Irrigation pump to plant vegetables on idle land

Benson

Ciondo Road, Engineer, Kenya

100% repaid

Entrepreneur

Name

Benson

Member since

September 2013

On-time repayments

392 installments  •  61%

About Me

My names are Benson Kaniu Karanja, and I was born in the year 1978 in Kiambu County of the central Province in Kenya. I went to Kirangari High school for my KCSE (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education). After my KCSE, I joined Kabete Technical Training Institute in Nairobi where I graduated with a diploma in Laboratory Technology. I am married with two children.

I have worked with CAIS as a laboratory technician for 3 years, where we were dealing with production of bull semen and selling it to farmers for artificial insemination, so I have experience in dairy management and generally agriculture production.

My Business

Besides working as a laboratory technician at Muruaki Secondary School, I am a farmer specializing in dairy farming in Kinangop. I also grow wide range of cash crops like potatoes, peas, carrots and cabbages. I am also a member of Tulaga farmers SACCO, where we sell our milk and get paid at the end of the month. Kinangop is endowed with weather that favours production of such cash crops and customers come as far as Nairobi.

My income per month ranges from Ksh. 8,000 (USD $90) to Ksh. 13,000 (USD $140). After deducting expenses, it amounts to sh 6000 ($70) per month as net income that I add to my salary at my work place for family upkeep and payment of school fees.

I intend to borrow a Zidisha loan to increase my farming activities with the help of my wife, who is a housewife. With this Zidisha loan, I will be able to boost planting by planting in a land that is currently sitting idle. I live just some few meter from the Turasha River which, though seasonal, I will take advantage and water my crops during the coming dry spell. This will put me at an advantage, as I will not rely mostly on unpredictable weather. I also want to plant more feeder crops for my cows to boost milk production.

From my workplace I have net income of Ksh. 14,000 (USD $150) and will keep part of my personal savings to go towards this project. We are approaching closure of schools, and I don’t work during the holidays, so I will be in a position to set the ball rolling and, furthermore, this will be close to two months. I also don’t work during weekends (i.e, Saturdays). Therefore, I will be having at least a day in a week to concentrate on my project.

I do also have plans to purchase a simple water pump that will enable me do some irrigation to my crops, particularly vegetables and cabbages, which have ready market due to their ever-increasing demand. When prices go down, I will be using them as fees for my cattle and this will increase milk production.

Loan Proposal

With my third loan that i will borrow from zidisha, i will still increase my farming activities with the help of my wife who has so far helped me and thats the reason that i was able to clear my first loan. I will be able to boost planting by planting in a land that is currently sitting idle. I live just some few meters from Turasha river which though seasonal, I will take advantage and water my crops during January and February months where this place experience dry spell. This will put me in advantage as I will not rely mostly on weather that is unpredictable. I want also to plant more feeder crops for my cows so as to boost milk production. From my work place I have additional source of income and will keep part of my personal savings to go towards this project. With the help of my wife, I will be in a position to set the ball rolling. I dont work during weekends. i.e Saturdays therefore I will be having at least a day in a week to concentrate on my project. I do also have plans to purchase a simple water pump that will enable me do some irrigation to my crops particularly vegetables and cabbages which have ready market due to their ever increasing demand. When prices go down I will be using them as fees for my cattle and this will increase milk production.

Show original English  

About Me

Am a farmer in kinangop, went through my early Primary education Limuru where the family later transferred to Kinangop. I later joined joined secondary school for my KCSE. After my KCSE, I joined college in Nairobi where I enrolled for a diploma course. I do have experience in dairy management and generally agriculture production.

My Business

Besides workings ,am a farmer specializing in dairy farming in Kinangop. I also grow wide range of cash crops like potatoes, peas, carrots and cabbages. I belong to Tulaga farmers SACCO where we sell our milk and get paid at the end of the month.
Collections or income per month range from Ksh. 8000 to ksh 13,000 per month. its wholly depend on weather condition as when we have a lot of rain the production of both livestock and crop is high thus increase in income,the challenges we encounter are the preservation of fodder to have milk throughout the year.this will enhance and increase milk production in my farm.

Loan Proposal

With my third loan that i will borrow from zidisha, i will still increase my farming activities with the help of my wife who has so far helped me and thats the reason that i was able to clear my first loan. I will be able to boost planting by planting in a land that is currently sitting idle. I live just some few meters from Turasha river which though seasonal, I will take advantage and water my crops during January and February months where this place experience dry spell. This will put me in advantage as I will not rely mostly on weather that is unpredictable. I want also to plant more feeder crops for my cows so as to boost milk production. From my work place I have additional source of income and will keep part of my personal savings to go towards this project. With the help of my wife, I will be in a position to set the ball rolling. I dont work during weekends. i.e Saturdays therefore I will be having at least a day in a week to concentrate on my project. I do also have plans to purchase a simple water pump that will enable me do some irrigation to my crops particularly vegetables and cabbages which have ready market due to their ever increasing demand. When prices go down I will be using them as fees for my cattle and this will increase milk production.

