Baby clothes stock for upcoming festive period

Entrepreneur

About Me

I grew up in a rural setting and partly, that has been part of my life all through. Rustic, and literally, down to earth. I helped my grandmother till her land over weekends during school terms and subconsciously, I was being prepared to make farming an integral part of my life yet I didn't know it then.

The climate in my area is generally wet and sunny, and that makes it ideal for farming. With vast lands that is easily accessible through leasing, I opted to make farming part of my life. I raise beans, and sunflower, and some occasional sweet potatoes when the season is right. Besides farming, and making edible oil, I have a clothes business.

When I am not farming, I like travelling and speaking to young students about believing in themselves and pursuing their dreams. Whenever I can, I like making an impact for poor people by buying them household provisions and encouraging them to pick themselves up and transform their lives.

My Business

SInce 2016, I started experimenting with producing sunflower seeds, and later pressing them for oil, which I used, and sold extra to my friends and family. Many people realize the health and nutritional value of sunflower oil and that has inadvertently spiked the demand of this highly valuable oil, and I have experienced the benefits firsthand.

Besides being a substance that helps people stay away from the doctor, it is highly loaded in essential oils that enhance healthy and good living. The inquiries about the oil started flowing in and I realized I could take this venture up and make it work. Unlike the clothes venture that had me employing just 3 people directly, this sunflower oil processing was making me link up directly with over 20 farmers directly. The women in my village plant and sell the seeds to me and this is impacting on families in a big way.

The costs of producing the seeds are modest, with at least $100 going into tilling, planting, weeding and harvesting an acre of the sunflower crop. Some $20 to $100 goes into inputs like seeds and fertilizers for the same size. After processing and the oil and cake is ready for the market, the revenue is about $500.

The profits I have been getting have been used to prop up the venture further, like acquisition of more farming acreage and training potential farmers to embrace the crop. I have been able to also support a kids football team from the proceeds of the business, have my children in school and guarantee flour for one needy and widowed lady around my neighbourhood.

Loan Proposal

The December shopping fever has landed, and already, I can feel my customers are getting excited about it. Personally, I am exceptionally excited because of the amazing credit acquisition facility that Zidisha has extended to me, through the lenders, and which has transformed my life for the very best, enabling me to once again come forward to seek funds.

I seek a loan to restock in preparation for the December shopping period. I plan to purchase bales, at least 10! With the USD $700 that I hope to raise, I will confidently raise an additional USD $1300 to help me stock up fully to meet the demand of the heavy shopping period. From about 4 or 5 bales a month, I am soon going to be doubling that figure!

My assistants will enjoy the benefits this new loan will bring, because I will give them a raise, from the current USD $4 per day to about USD $6. Their families’ lives will be greatly improved.

I expect to gross at least USD $2000 in profits and that will comfortably enable me to sort out the requisite bills, in the form of licence fees, wages and utilities, and leave me with enough to prepare my children’s school fees for the start of the year, support my parents, a couple of kids from deserving families, and possibly enlighten a needy person's Christmas this year.

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