My name is Bernadette Otieno, and I am a Journalist/Film Practitioner/Writer by profession. I am also a single parent to the most intelligent ten-year-old boy. I have now been working as a freelance writer, on both full-time and part-time basis, for nearly ten years.

My first job was a freelance writing job, at an office in Parklands, Nairobi. I was a university student then and was quite excited that someone was willing to give an untrained person like me work. It was a learning experience for me, and although the pay was extremely low, I held on to the job for nearly six months and learned a lot from it.

Soon afterward, I ventured into online freelance writing, and it has always been a source of secondary income for me.

In line with this, I also started writing screenplays and was involved in the Kenyan film industry. With this experience and a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, I was able to get employment at a non-profit communication and humanitarian organization.

Unfortunately, I lost the job that I had held for nearly four years end of December 2016. It took a toll on me, but I found myself back to working as a full-time online writer once again. Online writing has been how I can support my son and make ends meet as well.

It has always been my hope and goal to open up a writing business, similar to the one that employed me when I was still in university. I came up with Write It! to offer writing solutions to businesses and with the sole aim of providing college students and fresh graduates with their first employment opportunity.

I envision Write Up! also being a space where university/college students can come to access computers, the internet, and video production equipment/services at a subsidized cost.

I have cultivated long-standing relationships with both online clients and local-based businesses who give me a steady and constant flow of work. It has gotten to the point; I cannot handle the work by myself. Hence, the motivation to start a writing business and employ university students.

Write It! is now in its initial set-up phase and I hope to be fully up-and-running by June 2017. I have access to partial funding, but I still need about $2,000 (estimate Ksh. 200,000) to turn my vision into reality. I need help raising the extra money, and it is the reason why I turn to Zidisha, so that I may also be able to help others in turn within the near future.

The funds will go towards setting up an office space for the business, getting equipment for the business including three laptops, a printer/scanner and setting up Internet access within the office.

As I continue to work as a freelance writer, while still setting up the business, I will put my earnings towards paying back loans I receive from Zidisha as well as towards the business.

The loan will go towards paying an agent to help me get a premise for my start-up writing business.

I am at the registration phase for my business, and one of the important requirements is listing a business premise location. Given that I am also already receiving a few business equipment in kind, it has become crucial for me to set up an office.

Most agents charge between Kshs.500 ($5) to Kshs. (1,000). I will be able to repay the loan within a week.