My name is leo. I was born in kitwe. I started my primary education at matete primary in 1986 and completed my secondary education in 1998 at chamboli. I was born in a family of 6 and I am the youngest. My mother was a single mum. My father died when I was only 5 so we raised by a single mum. I really like school but I have not gone to college because of lack of funds. I know one I will go. My mother had a stand in chisokone market where she sells foodstuffs. When I completed secondary education my mother bought me a small shop at the same market. Most people sell foodstuffs there but I came up with something new, I sell mens and ladies shoes. The culture of people where I live is good, people don’t want to see another man suffering so they help a lot. I am married I have one child and she wants to become a nurse.

i deal in men's and ladies shoes. I started by buying only 10 pairs of shoes worth $60. Brand new shoes in my country becasue they are imported are very expensive. Most people in zambia dont earn a lot of money but they like dressing up well. There was a lebanese man who was selling shoes at the market and had a lot of customers but one day he was arrested by immigration. I saw this as my opportunity. I talked to my mother who gave me $60 and i bought 10 pairs of second hand shoes and i sold everything the following day and made $105. That is how i started. My business grow i even opened a small shop where i sell genuine shoes from Europe. These are second hand shoes but they look very new. My major clients are from the banks, both women and men who like dressing smart. The typical costs i face is transport because i go to Tanzania to buy these shoes. I am able to buy shoes worth $200 and my sales go up to $300. Each pair costs $7 to $12 and i usually sell at double the price. My profits am saving so that one day i go to college. My daughter is 3 and my wife runs a salon. So at the moment all profits i save and part of it i reinvest in my business.

To all my lenders, thank you so much for the loan which I just completed paying. It has enabled me make some profit in my shoe shop. I am now applying for a loan amount $87. I sell men's and ladies. I buy these shoes from Tanzania, very good quality second hand shoes that come from Europe. At the moment I buy shoes worth $200 . Each pair i buy between $6 to $12. With this loan i am applying for at Zidisha I want to increase my order. i usually buy about 30 pairs of shoes but i want to increase to 35 pairs. So i will this loan to buy more pairs. The 30 pairs i buy at an average of $10 i sell at $15 so my total sales come to $400. Then i remove transport costs and lodging i remain with about $300. So when i get a loan from zidisha i will get additional pairs, i will get 35 pairs and if i sell them at $15 i will make about $500. After removing about $100 transport and lodging costs i will remain with $400. I will reinvest more and save enough. I will live with my family with less pressure. These profits will also enable me to make repayments without any challenges at all. I pray that my loan proposal gets funded, Thank even before I receive.