Dear lenders, I have finally cleared my first loan ever with Zidisha. I wish to express my gratitude to Zidisha family for allowing me to join this amazing group.
I spent the money from the loan to buy fast moving items for my electrical shop and this increased my sales significantly. I am now all set to apply for a second loan which I believe will take my business to even greater heights.
Dear friends and lenders I am soon coming back to you.I am happy to be paying my last installment on 1st February 2015.I will be applying for the second loan immediately to increase stock.I am happy to have made so many friends including those who did fund my project.Hope to meet you then.
I thank you zidisha for the loan I took, I used it to plant grass for feeding my cattle. I am not struggling to look for feeds since the pasture has boosted the food stuff. I have enough time to look after my animals, the milk production has gone high.
The achievement I have gained to the family is that I managed to take my kid to college and others did their final examinations who are yet to join studies for the next level. Also have a look of me at the farm I planted grass from the money I borrowed from you.
Thank you very much
hi Katie trust you are fine. Am fine too, just to update you on the progress; the french beans are proceeding well despite an attack by bean fly which destroyed most of the crop. Its because when I was due for the first spray I did not have the finances to buy pesticide, but I thank God you rescued the situation. here is the photo of the crop. Thank you so much.
Hello Stephen
Good luck with your application - as a child I loved tomatoes and remember how we ate them as if they were apples.
Last year I grew some in my little back garden for a friend who loves them - the two plants went mad and gave me so many tomatoes I was able to share with my neighbour and other friends and even freeze so many for cooking - they were absolutely delicious and this year I plan on growing more.
I look forward to hearing your updates and success story.
God bless
Angelina
I am happy that I have received my first loan yesterday. I was invited by a friend and I am sure this what I was looking for. This first loan will enable me hire one more teacher on Monday 26/1/2015 so that I expand my market.
Thanks to Zidisha. May God bless the lenders and the Zidisha team.
Hello lenders, Its this was a wonderful week for me, After receiving the loan i visited a cosmetic distributor and placed an order for my shop, i shared the story how Zidisha gave me the loan. The distributor was so taken that i she ended up advancing a stock worth Ksh 20,000. I ended up having a big stock of Ksh 25,000 which is Zidisha loan plus my saving and credit advancement. Truly the trust Zidisha has shown me its being extended to other who i never though they can. Thanks Zidisha community, Thanks to the founder and all Lender. Next week i will post my new look of stock full shop. God bless you all.
I was able to redraw my funds today and just like I proposed, I increased my credit transfer stock purchase and bought higher recharge card amounts. By doing this, I didn't have to turn away customers who usually requested for the high recharge card amounts (5ghc and 10ghc). They were happy I provided a reliable service just like I promised; thanks to you, my lenders. Kind Regards.
I would like to inform you that I have finally fully repaid my loan. I made some dance props to enhance our performances visually and bought approximately 25 dancing shoes for competition last season. By having good preparations, we finally won some local and national championships, Thank you so much for your supports and appreciations, it really means a lot to my community to keep growing and becoming much better, channeling local youth a media to express themselves through positive activities in dance. To watch some of my works with numbers of local youth here, feel free to check videos that I have made with my students. Here is the link: www.dailymotion.com/user/ve...
Once again, thank you so much! May happiness always be with you!
Thanks a lot for funding my loan request at such a record speed! I really appreciate. Here is an image of the Master Copy of the album. Now I am on to the branding work and I'll let you know how it goes.
First and foremost, thank you lenders for your contributions in my previous loan. You really made a difference. The extra one bag of fertilizer I bought at 2000 KES was necessary to increase my tea yield. The extra 2300 KES was also helpful. Before I paid my tea workers a month after they plucked tea because I had to wait to get be paid by KTDA. This was a great limitation because workers would refuse to pluck in subsequent plucking season until they receive their pay. I reversed that and I now pay them on time.
I was fortunate to get to visit Gabriel this past week at his home in Abeka.
Gabriel has been curious about electronics since he was very young, explaining, “When I see an electronic thing, I want to see the brain behind it.” And in this way, he “destroyed a lot of [his] father’s electronics.” But rather than being angry with his son’s affinity for taking things apart, Gabriel’s father was encouraging and supportive of his inquisitive nature.
Now in his final year at Ghana Technology University College, Gabriel studies Telecom Engineering and works part time repairing computers to support himself. In their last year, students must complete a final project in addition to their classwork. Gabriel focused his project on a problem that he saw throughout his university career: underequipped facilities in school.
University education is valued highly in Ghana, but Gabriel explains that the funding and facilities of education institutions often cannot match the demand. And students can become frustrated with overcrowded classrooms and competition for resources - Gabriel has seen many of his classmates skipping class altogether. So his project seeks to incorporate facial recognition and rfid technologies to encourage class attendance and participation.
Zidisha loans have allowed him to fund his project on time without worrying about sacrificing valuable class time to work extra hours. His first loan funded a research questionnaire while the second allowed him to order parts. They hadn’t arrived by the time of my visit, but I hope to go back again to get to see the project in action!
When he graduates, Gabriel hopes to be able to improve upon his final project and produce it at scale, offering it to schools across the country. In addition, he would like to start his own company installing fiber optic cables.
Gabriel is very grateful for the opportunities afforded to him by Zidisha lenders and I’m very excited to see his final project and what he accomplishes after graduation!
I got to meet up with Benjamin this past week! He happened to be near where I was staying when we got in- touch, so we sat down for a bit to chat before heading over to his shop in Osu.