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Loan Info

Project Type

Classic Loan

Disbursed amount

$454.00

Date disbursed

Mar 23, 2014

Repayment status

On Time

Projected term

10 months

Lenders

Elinor

Maple Lake, MN, United States

M

minynlca

San Diego, United States

ErikN

Stockholm, Sweden

Vanamo

Helsinki, Finland

SHRFamily

Vancouver, Canada

Cricketca

San Jose, United States

T

TVandenbosch

Brussels, Belgium

E

Escalada

Bakersfield, CA, United States

Matching Fund

Sterling, United States

W

whlaing

United States

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Summary

Amount repaid

$477.04

Amount remaining

$0.00

Date repaid

Feb 8, 2015

Status

Fully repaid

Repayment History

Expected Payments Actual Payments
Apr 5, 2014 $6.98 Mar 24, 2014 $6.98
Apr 12, 2014 $6.98 Mar 24, 2014 $6.98
Apr 19, 2014 $6.98 Mar 24, 2014 $0.16
Apr 15, 2014 $6.81
Apr 26, 2014 $6.98 Apr 15, 2014 $6.98
May 3, 2014 $6.98 Apr 15, 2014 $0.33
Apr 30, 2014 $6.65
May 10, 2014 $6.98 Apr 30, 2014 $0.35
May 8, 2014 $6.62
May 17, 2014 $6.98 May 8, 2014 $1.38
May 14, 2014 $5.60
May 24, 2014 $6.98 May 14, 2014 $0.87
May 21, 2014 $6.11
May 31, 2014 $6.98 May 21, 2014 $0.66
May 31, 2014 $6.32
Jun 7, 2014 $6.98 May 31, 2014 $1.62
Jun 4, 2014 $5.35
Jun 14, 2014 $6.98 Jun 4, 2014 $1.82
Jun 14, 2014 $5.15
Jun 21, 2014 $6.98 Jun 14, 2014 $0.49
Jun 20, 2014 $6.48
Jun 28, 2014 $6.98 Jun 20, 2014 $0.31
Jun 28, 2014 $6.67
Jul 5, 2014 $6.98 Jun 28, 2014 $0.09
Jul 3, 2014 $6.88
Jul 12, 2014 $6.98 Jul 3, 2014 $4.93
Jul 17, 2014 $2.05
Jul 19, 2014 $6.98 Jul 17, 2014 $6.98
Jul 26, 2014 $6.98 Jul 17, 2014 $1.21
Jul 27, 2014 $5.76
Aug 2, 2014 $6.98 Jul 27, 2014 $0.12
Aug 2, 2014 $6.86
Aug 9, 2014 $6.98 Aug 2, 2014 $0.31
Aug 9, 2014 $6.67
Aug 16, 2014 $6.98 Aug 9, 2014 $0.39
Aug 15, 2014 $6.59
Aug 23, 2014 $6.98 Aug 15, 2014 $5.24
Aug 23, 2014 $1.74
Aug 30, 2014 $6.98 Aug 23, 2014 $0.02
Sep 1, 2014 $6.95
Sep 6, 2014 $6.98 Sep 1, 2014 $0.11
Sep 14, 2014 $6.87
Sep 13, 2014 $6.98 Sep 14, 2014 $6.98
Sep 20, 2014 $6.98 Sep 14, 2014 $0.04
Sep 21, 2014 $6.94
Sep 27, 2014 $6.98 Sep 21, 2014 $0.12
Sep 27, 2014 $6.86
Oct 4, 2014 $6.98 Sep 27, 2014 $0.52
Oct 6, 2014 $6.46
Oct 11, 2014 $6.98 Oct 6, 2014 $0.60
Oct 13, 2014 $6.38
Oct 18, 2014 $6.98 Oct 13, 2014 $0.67
Oct 18, 2014 $6.31
Oct 25, 2014 $6.98 Oct 18, 2014 $0.74
Oct 29, 2014 $6.24
Nov 1, 2014 $6.98 Oct 29, 2014 $0.93
Nov 4, 2014 $6.05
Nov 8, 2014 $6.98 Nov 4, 2014 $0.99
Nov 8, 2014 $5.99
Nov 15, 2014 $6.98 Nov 8, 2014 $1.07
Nov 18, 2014 $5.91
Nov 22, 2014 $6.98 Nov 18, 2014 $3.51
Nov 22, 2014 $3.47
Nov 29, 2014 $6.98 Nov 22, 2014 $0.04
Nov 29, 2014 $6.94
Dec 6, 2014 $6.98 Nov 29, 2014 $0.11
Dec 9, 2014 $6.80
Dec 21, 2014 $0.07
Dec 13, 2014 $6.98 Dec 21, 2014 $6.98
Dec 20, 2014 $6.98 Dec 21, 2014 $6.98
Dec 27, 2014 $6.98 Dec 21, 2014 $0.33
Dec 24, 2014 $6.65
Jan 3, 2015 $6.98 Dec 24, 2014 $0.41
Jan 5, 2015 $6.56
Jan 10, 2015 $6.98 Jan 5, 2015 $0.49
Jan 10, 2015 $6.21
Jan 13, 2015 $0.27
Jan 17, 2015 $6.98 Jan 13, 2015 $6.98
Jan 24, 2015 $0.28 Jan 13, 2015 $0.05
Jan 27, 2015 $0.24
Jan 31, 2015 $58.82 Jan 27, 2015 $58.82
Feb 7, 2015 $58.82 Jan 27, 2015 $11.53
Jan 30, 2015 $35.06
Feb 1, 2015 $12.24
Feb 14, 2015 $66.09 Feb 1, 2015 $22.24
Feb 8, 2015 $43.62

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