Scaling up the distribution of solar lamps to students

Francis

Chipata, Zambia

100% repaid

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How it Works

Entrepreneur

Name

Francis

Member since

March 2016

On-time repayments

348 installments • 77%

About Me

Growing up in a Village and raised by great grandmother, i studied under a kerosene lamp and every month i missed school due to sickness caused by the fumes from the kerosene lamps. Its an experience i don't wish any child or woman to go through. My great grandmothers meager earning she used to have was mostly spent on my medication, while my uncles were busy abusing my aunties and spending their money on beers. I grew up knowing the challenges women go through. I grew up knowing that when a woman is empowered then the whole village is empowered. I saw it through my great grandmother Sofia and through my aunties.

Its this experience that has shaped my career path. I chose to be a Social Entrepreneur so that i can create opportunities for women and girls. So that i can enable women and girls have equal accesses to products and services that can put them on a road to economic prosperity.

My Business

For the past 3 years i set up Kukula Solar, a social business that seek to distribute 100,000 solar products to rural and peri urban communities of Zambia. 90% of these solar products will be put in the hands of women and girls so that they can be empowered to do more. For girls, to study for longer hours and for women to work for longer hours. Its here at Zidisha were we launched this social business and together we have distributed over 3,000 solar lanterns. We still have 97,000 solar lanterns to distribute, thats why i invite all our lenders here to help us get these life changing products to the women and girls I'm so passionate about!

Loan Proposal

With this loan am requesting i seek to order 65 solar lamps to resale to low income households who are still using kerosene for lighting. These 65 solar lamps will cost me $780 in total. The remaining $20 i will use it with to move the Solar Lamps from my business premises to clients.

This loan will help increase my profits by 73.2% and directly impact 400 families and indirectly 2,400 people!

This loan will not only help me make more profits but it will help students increase their hours of study so that their performance at school can improve. It will also help families save money since the solar lamps only use the sun to charge which is FREE!

The other benefit is that through distributing affordable clean energy products to these low income households we help reducing globe warming hence contributing to building a cleaner and better world for all.

My Videos

Jan 18, 2021: Impacting lives using zidisha loans

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Kirk Moore Jul 9, 2021

Thanks for paying back early!

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Cianna Jan 18, 2021

Francis is the best! I am happy to support such an innovative and pro-social entrepreneur! I will continue to lend each time Francis makes a request since he is doing some truly amazing work!

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David Jan 17, 2021

Loan was originally scheduled to take three months. Despite the pandemic hampering his business, Francis continued making regular payments, completing the loan in 13 months. I appreciate your commitment during a very challenging time.

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David Dec 1, 2019

Although the loan was for a larger amount, regular payments were received and the loan was paid in full as originally scheduled. I am pleased to be able to help such an amazing project.

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TomF925 Mar 7, 2019

Thanks for sharing your website:
www.kukulasolar.com
I certainly recommend everyone have a look. Well done! Also, Zidisha blog has a great article about Francis:
p2p-microlending-blog.zidis...

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TomF925 Mar 21, 2017

March 15, 2018. Just a friendly suggestion for everyone to visit Francis' inspiring campaign:
LIGHTING UP LIVES IN RURAL ZAMBIA
igg.me/at/BU8v3PUek-U
March 21, 2017
I am thrilled by each message and each photo that Francis posts in the Discussion. Have a look everyone!

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Jan Mar 20, 2017

+1 Francis' enthusiasm
+1 Francis' story's
+1 Francis' repayments

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BernadetteV Mar 19, 2017

Francis many regular repayments and kept us informed about his business. It was a pleasure to lend to him.

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