Benjamin grew up in Takoradi, on the coast. But when his father died and mother lost their home and most of their belongings, he and his five siblings were split up and he was sent to live with his aunties in the small village of Dominase. He’s spent his life working hard, first helping his family with farm work and then working at a hotel bar to save money for school. He still supports his younger brother and takes responsibility for keeping him on the right track.
Now in Accra he stays very busy: He is going to school studying medical laboratory science, he buys and sells computer accessories (when I met him, he was picking up a stock of portable batteries – a necessity in Ghana where electricity is often unreliable), and he sells tools and general goods on a street-side shop in Osu, in front of his uncle’s house.
Although it hasn’t always been easy, Benjamin’s energy, assertiveness, and natural competitiveness has kept him looking forward. And he has quite a few ideas for the future. He just finished repaying his first Zidisha loan and hopes to use future loans to help grow his uncle’s shop in Osu and build up around it. (I have to say – he’s starting with a great location right off busy Oxford Street and shaded by a beautiful tree.) And he’d also like to revive the family tradition of making and selling drums, which fell dormant after the death of his father.
Not one to forget his past, he is dedicated to giving back to his community and helping the village where he grew up and Komenda, where his mother is from. Many of the children in the villages are not in school, so Benjamin would like to help the young people attain an education as well as trade skills such as carpentry and sewing. Naturally generous, he is nicknamed the Godfather in his hometown due to his giving nature.
It was so wonderful to get to meet Ben and see his shop this past week. We are very excited to see what he has in store for us in the future and hope I get to see him again in Accra!
I take this opportunity to thank you zidisha for the loan I took and used to plant grass for feeding my cattle. I am not struggling to look for feeds since the pasture has boosted the food stuff. I have enough time to look after my animals, the milk production has gone high.
The achievement I have gained to the family is that I managed to take my kid to college and others did their final examinations who are yet to join studies for the next level. Here at the coast during the Christmas holiday people cerebrate very extraordinary, they bring discos to the village and christians organise for camp meetings for the kids, for instance I have posted the picture of pathfinder group camp where my kids participated. Also have a look of me planting grass at the farm I prepared by the money I borrowed from you.
Thank you very much (Asante sana)
First let me say thank you, second through your funding I have not only done business but its been a daily learning process. Before I applied for my first loan for rabbit farming, I did lot of research on this type of farming and I was ready to start off. I got everything I needed and all was well until I got a challenge with weather conditions and I decided to switch off to banana and vegetables farming. Am getting maximum results because the weather has been very favorable.Am now preparing for another season for the vegetables.
I learn everyday and the experience I get is amazing.Thank you for making this possible.
I just joined Zidisha the other day and I quickly put up a proposal to buy camera lenses since my business deals in photography. It was not long to be given the loan and I can say that I bought the lenses. (See the photo attached)
The quality of my photos are now high compared to the ones I used to take earlier before buying the new ones.
Everything just happened very fast, immediately I bought the lenses I just got a photography job for a birthday party. I was amazed to see the quality of my pics. My clients were satisfied beyond their expectation and this has made them to refer their friend who is wedding this Saturday to me and I will be the official photographer.
Thanks to Zidisha for enabling me get photography jobs. Now my clients can refer their friends to BEST PIC PHOTOGRAPHY and without doubt my business is growing.
thanks lenders for being with me by supporting me and made things easier for me actually this second loan has helped me so much,first l was able to bring shoes and made shoe my customer get their orders on time this has helped me because the shoes were available ,l was able to pay my bills,school fees for my child and my living standard improved from the profits l got l made good use of them lam also happy to inform you that l started rearing chicken because l wanted to diversify my business lam working smart and that's why l was able to pay my loan with ease
thanks zidisha team and lenders as well for your support
lam hoping for the best and looking forward for your support once again when l made my third loan
Dear Sir,
I am honored to be one of the recipients of the Zidisha loan. Thanks to your generous support. I am the first in my family to venture into business.
Growing up in a less privileged community has not only offered financial and academic challenges, but has also helped me realize the value of being a businessman.
I hope to be able to serve in as a business mentor sometime in the future, where I might have even more of an ability to help less fortunate and under-represented social groups. My endeavors pursuits would not be possible without generous support from Zidisha loan sponsors like you. Thank you for enabling this opportunity!
I promise you that I will never let you down in repayment. I will work as hard as possible.
Thanks a lot.
God bless you.
To my dear Lenders:
The loan i have just completed paying was used for the intended purpose as [er the application then. After selling the wares purchased with the loan, the proceeds helped me run my business more smoothly by buying more computer accessories and selling them. I also managed to pay school fees for my daughter easily and to cap it all i pulled up resources and bought a photocopier which the photo i have uploaded.
I do believe you will keep on giving me your support so that we can grow together.
Thank you.
Thanks a lot for funding my business. For the last one year you have supported me in my business and I have seen a lot of growth. The previous loan assisted me to grow my business and enabled me to pursue my academic goals by enrolling for masters course. As I apply for another loan, am very optimistic that you will continue to fund me for with you the sky is the limit. I will be sending photos to show my progress.
Just a sample of a poster i did for my first son who was born on 10th October 2013. His mother was ecstatic. This kind of background work may seem corny to others especially in developed countries but down here the ability to do this places me way above my competition.I am really looking forward to buying a printer soon so that i can set up my own studio and make the shillings roll in.
