bconrad    Aug 19, 2013

Dear Lenders, my name is Bayle and I am a Client Liaison Intern with Zidisha.

We have been in contact with Ms Wanjiru, who told us she had a recent death in the family. Due to this, she has not been working and has had trouble making payments. She will continue making payments when she can.

Ms. Wanjiru, our deepest sympathies from everyone at Zidisha. We wish you and your family the best during these difficult times!

bconrad    Aug 19, 2013

Dear Lenders, my name is Bayle and I am a Client Liaison Intern with Zidisha.

We have been in contact with Ms Wanjiru, who told us she had a recent death in the family. Due to this, she has not been working and has had trouble making payments. She will continue making payments when she can.

Ms. Wanjiru, our deepest sympathies from everyone at Zidisha. We wish you and your family the best during these difficult times!

Grace    Feb 25, 2013

There is no money because there is the elections. I didn't do very well with my customer's money, which I took with my first loan. If the election will be fine the business will pick up. I had a lot of problems and there are no customers now. Sometimes if I go with 1500 ksh per day, I make 500 ksh. It goes to rent and water. The rent is 1200 ksh.

traciyoshiyama    Feb 4, 2013

February 4, 2013

Hello, my name is Traci Yoshiyama, Zidisha’s Kenya Client Relationship Manager. I am currently visiting Zidisha borrowers in and around Nairobi.

My relationship with Grace Wanjiru began with weekly phone calls, every conversation including an eager invitation for me to visit. But with conflicting schedules and harsh rains restricting access to her town, it was months until I finally met the friendly voice on the other end. Happy to finally meet, Grace took me to her current place of business, a solitary produce stand not far from the town center. Grace’s day just beginning, she unpacks some tomatoes, kale, and mangoes while we talk about her recent challenges.

Although her Zidisha loan was intended to support her general store, business was low and she no longer had enough money to pay for her son’s school fees. After using her loan to pay for tuition, Grace decided to close her business and like many others in her area, began transporting water to nearby construction sites. With construction currently at a standstill due to the elections, Grace had to once again change her business approach, this time opening a produce stall. With evenings being her busiest hours, Grace also cooks githeri (corn and bean mixture), ugali (maize flour porridge), and sukuma waki (cooked kale) for her hungry customers. Although the selling of fruits and vegetables prove to be more profitable than her previous businesses, Grace shares that it has been over three months since she has had a steady stream of customers. Every shilling earned goes towards paying for basic necessities and transport to Ruai where she buys her stock three times a week. She is confident that after elections are through, business will pick up and she will be able to continue her monthly installments.

Despite the constant ebb and flow of life, Grace still has dreams of owning a sewing machine and becoming a seamstress. She smiles and says with great determination that it is “her will” to do so. Happy with the care and patience Zidisha has showed her, Grace would like to pay her remaining balance when she can and take out a second loan, bringing her one step closer to becoming a seamstress.

Grace    Jun 21, 2012

Dear Zidisha Team and lender I so sorry that I will no be able to pay my loan this month, My business is do doing well as I had told you earlier, My Child was send out of School and I paid Ksh 2000 for his school fee I am planning to start paying the loan as soon as my business improves. Currently am selling vegetables and fruits and the profit is so minimal just for my food and pay school fee but I hope for good things to come and I will work had and pay my loan before the two months period.I hope lenders will bear with me.

Grace    May 29, 2012

Dear Lender,

I have started selling vegetables and fruits after a heavy rains in our area which forced us out of water selling business I hope this business will give me enough money to pay for your loan and my family expenses.

Grace    May 14, 2012

Dear lender my water selling business is doing very bad. There is heavy rains in our area and the demand for water has gone down drastically. It have been very difficult for me for the last one month because I have not made money by selling water. My Child is back to school and I do not have money to pay for the school fees and will be very difficult for me to pay for the loan on time this month. I am planning to start selling vegetables so that make money to survive and pay your loan. I have not given up and God will give me something to do. I hope you will bare with me. Much greetings from family and my donkey Joyce

Grace    Apr 19, 2012

Thanks Achintya Rai for visiting me and posting comments about my business I look forward for good business relationship with Zidisha org and my lenders

AchintyaRai    Apr 9, 2012

Dear lenders,

My name is Achintya Rai and I am Zidisha’a current Kenya Client Relationship Intern. On 10th March I paid a visit to Grace Wanjiru in Utawala area of Nairobi.

Grace took the loan from Zidisha to increase the stock of her shop. But the rent she was paying for her shop was quite high and the returns were not enough. So she sold that business and used the money to buy a donkey and a cart. She uses this to transport water to construction sites.

The day I visited Grace it was quite hot. She told me she transports about 20 drums of water in each trip and she is able to make 7 to 8 trips in a day. This is hard labor, especially in that temperature. But Grace seemed happy with her new business and was quite thankful to Zidisha.

Grace has three children, two of whom have finished their education. Her youngest son stays with his maternal grandmother in Naivasha where he is studying (Grace pays the school fee). He recently cleared the form-1 exams well and Grace was very hopeful about his future.

On my way to meet Grace, I saw a man at a bore-well (place where donkey cart owners like Grace buy water from) beating his donkey. My first impulse was to shout at him, but I resisted, being in a foreign land. He stopped when he saw me looking but it was an upsetting site. To be fair though this is very rare in Kenya. In fact this was the first time I saw someone mistreating an animal. I was very pleasantly surprised when I found that Grace was extremely nice and kind to her donkey Joyce. She patted Joyce affectionately many times and unconsciously caressed her neck while talking to me. Joyce contently closed her eyes. When I asked Grace she told me that’s how Joyce caught on her sleep between breaks.

With her next loan Grace wants to buy a knitting machine to knit pullovers. These are in high demand as part of school uniforms and with many new schools coming up in the area, Grace sees this as a good opportunity.

As a last note I must inform the lenders that Joyce is pregnant and will be expecting a baby donkey in Jan next year. I hope Grace posts pictures.

Achintya
Nairobi
9th April 2012

Grace    Mar 17, 2012

Thanks Zidisha for sending your officer to visit me, My new business of supply water with the donkey i bought using Zidisha money is doing fine and am making good money and i was able to pay my first loan inslallment . I looking forward to pay my loan as quick as posible so that I may expand my business further by a bigger loan.

Grace    Mar 2, 2012

My shop business is not doing fine and I had to close it up after I spent most of my money sending my Son to high school which I had no choice but have bought a donkey which I am using to supply water for sale with the money I got from Zidisha and to I hope to start paying soon. I am lookoing forward to welcome your Client representative comming to my place next week.

Grace    Jan 14, 2012

Dear, Garcharj,

Thanks for your comments your contribution will take me a long way, to you its seems small but to me its alot and I will invest it in a goodway may God blessthe work of you hands and takecare of your family alway. I look forward for a long business relationship.Have a good day

GarcharJ    Jan 13, 2012

Hi Grace, I hope you are doing well! I'm excited to see how the loan will help improve your shop. Take care :)

• Grace    May 29, 2012

  Hi Garcharl,
  
  I hope you are well with your family,Me am okay but I was forced out of water selling business after heavy rains in our area and I have startd a new business for selling vegetable and fruits and boiled beans and maize seeds pray for my business so that I may be able to pay the loan and feed my family and pay for school fee.

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Grace    Jan 12, 2012

Thanks all lenders for you great love and care you have demonstrated to me you are true friends.

Grace    Jan 2, 2012

Dear Zidisha team I hope you all had a good festive period and enjoyed with your family. I kindly request you to fund my loan and this money will boost my business have a good time and happy new year 2012