicide..i thank God i din't die and one of my childhood friend came unto my rescue...i sank into real depression for 8 good months and my friend Kendi Muriuki took care of me and my counselling sections and medications since i developed also hormonal imbalances due to high stress levels,boom then came corona but i thank almighty God for am healed and for my selfless friend Muriuki.
    Being an orphan and a single mother has already made life so hard.With bad economy of our country Kenya due to Covid 19 i have not been able to secure a job..hormonal acne has left my face so ugly and me stigmatised when i go look for jobs and the bosses be"oh my God,what wrong with your face?allergies?and that how i have faced rejection and job turn down...my boy Elvis Gitonga is now a young man of almost 13 years of age.
    putting him back to school was not easy but with the help of few well wishers he is back at school and he is in class eight next term. Kendi lost her job due to covid 19 and was unable to support us anymore but i thank God for her always. A good samaritan took us in.we are living in Kibera one of the biggest Kenya slum.life is hard but we won't rest until am back on my feet again.l believe and trust in God and hard work and the soon i get money i will start repaying my Zidisha loans. Life has been very hard for me and my son sometimes going without meals and i will not rest until i clear this loan so help me God.And i sincerely apologize to my lenders,bear with me.i promise to settle the soon i get a job

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  • Purity    Aug 6, 2018

    Gratitude gratitude to my dear lenders.you have made me shine you have made me outshine others.with the funds you lend me I was able to open another Mpesa line with photocopy and cosmetics by the name (76 Dollar shop) below is the final touch of branding the shop.iam am expecting an increased profits thanks to you.God bless you.

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  • Purity    Jul 28, 2018

    Textbooks

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  • Purity    Jul 28, 2018

    Iam very pleased my dear lenders to inform you that I received my full loan as funded.words cannot thank you enough but pray almighty God to bless you.Tressforlife and Paul ,iam thankful. I bought printing papers and new curriculum textbooks and catridge ink.The new Mpesa branding is in progress.here is a photo of what I bought

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  • Purity    Jul 22, 2018

    This is a photo of my new business extension site .it cool also and on a highway.we expect more customers over there and iam sure of maximised profits.thank you for previously funding me.i hope you are lending me again.you restored my hope in business.thanks in advance

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    • Treesforpeople    Jul 25, 2018

      Thank you for sharing these photos, Purity. It is really good to be able to see your business. I wish you well.

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      • Purity    Jul 25, 2018

        Thanks so much Treesforpeople for lending me and my community.am humbled and nothing will stop me from becoming a great entrepreneur. Iam also motivating women in my community to start businesses.

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  • Purity    Jul 22, 2018

    My dear lenders ,this is a photo of my book shop and photo/printing shop.its a cool site.thanks for your continued support to me and my community

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  • Purity    Jul 19, 2018

    Am grateful to you my my lenders for previously funding, for my life and my community has benefited alot from your generosity ,for I donated sanitary towel to girls from humble background who missed school on those days.i also donated water pipes to kathita water project which is a community based.I have made significant profits out of the loans you lend me. I posted a new loan and I pray that you will fund me and enable me start "Quick customer services Mpesa and cosmetics shop".i will also restock photocopy and printing shop along with the bookshop. Thanks in advance for funding.hope to hear from you soon.

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  • Purity    Jul 13, 2018

    Iam very happy to announce to you my dear lenders that i have finished repaying my loan.thanks for your continued support for you have made a recommendable change in my life.though the bookshop part did not go well,I have made significant profits from Mpesa ,photocopy and printing and also accessories.I have used the profits to repay Zidisha loans,pay my boys school fees,help my assistant Grace paying for her hospitality course which she completed this April.we have also toured Maasai Mara ,lake Bogoria and Mombasa.i have also saved some money for opening new line of Mpesa by the name "Quick Customer Service".it wil include Mpesa ,jewellery,cosmetics and photocopy and printing.wish me well and lend me again.i wish you a good day and a blessed life.i thank God for everything.

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  • Purity    Jul 10, 2018

    Am back on track again iam now healed .thanks Zidisha my family my home

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  • Purity    Jun 30, 2018

    Good morning my dear lenders.i have been feeling unwell for sometime now that the reason for delaying my payments.but by Gods grace once I buy the medicine I have been prescribed am going to be healed completely.bear with me.God bless you.

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  • Elly    May 27, 2018

    Hello Purity,
    Things happen in business, it's part and parcel of being your own boss. You are a strong woman, you will find a way to boost your business. Just keep going, you are doing great. :-)

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    • Purity    Jun 9, 2018

      Thanks Elly for word of encouragement for iam determined to rise on top very soon.may God bless you

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  • Purity    May 27, 2018

    To my esteemed lenders,let me take this chance to break the silence by saluting all.thank you for continued support through loan. Let me confess that bookshop business has not been doing good since our goverment changed the education system.this were not good on my side since I had a great stock of text books.my business dropped drastically and I reported very little profit but my MPESA and photocopy business saved me a great deal.I still need your support of prayers but I strongly believe am rising on top very soon.

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  • Purity    Mar 8, 2018

    'One stop customer care' my new project in my plans.from the profits and savings I have made from my bookshop and Mpesa ,I have plans to open another Mpesa within our market and create a new job for another girl.i will also donate water pipes to KATHITA water project which is community based thus giving back to my community.thanks to you my dear lenders for loaning me and my business is growing more and more.God bless you

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  • Purity    Feb 24, 2018

    Thanks dear lenders.you have brought such joy in my life.we are happy.your loans have improved our lifestyles.we treasure you.me and my son

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  • Purity    Feb 4, 2018

    Today being the 4th day of February let me take this opportunity to greet and thank you wonderful lenders. I thank God ,i pass my gratitude to you too.i have made a profit of ksh.108,000 from my bookshop and photocopy shop after removing my expenses of 148,000 thousand. With this historic profit margin am intending to pay my rents,contribute to project we have started along with my friends of helping our girls from poor families get sanitary towels which have made them skip schools during those days,i also have plans to start another mpesa shop and put my assistant and my adopted daughter for she also almost finishing her college studies.am so so grateful my dear lender for your journey of supporting me ,my family and community.

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  • Purity    Jan 5, 2018

    I thank God for my business has thrived again.after the 2017 annual general election and campaigns the state of our economy has improved and I have more customer and more profits.thanks my dear lenders for your continued support for my lifestyle and that of my family has changed for better.that also my plans for my community.

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  • Purity    Jan 5, 2018

    Happy new year and a blessed 2018.happy to inform you That my business is doing very well and I managed to get a profit margin of over 50%.with the profits I have been able to send my son Elvis to a good boarding school,added stock to my shop and donated to a charity home.thanks good people.

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  • Purity    Dec 23, 2017

    To my dear lenders and zidisha fracternity at large.let me take this momment to wish a happy festive season and successful 2018.you have of great help to my business and my life as well..through your loan i have been able achieve my dreams and goal.keep on lifting the lives of our community through me.this month of December i will report an increase in my profits thank to you.i love i wish you all the best

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  • Purity    Nov 5, 2017

    I thank God restoring customer at my shop.a queue of customers waiting for photocopy services

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