More of me at my shop counter.its not that full but i am on my way.I want to add the barber and womens salon and boost my earnings and savings. Dont mind about whats advertised on the wall,i dont have memory cards but i am looking forward to stocking them.However i do charge mobile phones in this part of the village.
I was happy selling my first piece of work for Ksh. 13,000. I target to sell 5 pieces by the end of next month. The next Zidisha loan will help me to purchase more materials needed to make fountain and cast stone products such as cement, sand, gravel and cast stone molds. I aim to produce good work such as the photos I have attached below.
Thanks everyone.I have attached photos of my shop below.My stock increased and i managed to pay for the ceaserian section i had while delivering Baby Amani (Amani is Swahili for Peace).In the photos i am carrying Amani while outside the shop i am carrying my first son Baby Baraka,who is excited with the arrival of his brother.Outside the shop you can see some of my remaining produce for the day,i.e fresh tomatoes and onions.I managed to produce enough potatoes on my farm while planting cassava,the proceeds gave me enough profit to stock my shop with tomatoes,onions and even soap,candy,buns and airtime credit.Thanks everyone,hoping for a better 2015.Amani was born at midnight on 31st December,so i started the year with a wonderful blast of a bundle....
Again I say thank you to you lenders for the loan you gave me. I have purchased the lamination machine and photocopy papers. The purchase of the machine has changed my business by increasing the income by 15% of the money i was getting per day. The increased money I will use it to buy more laminating films and pay school fees for my sisters and brothers.
1) Thanks a lot the the farmers will get immediate cash to buy household items since to some farmers tea is the only source of income and instead of selling to company and wait for monthly pay and yet they lack something to eat they decide to sell the tea leaves get cash on the spot.
2) I intend to get a profit of kshs 8per kilogram when we multiply by 525 kilograms i intend to buy per month then profit per month is equivalent to kshs 4200 and the i repay kshs 500 per week which is equal to kshs 2000 per month which means i still remain with net profit of kshs 2200. Thanks for your consideration and i am looking forward for your help.
Am so happy thanks to zidisha and the lenders.
I did buy my printer and now am a happy businessman and employer. I must say a new printer is awesome, printing is easy customers are enjoying our services. Thank you so much, now i can work in my strawberry field the whole day without any calls that the printer is faulty. My friends now can see the impact of zidisha and now they are joining Zidisha organization.
First of all is to thank the whole of zidisha family for the support they have given me in ensuring that i prosper.
With the loan that i secured,i managed to get a work permit in order to be recognised as a legal movie vendor by the government ,on securing it i have seen the workflow increase thus making more customers within the short period of time.
My profit has since grown from one strength to another with an increase from 15 copies per week(15 copies x 50 ksh= 750ksh) to 50 copies( 50 copies x 50 ksh = 2500ksh)- purchasing of rewritable dvd spindle at 600ksh the profit = 1900,i am looking forward to increasing the sales as i invest further with zidisha.
With the profit i have managed to raise i am planning to invest in buying and selling of memory sticks and also headphones which are a good catch to the locals here.
As i am preparing for my son to start school in the next two years ,i have managed to secure him an educational plan in form of an insurance premium that will foresee him go to a good school and without any financial strain,for i know that good education is the best i can give to him as a dad.
Since my place is situated at a strategic place, it has become a haven for the kids due to animated movies and cartoons,also an advantage for the elderly due to inspirational movies and without leaving the teenage behind for series and full movies.
I met Juliet, with her infectious smile and energy, at a restaurant near Achimota station last weekend to talk about her experiences with Zidisha. Juliet is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration in at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Accra Centre, attending classes every other weekend. When not in school, she works full time as an accounts and administration officer and supports her younger siblings and retired father.
It’s hard, she explains, working and studying and caring for her family, but she looks forward to graduation and dreams of starting her own enterprise. What sort of business? I ask. She grins. “I have many ideas.”
Education is valued highly in Ghana and university is a dream for many. However, tuition and fees must be paid upfront every semester and funding options for students are limited. Without much access to scholarships and financial aid, students who cannot rely on their parents’ help must come up with the funds on their own. And of those whose families may be able to help, many are self-employed or employed informally, making it difficult to reliably save up for a lump sum at the beginning of the semester.
Zidisha loans have enabled Juliet to support her family without stress as well as pay her university fees to pursue her education. She has enjoyed great success so far and hopes that lenders will continue to support her through her degree and into her entrepreneurial career. Additionally, she has been inspired to apply as a Volunteer Mentor to help introduce other borrowers to the platform, explaining, “Not everyone has had the opportunity to meet Zidisha and that saddens my heart.”
It was such a treat to meet Juliet, the kind of person whose presence and energy brightens a room. Zidisha and you, her dedicated lenders, have allowed Juliet to pursue her education and she is so grateful for your continued support! I very much hope I get the chance to meet her again but in the meantime, we wish her the best of luck with her impending third semester!
I had the pleasure of visiting Nelson’s home last week in Madina, a quiet suburb in northern Accra. Nelson has been a Zidisha borrower since May of 2014 and was eager to meet me when I reached out to him – he had been helping a friend with her application just the other night and quickly arranged a group of entrepreneurial and interested prospective borrowers.
It was the low interest rate that drew Nelson to the Zidisha platform initially but he is especially impressed with sincerity of the organization – that Zidisha and its lenders are truly committed to helping borrowers and treating them with respect, a refreshing departure from the reality of many alternative options for loans and funding. The flexibility and understanding of lenders has enabled him to weather difficulties and grow his business.
