Improving my books production business

James

Berekum, Ghana

100% repaid

Entrepreneur

Name

James

Member since

January 2015

On-time repayments

116 installments  •  63%

About Me

My name is Oppong James, I live in Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana with House Number AL/210. I have 3 siblings and first born of my parents. I had my Basic Education at Drobo Demonstration Junior High School and continue at Drobo Senior High School. I am pursuing my education at Catholic University, Fiapre. Currently, I am now in book publication business in Berekum Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana.

My Business

Being an Author to a titled book is not a cap of tea at all. I Oppong James started writing book when I completed Senior High School. I was taken to be a pupil teacher in my locality under the National Youth and Employment Program (NYEP) which came to Ghana in the year 2006 by the then government, through the teaching of Maths and Science, I got to know much about the teaching syllabus. Later, the NYEP collapsed. All the pupil teachers were sacked including me, I was not having money to pursue my course at the Tertiary level so I decided to apply the knowledge gotten through teaching and studying of the syllabus to write books for the children. I realized that, if I am able to come out with the aim, it will be beneficial to children in the basic school to be able to get more good materials for learning. I started my first book “Integrated Science for Junior High School 1, 2 & 3” I used the money gotten as a pupil teacher to do small quantities of 500 copies. The book came out an attracted proprietors and heads of institution. The first 500 copies became insufficient in the District. I used the profit to publish 1000 copies, yet not enough for the schools. I was able to come out with the “Scholars Series in Integrated Science for JHS 1, 2 and 3”, also the “Scholars series in English reading and composition for basic schools” and last, the Scholars series in stories (Kyekyeku the rejected stone), the leading story.
So far I can come out to say that, this business is very profitable and highly patronizing as well, also highly demanded.

Loan Proposal

In book publication from the beginning to the end involves a lot of money, and even after the whole process is done, the marketing and the distribution is all costly. I sometimes need to carry the books from one region to another which involve the transportation fare. I need to employ others to help me in the marketing process which also involves money. The buying of paper and the production cost all not easy at all. I therefore plead Zidisha and Lenders to give a helping hand so that I will be able to expand the business. I therefore promise to be trustworthy to your organization in order to help us all the time. Thank you.

Feedback

5

None

None

  • (Comment deleted by author)



Loading...

Loan Info

Project Type

Classic Loan

Disbursed amount

$50.00

Date disbursed

Jan 14, 2015

Repayment status

On Time

Projected term

6 weeks

Lenders

nicole

Worcester, Ma, United States

Hope2012

United Kingdom

K

Klemens

M, Germany

stanbogdanov

Sofia, Bulgaria

mole333

Brooklyn, United States

KM

Kirsty M

United Kingdom

Michelle

Sydney, Australia

dust

Seattle, United States

Ask James a question about this project, share news and photos of your own, or send a simple note of thanks or inspiration.

Please log in to comment.

  • nicole    Apr 22, 2017

    Oppong, I hope all is going well for you. We have not heard from you in a while.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Apr 2, 2016

    Dear lenders, please I want to make a reschedule in order to pay my on time. Thank you.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Jan 13, 2016

    School has reopened, some of my school books are ready for sale. Distribution will be in progress right from next week. Business is still ongoing. I thank all my dear lenders and Zidisha as a lending organization. Thanks so much.
    James Oppong - Ghana

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Dec 29, 2015

    Hello lovely lenders,
    As we are in Christmas season I would like to take it as an opportunity to wish all of you a merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. Actually some of us are enjoying the Christmas season here with our family. Fowls, goats and cows are crying here in almost every where in Ghana. As we are enjoying, our businesses are also set to move right after the season. Publication of my school books are in progress. You will hear from me as school re-open. Below is some of the pictures of the season :

    Log in to reply • Share
  • Matthias    Nov 21, 2015

    Thank you for letting us know what is going in. I think that most of your lenders are aware of the more difficult economic situation you are facing vs our life in a stable evnvironment. We will be patient and er wish you all the best with your business.

    Log in to reply • Share
    • James    Nov 21, 2015

      Mathias,
      Please thanks so much for your understanding and patience. I pray and hope that there would be a surprise within the next four months. Thanks.

      Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Nov 21, 2015

    Dear lenders, I am very sorry for this unexpected reschedule at this moment, the actual reason for this is that, I did not get my books from the printing press earlier due to the general Electric power crisis that we are facing here in Ghana. The time I got about half of the books, the schools were about to go on vacations so I couldn't distribute them all. This has affected my business a lot. But the good news is that, I promise to finish my repayment within the expected period given. Thank you for your patience.
    I am James Oppong.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Nov 21, 2015

    Dear Lenders, many thanks to you all for helping me achieve my dream. The loan I normally receive from you helped me a lot. Please, I want to make a reschedule to reduce my weekly repayment, but, I promise to come back with my normal installment. Thank you so much for your understanding.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Nov 9, 2015

    Hi my dear lenders, I have received the loan you funded for me ($700).I thank you so much.This loan has enable me to get the rest of my books from the production room. I have also used some to pay my school fees which is $250.In fact, had it not been this loan, I would have gotten problem with my business leading to suffering in my education. Because of this loan,am now having a vim,courage to distribute all my finished book.I really thank you so much dear lenders,may the Lord Almighty bless all of you and bless your businesses.THANK YOU.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • Kripa Aryal    Oct 25, 2015

    Delayed disbursement due to technical issue with MTN website. We are trying to fix this issue asap.

    Log in to reply • Share
    • James    Oct 26, 2015

      Mmm, please thank you very much for at least making us aware of what is causing the delay.Please try to update us regulary so that we get to know what is going on.Some of us are also in need of the loan within a certain period of time,because of vacation of schools for christmas.Anyway,we are behind our dear Zidisha team with prayers.It shall be well soon.Thanks alot Aryal.

      Log in to reply • Share
  • Awudu    Oct 21, 2015

    Dear Oppong,

    I'm really glad that you're experiencing good benefits through your Zidisha
    loan. Your trustworthiness also is making me feel so proud, as always!

    Please, as Zidisha repayments are very important, I want to share with
    you the new process for making payments. MTN MobileMoney has
    upgraded its services, and due to that, it has changed a few things,
    including 'Transfer Money'. For security reasons, I would not be able to
    insert a Zidisha Account number for the process. Below is the new
    process for Zidisha repayment:

    1). Dial *170#
    2). Select No. '1' - which is 'Transfer Money' and press the 'Send' button.
    3). Select No. '1' again - Which is 'Mobile User' and press the 'Send' button.
    4). Select No. '2' - which is 'Merchant' and press the 'Send' button.
    5). Enter Mobile Number - which, as usual, is the Zidisha Account Number.
    6). Repeat Mobile Number
    7). Enter Amount
    8). Enter Reference (e.g., your first name, or any number you want)
    9). It will show you, "Confirm payment to ASSOCIATION OF AFRICAN
    ENTERPRENEURS - (054*******) for GHS *** with Reference ***. Enter MM PIN",
    and send.

    Previously, 'Till Number' was needed, but that has been removed after
    the upgrade. Also, it shows you the registered name of the SIM.

    Thank you.


    Awudu Yahaya
    Volunteer Mentor

    Log in to reply • Share
  • Ian Murray    Oct 18, 2015

    You are doing marvellous work, Oppong. Education is so important for future progress, and you are giving knowledge to tomorrow's community and national Ghanaian leaders.

    Log in to reply • Share
    • James    Oct 18, 2015

      Please I thank you very for your encouragement.With your help,I can do better.God richly bless you.

      Log in to reply • Share
    • James    Oct 31, 2015

      Sir Murray, first of all I would like to thank you all for your care and concern.

      Secondly, I would like to beg on you to talk to the Zidisha team so that disbursement of my loan would be done for me at least before a week time. Please negotiate with them for me because I need money to go for my books at the printing press.I also want to start repayment early so that I can finish on time for another loan. Please I hope you will work towards this for me.Thank you sir.

      Log in to reply • Share
      • Ian Murray    Nov 1, 2015

        The admin people are working on the problem. There is not much I can do from Australia

        Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Oct 18, 2015

    In fact, this is amazing, its beyond my understanding. I really thank all my dear lenders who funded this loan for me at this crucial time.May God richly bless you,your family and all your businesses.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Oct 13, 2015

    Dear lenders I appreciate your previous effort so much.In fact I thank you so much and may GOD really bless all of you and your finances. My last loan helped me a lot to improve my book business, I was able to print more copies for more schools,but was still not enough.This time, I need to make it to satisfatory by printing more copies for the schools.I have customer schools of about Thousand Four,(1,400-schools), of which I was able to supply 560-schools.This means more is still needed.This has once again touched me to remind my dear lenders to come into my aid once again.My previous loan also did something for me which I will never forget in my life, I was not having peace of mind due to the rent advance I was owning my landlord, but I was able to smile and had peace of mind through the effort of my lenders and mine.I was able to also pay my semester fee through the profit earned from my business from the last loan. So my dear lovely lenders please, come into my aid this time too and build up my business.Thanks so much. My sincere greetings to you all especially LAURIE,who I have learnt so much experience from.Thank you Laurie

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Oct 10, 2015

    Dear Lenders, through your support, I am able to publish more books for the schools. And this loan will also enable me to publish another books that will increase my profit as well. Please, continue supporting me this loan also.

