Grains and cereals shop

Rhoda Muriithi

Nairobi, Kenya

100% repaid

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How it Works

Entrepreneur

Name

Rhoda Muriithi

Member since

November 2015

On-time repayments

242 installments • 95%

About Me

Came from a humble childhood where i really enjoyed grazing our cattle in the forests and eating wild berries among other farm duties. Also loved letting out the rabbits to run around in the farm.
As children, we love animals, especially pets - you can't beat my mother at keeping kienyeji chicken in her compound.

Education was okay until our Father passed on and then it became a daily struggle. Nevertheless, our Mother gave her all to see us - five children go to school, mainly by selling farm produce and milk from her cows.

Somehow through bursaries, i got through secretarial training and managed to get petty jobs as receptionist and telephonist, and gradually secretary. This really helped as would be able to help our Mother with some house bills and sundries.
Tables turned and somehow i found myself working for a tour operator, where i am till now. Have not started my own business, but aspire to do so soon, through your assistance.
I enjoy my work as it involves entertaining visitors and meeting new guests all the time.
Culturally we love traditional foods and thrive on the farm. We love people and are very friendly.
My child is not yet old enough to know what to be, but she is getting there.
I enjoy playing with my child, reading, walking and socializing, meeting new people children activities.

My Business

As s single parent aspiring to start a side business in order to make ends meet
and seeing encouragements from friends who have joined Zidisha, and how their projects are helping them, and their families, i was also encouraged to take the challenge and start a gains and cereals shop in our village as these are the things most families use in small quantities for survival and are usually in great demand daily.
This is usually the case for maize flour and porridge flour plus grains that usually substitute meats and fish as these are too expensive for most low-cost dwellers with large families.

My typical costs are basic - house rent and utilities, food and sundries, clothing, transport, and care-giver, and medical bills.

Typical costs for starting the small shop would be at least Kshs.10 to 15,000 and thereafter, will grow slowly.

I intend to use the profits to reinvest and provide efficiently for my family, including all rounded improvements. Eventually i dream about owning my own home.

Last but not least, i would really like to be involved in anyway possible to help orphans and disadvantaged or needy children, especially those in hospitals.

Loan Proposal

I will secure a small shop currently going for 40 US Dollars per month and then buy the following items:-
Whole grain maize in a sack, currently US$20 per sack. This is good for those buying in small quantities to take to the maize miller, for our staple food - ugali. It is also used to cook white porridge.
Small red beans as they cook faster them most beans and a most affordable, half a sack goes for US$35
Green and yellow grams, as these are a household meals for eating with mostly rice and chapati. Half a sack goes for US$40. These are currently i great demand, and when in scarcity, cause cost to rise.
Rice, mainly from Mwea as most people love the taste and smell of our local pishori and usually buy it in small quantities.

Villagers will benefit as they will not have to go so far, into the main shopping centers or towns to buy small quantities of grain.
I will also eat from the same and therefore will also be able to feed my family and therefore reduce the cost of buying food daily.
In case of a good profit, i aspire to provide good quantities of grain to orphanages or to the aged, who cannot work for their food.

I am expecting profits to start trickling in after the first year or two, from 0.5% to eventually 1 or 2% per month.