After our meeting, I asked if he could recommend a restaurant nearby. But rather than send me off on my own, Nelson and Gina accompanied me to one of their favorite lunch spots to try a “real Ghanaian meal” of a light starter soup, okro stew with crab, and banku. Banku is a thick dough made from corn and cassava and originating from Nelson’s home in the Volta. Although I was unable to eat the meal with anything resembling grace, it was delicious and definitely not my last encounter with banku.
Nelson was actually the first Zidisha borrower I met in Ghana, for which I am so grateful. He is passionate about the organization’s mission and the opportunities it provides. And, already having helped friends apply, propose loans, and navigate the Zidisha website, I am very excited to say that he is working through the application to be a Volunteer Mentor! I have the utmost confidence that his presence at Zidisha will be incredibly beneficial and I know that he appreciates your continued support. I was unable to visit his business last week, as it is located in a different region of the city, but I hope to pop in for a visit soon!
Wow,lenders i thank you for the first loan you gave me.It helped me a great deal.My farm is full of shoots and my produce shop is full of tomatoes,potatoes and cassava.I gave birth to a baby boy and the proceeds of the farm that i put in the shop gave me a boost in my profits at just the right time.It was expensive to give birth by caeserian operation and had it not been for investing in my farm produce and shop i wouldnt have had the money to pay for the birth.I am now planning to rent more space and to widen the produce i sell.You have made a mark in my life and i am glad you took it to lend me the money you did.I am now very independent and have even saved enough money to take further computer classes so that i can also diversify into more computer work in my business.I bought a computer CPU and i am looking forward to saving to buy a monitor and a printer.Thank you everyone.
Hi Markus and all lenders, we did the overhaul and it was successful. am glad to report that the car is at work, looking forward to this sunday when i start repaying the loan. Good day to all.
Alex Masumbuko
Jan 25, 2015
Mombasa, Kenya
Restock existing store & open a new branch
Dear lenders, I have finally cleared my first loan ever with Zidisha. I wish to express my gratitude to Zidisha family for allowing me to join this amazing group.
I spent the money from the loan to buy fast moving items for my electrical shop and this increased my sales significantly. I am now all set to apply for a second loan which I believe will take my business to even greater heights.
Charles Owino
Jan 25, 2015
Nairobi City, Kenya
Increase inventory for my school uniform business to support my charity school
Dear friends and lenders I am soon coming back to you.I am happy to be paying my last installment on 1st February 2015.I will be applying for the second loan immediately to increase stock.I am happy to have made so many friends including those who did fund my project.Hope to meet you then.
Aan Kurniadi
Jan 25, 2015
Teluk Kuantan, Indonesia
Adding inventory for mobile phone business
Good Night At The funders; and also Team ;s Zidisha,
hopefully always given health always ..
This is the result of my shopping yesterday for adding accesories Mobile,,,,,
Translated by
Selamat Malam Pada Para Pendana dan juga Team Zidisha,
semoga selalu di beri kesehatan selalu..
ini merupakan hasil dari belanja saya kemarin buat penambahan accesories Handphone,,,,,
Aan Kurniadi
Jan 25, 2015
Teluk Kuantan, Indonesia
Adding inventory for mobile phone business
beginilah kegiatan saya di malam hari,,
bergelut dengan Tugas serta ketikan anak-anak sekolah maupun masyrakat umum...
Aan Kurniadi
Jan 25, 2015
Teluk Kuantan, Indonesia
Adding inventory for mobile phone business
proses pembangunan konter saya ,,,,
semoga saja cepat selesai
Rachmad Adim
Jan 25, 2015
Surabaya, Indonesia
Inventory for my phone-delivery grocery business
My baby boy and wife
Lance Dzombo
Jan 25, 2015
Mombasa, Kenya
My daughter's school fees for form two
I thank you zidisha for the loan I took, I used it to plant grass for feeding my cattle. I am not struggling to look for feeds since the pasture has boosted the food stuff. I have enough time to look after my animals, the milk production has gone high.
The achievement I have gained to the family is that I managed to take my kid to college and others did their final examinations who are yet to join studies for the next level. Also have a look of me at the farm I planted grass from the money I borrowed from you.
Thank you very much
Rose Karwirwa
Jan 25, 2015
Meru, Kenya
Loan to add my stock
with claire in the bananas farm
Rose Karwirwa
Jan 25, 2015
Meru, Kenya
Loan to add my stock
still in the farm
Rose Karwirwa
Jan 25, 2015
Meru, Kenya
Loan to add my stock
in the cow shed cleaning before leaving to my store
Rose Karwirwa
Jan 25, 2015
Meru, Kenya
Loan to add my stock
i and my last born daughter claire feeding the pig
Felix Wiyema
Jan 24, 2015
Wanguru, Kenya
Surgery fee
hi Katie trust you are fine. Am fine too, just to update you on the progress; the french beans are proceeding well despite an attack by bean fly which destroyed most of the crop. Its because when I was due for the first spray I did not have the finances to buy pesticide, but I thank God you rescued the situation. here is the photo of the crop. Thank you so much.
Angelina
Jan 24, 2015
Northants, United Kingdom
Weighing scale and organic fertilizer
Hello Stephen
Good luck with your application - as a child I loved tomatoes and remember how we ate them as if they were apples.
Last year I grew some in my little back garden for a friend who loves them - the two plants went mad and gave me so many tomatoes I was able to share with my neighbour and other friends and even freeze so many for cooking - they were absolutely delicious and this year I plan on growing more.