    Thank you.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • Awudu    Sep 25, 2015

    Dear Oppong,

    Thank you for being a borrower on the first peer-to-peer micro-lending platform, building direct connections between borrowers and lenders across the globe (Zidisha).

    I am happy that you have been assigned to me as your Volunteer Mentor (VM). I am very grateful to have the pleasure of being a part of this organization (Zidisha).

    I hope you and your families are enjoying the loan you received from this noble service (Zidisha). It is my belief that your business probably is growing well. You didn’t go for a bank loan, which could have required paying back more in interest than the capital amount. Instead, you chose to receive an affordable loan from Zidisha to help your business grow. And, today, just look at how your business probably is running better than you expected. This is so amazing!

    This platform also is here to help you to expand your business, and to help you not worry much about business collapse. Our dear Lenders extend their generosity and express their desire not just for your business to succeed, but also for you to enjoy your life. Some borrowers and lenders even become real friends on this platform. :)

    I would be very grateful if you would continue to make payments according to your repayment schedule. Lenders on Zidisha contribute to you from the bottom of their heart, and truly want to help you to overcome your challenges. Please, the fund that our Lenders use to lend to you is the same fund that they use to lend other borrowers. So, if you don't repay the loans they extend to you, then they cannot extend future loans to others. This is the way it works.

    One person has reaped a large harvest, but today we all are sharing in it. Who is that person? That person is our beloved founder (Julia Kurnia). May the Lord Almighty bless her (Julia) and give her more knowledge and a long life. May the Lord Almighty also bless all of our Lenders, always.

    Thank you for being a part of and enjoying this noble platform, Zidisha.

    Awudu Yahaya
    Volunteer Mentor

    Log in to reply • Share
    • James    Sep 25, 2015

      Wow! Thanks so much for this notice VM AWUDU YAHAYA. I 'm proud to have you as my volunteer mentor(vm) .It is through you that I am also enjoying this affordable loan from Zidisha team. May God richly bless you and all our dear lender.

      Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Sep 25, 2015

    I now have my peace of mind, the landlord no more worries me. This is just because I have earned an income from my business to pay for the rent advance I owned my landlord.This is not by anybodies effort, but from Zidisha team and my dear lenders. Thank you all.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Sep 25, 2015

    Hi lenders I have been able to renew my room's rent advance for next two years through your effort. I thank all my lenders and the Zidisha team.THANKS

    Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Sep 8, 2015

    SO FAR! SO GOOD !

    Log in to reply • Share
    • (Comment deleted by author)

      • James    Sep 9, 2015

        Glory be to God oo Laure.Please how do u do? I am doing great here in Ghana.

        Log in to reply • Share
        • (Comment deleted by author)

          • James    Sep 10, 2015

            Mmmh,Laure thanks a lot.For e-book its one of my future plans to link my customers.Not yet but I hope it will be involved soon.

            Log in to reply • Share
  • James    Sep 8, 2015

    Hi lenders, as I have made you aware,publication of my books are still in progress. Through your effort, I have now gotten all the needed papers for this term's products.There has been some delay due to nationwide electric power crises we are facing here, but I hope it would be solved soon.I really thank you very much for your concern. I once again promise to inform you about anything that goes on here THANKS.

    Log in to reply • Share
  • (Comment deleted by author)

    • (Comment deleted by author)

      • James    Aug 31, 2015

        After the customary marriage is performed at home where the money,the drinks and the clothes etc are charged by the family of the bride, it is now that the white cuture of marriage ceremony(wedding) is performed at church. After which, the marriage contract at court and the signing of decrees are between only the bride and the groom.

        Log in to reply • Share
      • James    Sep 1, 2015

        Please Laure,I really thank you very much for your humility.God bless you.

        Log in to reply • Share
    • James    Aug 31, 2015

      Yea thank you Laure, this money paid to the father of the bride is just to show the consent of the parents and also shows legality of the marriage. Sometimes, this money is shared among the elders of the family of the bride,to officially inform each and everyone about the marriage of their doughter.After accepting this money,it means that you have a concern about the marriage so that whenever any problem arises, you will solve it together as an extended family. Note! the problem mentioned here could be conflict in marriage which sometimes need an immediate intervention by an elderly person from the family,sickness, death and so on.When such of these problems occurs, it is then the responsibility of the elders who shared the money to mobilse and put things in order.There are some cases whereby the parents of the bride decide to spend everything alone without giving some to any elderly person in the family,when this happens,it means that they have agreed not to inform anybody whenever any problem occurs in their daughters marriage.Note, this type of marriage process in my community here is the customary marriage.This is performed outside church. This is just engagement process

      Log in to reply • Share


Loading...

Loading...

Loading...