Home provisions retail shop (and printing business)

Entrepreneur

About Me

My name is Joseph Kawiti, born in coast region of Kenya at a place called Taveta. I was raised in a farming community where people tend their small parcels of land for their food and to sell the surplus. Taveta is near the border of Kenya and Tanzania and as such there is a lot of cross border trading and the area teems with people from all corners of the two countries.

I am the first born in a family of 7 siblings and growing up was not easy. I was deprived of many childhood necessities due to the meager income of my parents. However they managed to take me to primary school where I did eight years and then proceeded to secondary school. I only did one year of secondary school and my parents could not afford to pay school fees for me due to many competing needs of the family.

I started doing menial jobs around my home area and after a few years, my aunt who lives in Mombasa which is about 150 kilometers away invited me to assist her in her business. Mombasa is a much bigger town and I started working at my aunt’s printing workshop as a machine operator. I worked there for 3 years and when I gained enough experience, I started my own printing firm with much help of my aunt.

This is what I am still doing for a living. I am married with two children aged 7 and 3 years old. I work very hard for their upkeep and to ensure that they lead a better life and get a better education than what I did.

My Business

I deal with all kinds of printing. I mostly do business cards, wedding cards, business fliers, brochures, receipt & invoice books etc. I use an offset machine due to its low maintenance cost. I serve the institutions around Mombasa such as schools, churches and other private businesses.
Through the wonderful Zidisha family, I have been able to open up grocery shop which is run by my wife. My printing business has not been doing very well but this I attribute to the Covid- 19 pandemic. It is my hope that as we approach the general elections it will pick up as aspiring candidates will be printing posters, banners, caps and tee shirts. I intend to take advantage of this and believe ZIDISHA LENDING FAMILY
will come in handy to make my dream come true.
PROMISE
As the great Zidisha and its entire lenders have helped me to become someone in my community. I promise not to disappoint you.
Zidisha Community I sincerely thank you for your last loan which has helped me to expand my business. My long experience in this field (Printing) is an added advantage. As I had said above the the money that i made i opened up a grocery shop for my wife as a side hustle to sew up the torn up pieces. You made it happen. God bless Zidisha.

LOAN PROPOSAL.
Thanks Zidisha group for your support. You helped me a lot to achieve my dreams. Opening a grocery shop and at the same time been able to continue with my printing business is a great step forward to me and I take it as a great achievement in my life. Once I get the intended loan I will use it in buying more stock for the grocery shop, service the printing machine i readiness for the printing boom business and ensure i have enough material before the prices hike.
Grocery expenses $ 310
Machine repair. $ 117
Printing materials. $ 400
It is my sincere hope that you will consider my loan application and approve it.

Project Proposal

Once I get the intended funds i will ensure I account for every coin. I have an experience of how to keep an accounts records since this is not the first loan am getting from ZIDISHA FAMILY. Part of the money will be used in adding more stock in the grocery shop and buying more variety of stuff to attract more customers. From the neighbouring shops I will check what they don't stock so as to take advantage of that.
The other amount will be used in serving the printing machine and buying more materials in anticipation of boom election campaign business. The first few weeks' profit I will use in soliciting business from the aspiring candidates. As business picks up, I will engage services from sales persons to help in bringing in more businesses. By the end of it all i expect to make a great impact in my family's life and create some job opportunities to some jobless people.

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