I look forward to hearing your updates and success story.
God bless
Angelina
Collins Okeyo
Jan 24, 2015
Nairobi, Kenya
Tuition education for all
I am happy that I have received my first loan yesterday. I was invited by a friend and I am sure this what I was looking for. This first loan will enable me hire one more teacher on Monday 26/1/2015 so that I expand my market.
Thanks to Zidisha. May God bless the lenders and the Zidisha team.
Josiphine Nyaboke
Jan 24, 2015
Taveta, Kenya
"Mama Vinnie's Shop" needs more stock
Hello lenders, Its this was a wonderful week for me, After receiving the loan i visited a cosmetic distributor and placed an order for my shop, i shared the story how Zidisha gave me the loan. The distributor was so taken that i she ended up advancing a stock worth Ksh 20,000. I ended up having a big stock of Ksh 25,000 which is Zidisha loan plus my saving and credit advancement. Truly the trust Zidisha has shown me its being extended to other who i never though they can. Thanks Zidisha community, Thanks to the founder and all Lender. Next week i will post my new look of stock full shop. God bless you all.
Gabriel Adzika
Jan 24, 2015
Accra, Ghana
Funds to register and become an mtn mobile money merchant
I was able to redraw my funds today and just like I proposed, I increased my credit transfer stock purchase and bought higher recharge card amounts. By doing this, I didn't have to turn away customers who usually requested for the high recharge card amounts (5ghc and 10ghc). They were happy I provided a reliable service just like I promised; thanks to you, my lenders. Kind Regards.
Didink. K Dt
Jan 24, 2015
Kabupaten Bantaeng, Indonesia
Materials manufacture of brick red
Proses produksi batu merah, pencetakan dan pengeringan sebelum di bakar menjadi batu merah
Edith Yah
Jan 24, 2015
Berekum, Ghana
Expanding my tailoring shop and buy new sewing machines
At my workplace
Aloysius J
Jan 24, 2015
Bekasi, Indonesia
Annual studio rental fee to run community activities
To all lenders,
I would like to inform you that I have finally fully repaid my loan. I made some dance props to enhance our performances visually and bought approximately 25 dancing shoes for competition last season. By having good preparations, we finally won some local and national championships, Thank you so much for your supports and appreciations, it really means a lot to my community to keep growing and becoming much better, channeling local youth a media to express themselves through positive activities in dance. To watch some of my works with numbers of local youth here, feel free to check videos that I have made with my students. Here is the link: www.dailymotion.com/user/ve...
Once again, thank you so much! May happiness always be with you!
Janet Wanjiru
Jan 23, 2015
Nairobi, Kenya
Branding of my kenyan music album
Thanks a lot for funding my loan request at such a record speed! I really appreciate. Here is an image of the Master Copy of the album. Now I am on to the branding work and I'll let you know how it goes.
Anthony Njagi
Jan 23, 2015
Kanja, Embu, Kenya
Tea and dairy farming
Dwayne, my son
Anthony Njagi
Jan 23, 2015
Kanja, Embu, Kenya
Tea and dairy farming
First and foremost, thank you lenders for your contributions in my previous loan. You really made a difference. The extra one bag of fertilizer I bought at 2000 KES was necessary to increase my tea yield. The extra 2300 KES was also helpful. Before I paid my tea workers a month after they plucked tea because I had to wait to get be paid by KTDA. This was a great limitation because workers would refuse to pluck in subsequent plucking season until they receive their pay. I reversed that and I now pay them on time.
Taylor Hanna
Jan 23, 2015
United States
Project completion
Dear Lenders,
I was fortunate to get to visit Gabriel this past week at his home in Abeka.
Gabriel has been curious about electronics since he was very young, explaining, “When I see an electronic thing, I want to see the brain behind it.” And in this way, he “destroyed a lot of [his] father’s electronics.” But rather than being angry with his son’s affinity for taking things apart, Gabriel’s father was encouraging and supportive of his inquisitive nature.
Now in his final year at Ghana Technology University College, Gabriel studies Telecom Engineering and works part time repairing computers to support himself. In their last year, students must complete a final project in addition to their classwork. Gabriel focused his project on a problem that he saw throughout his university career: underequipped facilities in school.
University education is valued highly in Ghana, but Gabriel explains that the funding and facilities of education institutions often cannot match the demand. And students can become frustrated with overcrowded classrooms and competition for resources - Gabriel has seen many of his classmates skipping class altogether. So his project seeks to incorporate facial recognition and rfid technologies to encourage class attendance and participation.
Zidisha loans have allowed him to fund his project on time without worrying about sacrificing valuable class time to work extra hours. His first loan funded a research questionnaire while the second allowed him to order parts. They hadn’t arrived by the time of my visit, but I hope to go back again to get to see the project in action!
When he graduates, Gabriel hopes to be able to improve upon his final project and produce it at scale, offering it to schools across the country. In addition, he would like to start his own company installing fiber optic cables.
Gabriel is very grateful for the opportunities afforded to him by Zidisha lenders and I’m very excited to see his final project and what he accomplishes after graduation!
Taylor Hanna
Ghana Ambassador
Zidisha
Taylor Hanna
Jan 23, 2015
United States
Small small
Dear Lenders,
I got to meet up with Benjamin this past week! He happened to be near where I was staying when we got in- touch, so we sat down for a bit to chat before heading over to his shop in Osu.
