Growing squash, tomatoes, and watermelons

Kennedy

Kanam B, Doho Beach, Kenya

100% repaid

Entrepreneur

Name

Kennedy

Member since

October 2015

On-time repayments

284 installments  •  88%

About Me

I was born on the 25th. December 1980. I grew up in the village under the care of my grandmother. Having my old grandma as my guardian angel at that young age really prepared me for the life that was ahead of me. At the age of nine years and in class three, I had started to learn how to be independent.I always looked at my grandmother and sympathised with her and could not ask anything from her, not even school books or uniform. To get money for buying the things that I needed, I would accompany the older kids in the village to some sugarcane plantations about 14kms away. We would wake up very early so as to reach the farms before sunrise. We would buy sugarcane which we later sold in the village and made profit.I would buy sugarcane at 20 shillings and sell for between 80-100 shillings. I did this during holydays and by the time schools were opened, I would have enough money to buy my school books, uniform and give the remaining to my old grandma which she used to buy food. So early in life I learnt how to cook, fetch water from the lake and the river and to fetch firewood from the bush. I even tilt our shamba(garden) very well.
I did my primary education and passed. My aunt was impressed with my perfomance in school so she paid for my secondary education.
After my secondary education, I moved to the city to look for a job. I got a job with company X as a messanger. I registered and took a course in accounting. I worked for the company for nine years. In those years I learnt the art of doing business. Doing the same thing at the same place everyday over the years became abit boring so I quit my job. I needed to do something more challenging. I registered my company, did some marketing and got my first orders faster than I had imagined. A problem then arose in the name of WORKING CAPITAL. I had to think fast and came up with the idea of including farming as part of my business. Farming needed less capital to start and I was assured of growth.
I am a husband and a father to a five year old boy in class one. During my free time, I do exercise and read books. Everyday at dawn I either run 15kms or train with light weights before I start my work. Doing exercise has made my ability to work in the farm look very easy. I dont supervise the people who work for me, instead I work with them. I have also learnt much just by reading.

My Business

Cyrrently I am involved mainly in agribusiness. I plant tomatoes, watermelon and vegetable e.g kales in a reasonable quantity. This I do under flood irrigation. I have got land through lease along the lake. Availability of water makes my work possible throughout the year.
Apart from watermelon whose buyers come from far or neighbouring towns, the other crops have market readily available just within the area.I had never imagined that this agribusiness idea would be a source of income not only to me but also to other hundreds of people who earn their daily income from activities resulting from this business idea i.e transportation of farm produce. Working on the farm and selling products from the farm to make profit. My business is about the production of food and food is a basic need.
The beauty about this kind of business is that I only plan as per the capital available to me. For every 30shillings I spend per plant, I get a gross income of between 80-150shillings or more depending on the law of demand and supply. The crops that I plant takes between two to three months to harvest. The cost involves purchase of seeds, land lease,irrigation,land preparation and tilting, weeding and even spraying.
I chose this type of business because it needed less capital to start. The profit has helped me to purchase waterpump, irrigation materials, farm implements like wheelbarrows, knapsack sprayers. The profit also caters for my daily needs. I pay school fee, rent and bills. This business, even though still small, has made many others to look foward to it as a source of their daily income just like me. I am encouraged by the African saying 'the largest mogumo(oak) tree you see arround was once a tiny seedling that held its ground'.

Loan Proposal

CROPS TO BE PLANTED
1. watermelon 1000 plants
2.Tomatoe 2500 plants(already planted).
3.Butternut 500 plants
The farm has been leased to me for a period of 12 months and I have paid fully. Ploughing has been done and the first crop (Tomatoe) has been planted.
WHY THE THREE CROPS?
1. I have planted the crops for two years, acquiring the necessary skills that is needed to make them successful.
2. I have created a market for the crops and the market is readily available. Immediately they are ready, my clients collects them from my firm. From within the community where I do farming and beyond, people have created small businesses for themselves by selling these crops. I strive to ensure constant production so that their (my clients) businesses does not stop any day for lack of supplies. It is good for both of us!
3. From planting to harvesting, the crops take an average of 90 days. That is very good for business.

MY LOAN REQUEST = 295
. USD.
Purpose for the loan.
1. Watermelon seed(sukari F1) 30.9
100grams
2. Butternut 250grams 21.3
3. Fertilizer DAP 50kg. 39.2
4. Fertilizer NPK 50kg. 37.2
5. Fertilizer CAN 25kg. 18.1
6. Fungicide. 33.3
7.Insecticide. 20.1
8. Boomflower foliarspray. 9.3
8. 1st and 2nd weeding 84.3
TOTAL. 293.8
Every coin I receive from Zidisha community, I 'plant' into the garden and the outcome is amazing! A blessing to myself and my community.
I look foward to your support. Thank you in advance.

Feedback

4

None

None

  • Jan    Dec 13, 2020

    Excellent! It would be a great honor for me to lend to Kennedy again

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  • Jan    Mar 10, 2020

    Kennedy is a good example of how crowdfunding is meant: he borrows money for a clear purpose and he regularly pays back.
    I love his updates.

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  • Margaret    Oct 15, 2017

    Kennedy paid off his loan ina timely manner. I would gladly lend to him again and encourage others to do the same.

