I am Elijah Rubia, a son of Africa in the nation of Kenya which is in the region of East Africa.

I am married and my daughter is barely 10 months old, so as of what she can become, we can only wait as she grows. She however has shown early signs of being so bright and attentive, characters most synonymous with lawyers.

I was born and brought up in the rural Kenya. My life entailed growing up with thew other kids in the village and walking to and from primary school a distance 4KM from home.

My parents were casual workers in people's farms and so from the word go, ours was a severe financial disadvantage. We lived from hand to mouth and most of times spent out of school due to lack of fees.

I remember a chicken that I was given by my grandmother. It helped me in overcoming a major challenge in my life. I reared it and it hatched 10 chicks. I sold all of them and paid for my level 8 exams. This is how I managed to go to secondary school, and again through sponsorship.

The people in my land are subsistence farmers but we also grow coffee which is the only cash crop but a poor earner. It is just too unfortunate we can not rely on coffee for income. Other crops are cassava, yams, maize, beans, bananas and potatoes.

After school, I began working as an IT-support staff in a bus company. There after I served as tutor in computer studies in two middle level colleges. My experience with the employers opened my eyes. It was necessary to open a business to supplement income and later help other in the society. I therefore got a job to manage a friend's business and that is where my enlightenment for business became enhanced.

I began small retail shop to sell food stuffs in the estate and this is the shop I intend to grow.

What I do at other times:

I am a preacher and mostly involved in high school ministry. During weekends I also Emcee events like weddings at a fee. I am usually jovial and I enjoy traveling and making new friends.

First I acknowledge the Zidisha team and the lenders for the previous loan. Through it I was able to access goods in wholesale thus making my profit margin higher by 5% and a bigger turnover. This was an upper hand which helped me clear my first loan in good time.

This time I want to increase stock and add other variety goods. Stocking more has a cost advantage because it will save on transport, loading and offloading costs. Money saved goes to the profit and the business growth shall be enhanced.

My retail business is cognizant of the fact that I live in an estate where people have not time to go to the markets due to strict office routine.

I deal majorly with:

- Cereals: Aromatic rice

- Cooking oil

- Wheat and

- maize flours

- Soft drinks

- Airtime scratchcards

Each of these goods are bought and sold at a profit of between 7%-25%.

These food stuffs are on demand because rice is a staple food in many homes. Also the cooking oil I buy and resell in smaller portions cheaper than the already packaged in plastic jars.

People love posho (Ugali) and maize flour sells fast to make it.

I have also introduced MPESA transaction services to help the customers access their shopping money easily. Further, the MPESA transactions earn the business commission, this boosts the income in the business.

On a good day, I have sales of Ksh 8,000 and Ksh 3,000 on a bad day.

Currently the MPESA transactions earn me a commission of Ksh 2,500 a month.

This is the income am managing. The profits I get is what I live by: i.e. add the stock, pay rent and my employee.

SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT

I am so happy that besides what I get in this business, I have employed a young man and his lively hood depends on it. This is a great source of joy to me that I too am becoming a wealth creator not just a wealth consumer.

More can be done: You can only imagine what lack of funds is locking me from attaining. This shop is strategically placed and I want it to grow.

I seek for funds to increase stock and as a result increase sales and in return make more profit.

With this loan, I want to buy the following:

- 2 bags Sugar (50kg each) : USD 89

- 3 bags aromatic rice (60kg each) : USD 200

- 6 bags other rice variety (25kg each) : USD 113

- 2 cooking oil cans (20 litres each) : USD 55

- 1 bales wheat flour : USD 17

- 1 bales maize flour : USD 11

- 1 trays eggs : USD 3

- 2 cartons cooking fat (10kg each) : USD 22

With this, my profit will increase by 10%. The benefit will be more customers and more income which I will use to improve the business, pay my worker and meet basin domestic expenditures.

I look forward to meeting my customers' needs and improving my business.