KM    May 10, 2015

Thank-you for your repayments. I hope that you and your family are well.
I have moved to a different part of Canada - it is warmer here, but it still freezes during the winter!

KM    Mar 26, 2015

I was so happy today to get the notice by email that you are raising another loan! How is everything?
I hope that you will be funded quickly.

Bilha    Mar 25, 2015

Dear My lenders ,
I take this opportunity to first thank you so much for your financial help which you gave me. It really went a long way to uplift my business. Now that my business has now been put into a strong foundation , i ask again for another funding to help me scale the next level , in my business. Thank you for the good work.

Bilha    Mar 20, 2015

Dear Zidisha,
Thank you for your good work. Am about to finish my loan repayment . My loan limit still stands at Kenya Shilling 25,000. This is the same amount i was given the last time.Kindly review this , since i have faithfully repaid my loan on time.

I want to take this opportunity to thank those who have been kind enough to lend me their cash. God bless them and add them more.
Thank you again.

• Cricketca    Mar 23, 2015

  I'm so glad to see you successfully repaid your loan. Congratulations, Bilha!

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Cricketca    Aug 22, 2014

Hi Bilha,

I just wanted to say that I hope you are doing well, and send my best wishes to you.

Bilha    Apr 20, 2014

Madam Kilmeny,
We are doing well. Thank you so much for always having a kind word for me .I do also wish you and your family the best Easter .
We are pushing on with life challenges and hopefully all will be fine. The business has really been low , but we are praying for a better tomorrow.
Thank you for now and bye
regards
Bilha

Bilha    Mar 16, 2014

Dear Zidisha ,
I have been having some difficulties in repayment .This has been due to low business season and also , due to other personal issues.I plan to reschedule the loan for some time so that i can stabilize then , i start repaying again.I take this opportunity to thank Zidisha for the good work you are doing to us small business people.I will strive to pay all the loans i have taken from you Zidisha.

Bilha    Mar 16, 2014

Dear Friends,
Am fine , sorry to all my lenders for being a little late in my repayment . I promise i will all that it takes to be on time in my repayment.My business has been not doing very well , but this should not be a reason ,i will do all that it takes to repay the loan.

regards
Bilha

• Cricketca    Mar 21, 2014

  Hi Bilha,
  
  I'm sorry your business has been slow, and I hope it recovers soon.
  
  Best,
  Kristin

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• KM    Apr 19, 2014

  Hello friend, I hope that your business improves soon. Mostly, I wanted to wish you and your family a good Easter!

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CZC    Mar 15, 2014

Ms. Mutola,

Please update us on your situation. You are now 5 weeks behind in repayments ($58).

Thanks,
Cris

• Bilha    Mar 16, 2014

  Hello,
  Have been having some difficulties in repaying this is due to low business season . Promise to start after i reschedule.
  
  regards
  Bilha

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CZC    Mar 6, 2014

Ms. Mutola,


How are you doing? I see you've fallen a bit behind on your repayments. Is business not going as expected?


I would like to suggest you reschedule your loan so as not to negatively affect your on-time repayment score. Please give us an update on you and your business.


Thanks,
Cris

CZC    Feb 12, 2014

Bilha,

Thank you for your repayments and for being such a reliable borrower. I hope everything is OK with your family and your business. How is business, by the way? Are the ovens working out well for you?

Cris

• Bilha    Mar 16, 2014

  Hello,
  Am doing well , though my business is not doing well.Will do my best to start repaying the loan.
  
  regards
  Bilha

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fransk    Feb 2, 2014

Dear Bilha, how are you doing. Hope you are well.

Did you manage to add the two ovens/cookers? How is business with your hotel going now?

Greetings, Frans

Cricketca    Jan 27, 2014

Dear Bilha,

It's wonderful that your daughter did well in her exams. Are the new ovens working as well as you expected?

Bilha    Jan 9, 2014

Dear Kilmeny,
Thanks for your note. Happy new year, hope you had a great Christmas and new year moments. True , i got my second loan, and am happy all is going well. My daughter got her exam results, praise God , she passed well. She is waiting to join Senior School some time in February.

I will keep you posted about her progress.

Business , is doing ok. The year looks very promising , am looking forward to climbing great heights.

Regards
Bilha

KM    Dec 31, 2013

Happy new year, Bilha.
I am pleased to discover that your second loan has already been fully funded! I wish you a lot of continued sucess!

