Kjartan    Feb 8, 2014

Hi Collet,

Would you please give us an update on how your business is doing? Hope all is well!

G D Export    Mar 14, 2013

Hi, Neil , have you enquired with Collet as to when is she going to make her 1st.repayment?

adventurerneil    Feb 17, 2013

Greetings lenders! My name is Neil DiMuccio, and I am a Client Relationship Manager with Zidisha in Kenya. I am currently visiting borrowers to learn more about them and support them with their Zidisha loans. It is my hope that this work will build bridges to better connection and understanding, and that Zidisha and its borrowers will increasingly grow, communicate, and support each other.

I was recently able to visit with Collet, a new borrower in Pipeline Estate, a suburb of Nairobi that’s quite close to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. While I got a bit lost on my way to visit her, Collet was very patient while I took the time to navigate my way to her market area. Once we arrived at her shop, named La Bella Imprident, I was very warmly welcomed by her mother and her sister, who also help her do the work required by her business. This family makes a living doing sewing work, and they are able to make many curtains, pillowcases, and quilts of high quality. It was a pleasure to visit them, as we had a very pleasant and informative exchange, each lady seated behind a Singer sewing machine.

Collet used part of her loan to purchase one of these machines, for 16,000 Kenyan Shillings, to use mainly as a training machine, where she offers sewing classes for 2,500 Kenyan Shillings per person per month. She has 2 clients taking advantage of this offer now, and if she can continue at that rate, the investment in this new machine will pay for itself in just over 3 months!
Another sign of Collet’s business savvy is that she had felt the impact of the high rent in her shop, so is in the process of relocating her business to a place where rent will be half of what she was paying. She didn’t anticipate this location change impacting her business much, as she has a number of loyal customers who will go to her new location.

When asked what she might do with a second loan, Collet mentioned that she’d like to increase her stock and add even more materials. Thank you so much Collet, it was a pleasure to meet with you and your family. Best of luck in your future endeavors!

• G D Export    Mar 14, 2013

  Hi, Neil , have you enquired with Collet as to when is she going to make her 1st.repayment?

  Log in to reply • Share

Collet    Dec 21, 2012

Thank you very much lenders for the financial support you have given me. Now that I have received this loan I am going to purchase all the materials that I need for my business and I will do my best to make my payments on time.