Benjamin grew up in Takoradi, on the coast. But when his father died and mother lost their home and most of their belongings, he and his five siblings were split up and he was sent to live with his aunties in the small village of Dominase. He’s spent his life working hard, first helping his family with farm work and then working at a hotel bar to save money for school. He still supports his younger brother and takes responsibility for keeping him on the right track.
Now in Accra he stays very busy: He is going to school studying medical laboratory science, he buys and sells computer accessories (when I met him, he was picking up a stock of portable batteries – a necessity in Ghana where electricity is often unreliable), and he sells tools and general goods on a street-side shop in Osu, in front of his uncle’s house.
Although it hasn’t always been easy, Benjamin’s energy, assertiveness, and natural competitiveness has kept him looking forward. And he has quite a few ideas for the future. He just finished repaying his first Zidisha loan and hopes to use future loans to help grow his uncle’s shop in Osu and build up around it. (I have to say – he’s starting with a great location right off busy Oxford Street and shaded by a beautiful tree.) And he’d also like to revive the family tradition of making and selling drums, which fell dormant after the death of his father.
Not one to forget his past, he is dedicated to giving back to his community and helping the village where he grew up and Komenda, where his mother is from. Many of the children in the villages are not in school, so Benjamin would like to help the young people attain an education as well as trade skills such as carpentry and sewing. Naturally generous, he is nicknamed the Godfather in his hometown due to his giving nature.
It was so wonderful to get to meet Ben and see his shop this past week. We are very excited to see what he has in store for us in the future and hope I get to see him again in Accra!
Taylor
Ghana Ambassador
Zidisha
Lance Dzombo
Jan 23, 2015
Mombasa, Kenya
My daughter's school fees for form two
I take this opportunity to thank you zidisha for the loan I took and used to plant grass for feeding my cattle. I am not struggling to look for feeds since the pasture has boosted the food stuff. I have enough time to look after my animals, the milk production has gone high.
The achievement I have gained to the family is that I managed to take my kid to college and others did their final examinations who are yet to join studies for the next level. Here at the coast during the Christmas holiday people cerebrate very extraordinary, they bring discos to the village and christians organise for camp meetings for the kids, for instance I have posted the picture of pathfinder group camp where my kids participated. Also have a look of me planting grass at the farm I prepared by the money I borrowed from you.
Thank you very much (Asante sana)
Caroline Wangui
Jan 23, 2015
Nairobi, Ngara House Number 53b, Kenya
Inventory of school texts for bookshop
First let me say thank you, second through your funding I have not only done business but its been a daily learning process. Before I applied for my first loan for rabbit farming, I did lot of research on this type of farming and I was ready to start off. I got everything I needed and all was well until I got a challenge with weather conditions and I decided to switch off to banana and vegetables farming. Am getting maximum results because the weather has been very favorable.Am now preparing for another season for the vegetables.
I learn everyday and the experience I get is amazing.Thank you for making this possible.
Peter Mbugua
Jan 23, 2015
Nairobi, Kenya
Poultry farming
this is one of the cages in a side view
Peter Mbugua
Jan 23, 2015
Nairobi, Kenya
Poultry farming
these are some of the local bread of chicken inside their cages as they feed....
Noel Olweny
Jan 23, 2015
Nairobi, Kenya
Best pics - opening a photo studio loan
I just joined Zidisha the other day and I quickly put up a proposal to buy camera lenses since my business deals in photography. It was not long to be given the loan and I can say that I bought the lenses. (See the photo attached)
The quality of my photos are now high compared to the ones I used to take earlier before buying the new ones.
Everything just happened very fast, immediately I bought the lenses I just got a photography job for a birthday party. I was amazed to see the quality of my pics. My clients were satisfied beyond their expectation and this has made them to refer their friend who is wedding this Saturday to me and I will be the official photographer.
Thanks to Zidisha for enabling me get photography jobs. Now my clients can refer their friends to BEST PIC PHOTOGRAPHY and without doubt my business is growing.
Kipkoech Denis
Jan 22, 2015
Kericho, Kenya
Increasing my float account thus increase in commission,
Hi to all my lenders I have finally acquired my new POS (Point of Sale terminal) The picture is attached
Mercy Oduor
Jan 22, 2015
Nakuru, Kenya
Buy second hands ladies shoes and children shoes to sell
thanks lenders for being with me by supporting me and made things easier for me actually this second loan has helped me so much,first l was able to bring shoes and made shoe my customer get their orders on time this has helped me because the shoes were available ,l was able to pay my bills,school fees for my child and my living standard improved from the profits l got l made good use of them lam also happy to inform you that l started rearing chicken because l wanted to diversify my business lam working smart and that's why l was able to pay my loan with ease
thanks zidisha team and lenders as well for your support
lam hoping for the best and looking forward for your support once again when l made my third loan
Charles Metet
Jan 22, 2015
Bomet, Kenya
Reams of copy paper for my stationery supply business
Dear Sir,
I am honored to be one of the recipients of the Zidisha loan. Thanks to your generous support. I am the first in my family to venture into business.
Growing up in a less privileged community has not only offered financial and academic challenges, but has also helped me realize the value of being a businessman.
I hope to be able to serve in as a business mentor sometime in the future, where I might have even more of an ability to help less fortunate and under-represented social groups. My endeavors pursuits would not be possible without generous support from Zidisha loan sponsors like you. Thank you for enabling this opportunity!
I promise you that I will never let you down in repayment. I will work as hard as possible.