Bilha    Dec 19, 2013

Dear Kilmeny,
Thank you for your comments, they are always very enlightening. Am still perplexed with the kind of temperatures you guys experience there in Canada. It is unbelievable that , outside , it can freeze below O Celsius .Here , if you want to freeze anything , you must have a freezer or fridge.
We are having our vacation, we intend to visit our parents, as from Monday the 23th , until after Christmas. My parents live in the western part of the country, some 300 KM away. The whole extended family will be there, where we shall celebrate Christmas.
As from the said Monday, our city will have fewer people, as most will have travelled upcountry to enjoy Christmas with their parents. It will therefore force me to close my business for few days, until the 27th.
During this festive season , our people prepare special meals , to usher in the day. The food is called githeri- this is a mixture of beans and maize (corn). It is cleaned, then boiled in a pan, until it is soft – it can take 40 to one hour .this mixture can be either green or therefore taking a shorter time to cook or it can be dry thus taking a longer time to cook.
Then , take another pan , put oil , fry the onions , garlic , tomatoes and any spicy you wish to have. Make some stew, then pour the boiled mixture on the stew you have prepared. Stir to mix . This meal can be served with bread, beef stew or chicken.
I will be away for few days and then be back to my business.
I saw on my friend’s Zidisha page , you had assisted her to get her second loan. Thank you so much for your kind heart.
Regards
Bilha

Bilha    Dec 12, 2013

Dear Friends,
A part from my business , i would wish to venture into publishing local or traditional recipes . But the idea is to include menu from different parts of the world , all in one book.

Anybody , interested we can share ideas.
thanks,
regards
Bilha.

• KM    Dec 18, 2013

  Hello friend Bilha,
  
  I want to wish you and your family a very nice Christmas time. One of my favourite treats at this time, is that we get small "mandrin" oranges delivered to the city in December. It's amazing that these days fruit can be sent across the world within a day or two. For me, mandrin oranges are very much a tradition at Christmas. I sometimes eat half a dozen in a day, I like them so much. But, I have to be careful and not let them freeze on the way from the shop to my home.
  
  Last week, I was making a few trips to collect groceries and gifts for friends, and my kale froze before I could get home! Then it became really mushy. Sometimes milk will freeze on the way home during this weather, as well.
  So, this cold requires some adaption - but, I know that living in a tropical country also requires special knowledge! It is all about what one is used to.
  
  One of the ways that my family uses the cold to our advantage is that we sometimes make a special winter-time dessert - chocolate "bark" - where you melt down some chocolate and mix in things like nuts, candied fruits, little mints - and then pour it out on a flat pan, and spread it out a bit. Then we put the pan outside, where the chocolate cools off quickly! After it's really cold, you break it apart into pieces to eat. I think it is possible to make without freezing outside, but that is the only way I know.
  
  Of course, I would be happy to help with ideas for your book. I am going to be away for awhile in January, but I'm working out a traditional recipe called "bannock" this winter - it is my winter cooking project. Bannock is made a lot of different ways, but I am trying to get the "perfect" oat and whole wheat flour version that can be cooked in an oven. Traditionally it was cooked over an open fire, and it is still done that way a lot here, but I don't have permission to have an open fire where I live. I will update you on my progress.
  
  Again, Merry Christmas!

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Bilha    Dec 8, 2013

Dear Kilmeny,
We are doing quite fine , here in Nakuru , Kenya. Tha weather is just great, we are having rains , and the temperatures are between 18 to 23 Celcius . The days are sunny . I wonder and some time i can not believe that temperatures can go as low as 27 celcius !!!May be one day , i will visit those places to really experience , the weather .

we are in december again ! to us , this is always a very festive time as , it signifies , the end of the academic year, christmas celebration and also end of the year and beginning of a new year. Am praying that , my business will do well this time.

I thank you for the work you are doing in supporting we , the small business people.
will be in touch soon , bye
Bilha

Bilha    Nov 16, 2013

Hello Kilmeny ,
Thank you so much for your concern . I have been quite busy , to the extend that , i have not been near a computer for some time. My daughter sat for her final exams this week, actually it was on Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday. I really thank God , that its all over. My students also sat for their exams.

now , the workload has gone down , and i will be able to surf the net. Dear , the vegetable on the picture is a sweet potato. you can either roast, boil or fry with oil. we usually eat it at the breakfast table.

the results are going to be in , the last week of January 2014. they are to join high school by February.I will keep you posted.

thanks so much , will talk to you soon

• KM    Dec 7, 2013

  Hello Mrs. Mutola -
  I'm glad that the exams are over for another year.
  This morning, it is minus 27 Celcius here! It is just after the first big snow storm of the year. Fortunately houses and other buildings here are heavily insulated, so it is not too cold inside - but not much goes on outside now.
  I took this picture of the school in my neighbourhood I went to when I was 12 to 14 years old about a week ago.
  So, I can't find a yam in my local stores - the sweet potato was the closest I could get! It's interesting that sweet potato is a breakfast food in Kenya - here it is for dinner - but since it is a sweet vegtable, I can understand how it would be good for breakfast, too. I just never thought of it before.
  I am having trouble with my internet connection lately, so I'm not able to write very often, sorry.
  I hope that your buisness will do better during the holiday season.

  

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KM    Oct 27, 2013

Greeting Mrs. Mutola - I hope you are well. I know you are busy with your work at school and with your family. I read that the exams started a few days ago - I do hope that your daughter is able to get a good grade. How long does it take to find out how someone did after they've taken the exam?
When you have a moment, could you tell me if the vegtable I have photographed is the vegtable you call a yam?
Thank-you! Asante!