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Loan Info

Project Type

Classic Loan

Disbursed amount

$303.00

Date disbursed

May 17, 2016

Repayment status

On Time

Projected term

4 months

Lenders

ErikN

Stockholm, Sweden

C

cjmenchaca

Austin, United States

MindMuse

Talking Rock, United States

Z

zedoud

Hamburg, Germany

bconrad

Seattle, United States

dlpringle

Denver, United States

Paul Buchheit

Mountain View, United States

Matt B

Stratford Upon Avon, United Kingdom

Jan

Netherlands

Fox Family

Costa Rica

Dayton

Vancouver, Canada

Jeremy

Washington State, United States, United States

PG

Paul Graham

United States

jo

Los Angeles, United States

E

EABF

Netherlands

Lily

Australia

J

jennie

Guatemala

Craig Newmark

United States

The Zinc Team

San Francisco, United States

Humble Bundle Community

San Francisco, United States

David McLauchlan

Seattle, United States

P

Petra

Switzerland

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

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  • Shellemiah    Dec 15, 2021

    dear lenders,
    m.r Kennedy has promised me he will submit his payment by the weekend.

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  • Kennedy    Oct 5, 2021

    Still planting several horticultural crops.

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  • Kennedy    Aug 17, 2021

    High setup cost, land preparation and planting.

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  • Babbitt Family Foundation    Aug 5, 2021

    With your poultry, do you sell the meat, the eggs, or both? Also, how do you package your poultry and vegetables?

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  • Kennedy    Aug 4, 2021

    To my supporters, to my lenders thank you for your contribution towards my project. I have received the funds.

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  • Kennedy    Aug 3, 2021

    It has happened! To all members who has made it possible, thank you. I will use the money to buy seeds, pay my farm support staff, and keep the farm running. I look forward to keeping you updated on my progress. I thank you once more.

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  • Kipruto    Aug 1, 2021

    I wish you all the best in your project Ken.

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  • Richard    Aug 1, 2021

    Godspeed!

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  • Christian    Jul 30, 2021

    Wish you good luck. Continue to be faithful, honest with high level of integrity as you aspire in your career.

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  • Kennedy    Jul 30, 2021

    After the application of poultry manure to my vegetable garden, I saw a great improvement in production and that convinced me that poultry manure is the best. I have introduced local poultry breed in my farm on free range.

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  • kashif    Jul 28, 2021

    kas">

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  • Raphael    Jul 26, 2021

    Hope the loan helps. God bless.

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    • Kennedy    Jul 27, 2021

      Thanks Wilfred. When I finally get the funding, it will help a lot.

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  • Michael    Jul 26, 2021

    Good luck in your project

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  • Barry Cooper    Jul 22, 2021

    Thank you for repaying your previous project. All the best with the new one. I'd like to help but I do not lend to Pay it Forward projects.

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    • Kennedy    Jul 25, 2021

      Barry Cooper, l appreciate your support towards my projects.I thank you alot. When I tried to apply for loan, this time I was only presented with the pay it forward option.

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      • Barry Cooper    Jul 25, 2021

        Hi Kenneth
        I'm sorry to hear that only Pay it Forward was offered. I was assured that outside lenders still had the option for the Classic loans. In my extensive experience, schemes like Pay it Forward create huge problems for local lenders and alienate outside lenders. Very disappointing and probably will see me leave Zidisha.

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        • (Comment deleted by author)

          • Kennedy    Jul 27, 2021

            Thanks Laurie for your response. I appreciate the work you do, the help I have received from my lenders over the past years on all the occasions I have applied for loans and how Zidisha has made it possible. I believed there were lenders who funded my projects and we're very much interested in my progress, they were a big number and I was surprised how fast I got funding. To me, they were like a guardian who silently kept an eye on my project to ensure that I succeeded. I wished for the traditional way of funding to keep the bond. Maybe there was a problem and I was only presented with the 'pay it foward' option. I have realised that most of my previous lenders does not prefer this option of pay it forward. As I present my request for funding of my current project, I want to sincerely thank all my previous lenders for giving me the opportunity to live my dream. Your selfless contribution has been the foundation of my success now and in future.

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            • (Comment deleted by author)

              • Kennedy    Jul 30, 2021

                Your pieces of advice is also a big contribution towards my success an an entrepreneur. I appreciate every bit of your advice because it activates my mind to see and understand the world from a different angle. On poultry, the birds I keep on free range. I collect their dropping s which has turned out to be an excellent manure on my firm. As I feed them in the open, they are joined by wild birds which makes the farm beautiful. Whenever I enter my firm,the birds just welcome me. Others would jump on my head, shoulders.

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  • Kennedy    Jul 21, 2021

    I have repaid my loan. I sincerely appreciate all my lenders for financially supporting all my projects again and again. The profits from this loan has enabled me to acquire new water pump, irrigation pipes and a much bigger land on lease. I am set for a much bigger project. My lenders and Zidisha have given me the strength to grow step by step. From the deepest part of my heart, I thank you all.

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  • Kennedy    Jul 21, 2021

    I am growing financially and I have gained so much experience in my business. I sincerely thank my lenders and Zidisha for their financial support. Your support have made my dreams come true. I have today cleared my loan.

    As I take another step forward, I humbly ask you to walk with me, to support me again.

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  • Kennedy    Jun 21, 2021

    Dalayed payments from my clients.

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  • Kennedy    Apr 26, 2021

    The long rains have interrupted our production and supply.

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  • Kennedy    Mar 10, 2021

    Delayed payments from my customers that has happened at a time that I prepare my farms for planting as the rains are just starting.

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  • Mary    Jan 17, 2021

    Can a tool similar to this be made to help ease the labor for your ballast business? logsplitterplans.com/plans/...

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