Thanks a lot.
God bless you.
Dalton Kuligha
Jan 22, 2015
Mombasa, Kenya
To replenish my stock of computer accessories in my workshop
To my dear Lenders:
The loan i have just completed paying was used for the intended purpose as [er the application then. After selling the wares purchased with the loan, the proceeds helped me run my business more smoothly by buying more computer accessories and selling them. I also managed to pay school fees for my daughter easily and to cap it all i pulled up resources and bought a photocopier which the photo i have uploaded.
I do believe you will keep on giving me your support so that we can grow together.
Thank you.
Simon Njugu
Jan 21, 2015
Mukuyu, Murang'a, Kenya
Fund to Purchase Laptop
Dear Lenders
Thanks a lot for funding my business. For the last one year you have supported me in my business and I have seen a lot of growth. The previous loan assisted me to grow my business and enabled me to pursue my academic goals by enrolling for masters course. As I apply for another loan, am very optimistic that you will continue to fund me for with you the sky is the limit. I will be sending photos to show my progress.
John R
Jan 21, 2015
Ponte Vedra Beach, United States
Terrian academy project
Thanks for sharing the photo!
Boniface Simiyu
Jan 21, 2015
Siritanyi Village Bungoma, Kenya
Loan to buy Epson l220 photo-printer
Just a sample of a poster i did for my first son who was born on 10th October 2013. His mother was ecstatic. This kind of background work may seem corny to others especially in developed countries but down here the ability to do this places me way above my competition.I am really looking forward to buying a printer soon so that i can set up my own studio and make the shillings roll in.
Violet Owino
Jan 21, 2015
Sanga'alo Village, Kenya
Blowdrier for my barber shop
More of me at my shop counter.its not that full but i am on my way.I want to add the barber and womens salon and boost my earnings and savings. Dont mind about whats advertised on the wall,i dont have memory cards but i am looking forward to stocking them.However i do charge mobile phones in this part of the village.
Josphat Rasugu
Jan 21, 2015
Mombasa, Kenya
First phase of cast and fountain website design
I was happy selling my first piece of work for Ksh. 13,000. I target to sell 5 pieces by the end of next month. The next Zidisha loan will help me to purchase more materials needed to make fountain and cast stone products such as cement, sand, gravel and cast stone molds. I aim to produce good work such as the photos I have attached below.
Violet Owino
Jan 21, 2015
Sanga'alo Village, Kenya
Blowdrier for my barber shop
Thanks everyone.I have attached photos of my shop below.My stock increased and i managed to pay for the ceaserian section i had while delivering Baby Amani (Amani is Swahili for Peace).In the photos i am carrying Amani while outside the shop i am carrying my first son Baby Baraka,who is excited with the arrival of his brother.Outside the shop you can see some of my remaining produce for the day,i.e fresh tomatoes and onions.I managed to produce enough potatoes on my farm while planting cassava,the proceeds gave me enough profit to stock my shop with tomatoes,onions and even soap,candy,buns and airtime credit.Thanks everyone,hoping for a better 2015.Amani was born at midnight on 31st December,so i started the year with a wonderful blast of a bundle....
Charles Owino
Jan 21, 2015
Nairobi City, Kenya
Increase inventory for my school uniform business to support my charity school
All the children in school uniform including orphans and other vulnerable children at the centre,thanks to Zidisha,you are transforming lives.
David Muumbi
Jan 21, 2015
Jacaba At Mariakani, Kenya
Buy more computers for my cyber cafe
Again I say thank you to you lenders for the loan you gave me. I have purchased the lamination machine and photocopy papers. The purchase of the machine has changed my business by increasing the income by 15% of the money i was getting per day. The increased money I will use it to buy more laminating films and pay school fees for my sisters and brothers.
S Kip Ngetich
Jan 21, 2015
Kericho, Kenya
Buying of green tea leaves
1) Thanks a lot the the farmers will get immediate cash to buy household items since to some farmers tea is the only source of income and instead of selling to company and wait for monthly pay and yet they lack something to eat they decide to sell the tea leaves get cash on the spot.
2) I intend to get a profit of kshs 8per kilogram when we multiply by 525 kilograms i intend to buy per month then profit per month is equivalent to kshs 4200 and the i repay kshs 500 per week which is equal to kshs 2000 per month which means i still remain with net profit of kshs 2200. Thanks for your consideration and i am looking forward for your help.
Samuel Njihia
Jan 20, 2015
Nairobi, Kenya
Buy a vacuum sublimation machine
Am so happy thanks to zidisha and the lenders.
I did buy my printer and now am a happy businessman and employer. I must say a new printer is awesome, printing is easy customers are enjoying our services. Thank you so much, now i can work in my strawberry field the whole day without any calls that the printer is faulty. My friends now can see the impact of zidisha and now they are joining Zidisha organization.
Ilham Sah
Jan 20, 2015
Kepatihan Kaliwates Jember, Indonesia
Loan to buy high quality seeds of Canaries F1
I was a little bird but the quality is pretty good so I want cultivated walnut F1
Paul Mugi
Jan 20, 2015
Gilgil, Kenya
Mobile phone investment
First of all is to thank the whole of zidisha family for the support they have given me in ensuring that i prosper.
With the loan that i secured,i managed to get a work permit in order to be recognised as a legal movie vendor by the government ,on securing it i have seen the workflow increase thus making more customers within the short period of time.
My profit has since grown from one strength to another with an increase from 15 copies per week(15 copies x 50 ksh= 750ksh) to 50 copies( 50 copies x 50 ksh = 2500ksh)- purchasing of rewritable dvd spindle at 600ksh the profit = 1900,i am looking forward to increasing the sales as i invest further with zidisha.
With the profit i have managed to raise i am planning to invest in buying and selling of memory sticks and also headphones which are a good catch to the locals here.
As i am preparing for my son to start school in the next two years ,i have managed to secure him an educational plan in form of an insurance premium that will foresee him go to a good school and without any financial strain,for i know that good education is the best i can give to him as a dad.
Since my place is situated at a strategic place, it has become a haven for the kids due to animated movies and cartoons,also an advantage for the elderly due to inspirational movies and without leaving the teenage behind for series and full movies.
Taylor Hanna
Jan 19, 2015
United States
To rent a shop for my jewelry business
Dear Lenders,
I met Juliet, with her infectious smile and energy, at a restaurant near Achimota station last weekend to talk about her experiences with Zidisha. Juliet is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration in at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Accra Centre, attending classes every other weekend. When not in school, she works full time as an accounts and administration officer and supports her younger siblings and retired father.
It’s hard, she explains, working and studying and caring for her family, but she looks forward to graduation and dreams of starting her own enterprise. What sort of business? I ask. She grins. “I have many ideas.”
Education is valued highly in Ghana and university is a dream for many. However, tuition and fees must be paid upfront every semester and funding options for students are limited. Without much access to scholarships and financial aid, students who cannot rely on their parents’ help must come up with the funds on their own. And of those whose families may be able to help, many are self-employed or employed informally, making it difficult to reliably save up for a lump sum at the beginning of the semester.
Zidisha loans have enabled Juliet to support her family without stress as well as pay her university fees to pursue her education. She has enjoyed great success so far and hopes that lenders will continue to support her through her degree and into her entrepreneurial career. Additionally, she has been inspired to apply as a Volunteer Mentor to help introduce other borrowers to the platform, explaining, “Not everyone has had the opportunity to meet Zidisha and that saddens my heart.”
It was such a treat to meet Juliet, the kind of person whose presence and energy brightens a room. Zidisha and you, her dedicated lenders, have allowed Juliet to pursue her education and she is so grateful for your continued support! I very much hope I get the chance to meet her again but in the meantime, we wish her the best of luck with her impending third semester!
Taylor Hanna
Ghana Ambassador
Zidisha
Taylor Hanna
Jan 19, 2015
United States
Inventory for poultry feed and veterinary services
Dear Lenders,
I had the pleasure of visiting Nelson’s home last week in Madina, a quiet suburb in northern Accra. Nelson has been a Zidisha borrower since May of 2014 and was eager to meet me when I reached out to him – he had been helping a friend with her application just the other night and quickly arranged a group of entrepreneurial and interested prospective borrowers.
It was the low interest rate that drew Nelson to the Zidisha platform initially but he is especially impressed with sincerity of the organization – that Zidisha and its lenders are truly committed to helping borrowers and treating them with respect, a refreshing departure from the reality of many alternative options for loans and funding. The flexibility and understanding of lenders has enabled him to weather difficulties and grow his business.
After our meeting, I asked if he could recommend a restaurant nearby. But rather than send me off on my own, Nelson and Gina accompanied me to one of their favorite lunch spots to try a “real Ghanaian meal” of a light starter soup, okro stew with crab, and banku. Banku is a thick dough made from corn and cassava and originating from Nelson’s home in the Volta. Although I was unable to eat the meal with anything resembling grace, it was delicious and definitely not my last encounter with banku.
Nelson was actually the first Zidisha borrower I met in Ghana, for which I am so grateful. He is passionate about the organization’s mission and the opportunities it provides. And, already having helped friends apply, propose loans, and navigate the Zidisha website, I am very excited to say that he is working through the application to be a Volunteer Mentor! I have the utmost confidence that his presence at Zidisha will be incredibly beneficial and I know that he appreciates your continued support. I was unable to visit his business last week, as it is located in a different region of the city, but I hope to pop in for a visit soon!
Taylor
Ghana Ambassador
Zidisha Team
Violet Owino
Jan 19, 2015
Sanga'alo Village, Kenya
Blowdrier for my barber shop
Thank you so much for believing in me Family Mueller!! Here are photos of my baby born at midnight of the new year Baby Amani (Amani means Peace)
Violet Owino
Jan 19, 2015
Sanga'alo Village, Kenya
Blowdrier for my barber shop
Wow,lenders i thank you for the first loan you gave me.It helped me a great deal.My farm is full of shoots and my produce shop is full of tomatoes,potatoes and cassava.I gave birth to a baby boy and the proceeds of the farm that i put in the shop gave me a boost in my profits at just the right time.It was expensive to give birth by caeserian operation and had it not been for investing in my farm produce and shop i wouldnt have had the money to pay for the birth.I am now planning to rent more space and to widen the produce i sell.You have made a mark in my life and i am glad you took it to lend me the money you did.I am now very independent and have even saved enough money to take further computer classes so that i can also diversify into more computer work in my business.I bought a computer CPU and i am looking forward to saving to buy a monitor and a printer.Thank you everyone.
Eric Wambugu
Jan 19, 2015
Ngong, Kenya
Loan to purchase a greenhouse
Hi Markus and all lenders, we did the overhaul and it was successful. am glad to report that the car is at work, looking forward to this sunday when i start repaying the loan. Good day to all.