Buy women's hats to resell for wedding functions

Emily

Kisauni, Kenya

26% repaid

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How it Works

Entrepreneur

Name

Emily

Member since

March 2015

On-time repayments

87 installments • 5%

About Me

My name is Emily, a business woman operating in Mombasa town. I was born in Kiambu County near the capital city of Kenya –Nairobi. I was raised up in an area where tea is the main cash crop grown in the area. The life of people of Kiambu revolves around farming. This is a very hardworking community and they works from dawn to dust tending their farms and looking for after they cattle.
The returns on the farming activities are not very good and my parents always reminded me to lead a better life unlike that of these farmers. I went to school up to secondary level and then did a catering and house keeping course with a hope of getting a good job in hospitality industry after completing the course. Luckily, I got employed in a hotel soon after completing college but I did not last long in that employment. I found it too demanding since I would work in shifts where I would find it very difficult to work in night shifts due to rampant insecurity in the area.

I quit after a few months and joined my friend in Mombasa who told me that there were better opportunities there since Mombasa is famed for its beach hotels. Unfortunately the tourism sector was low at that time due to a series of terrorist attacks in the coastal city. Determined to succeed, I joined my friend in her business of selling used clothes and together we worked very hard to succeed. The partnership did not last long and I decided to use the little money I had accumulated to start my a similar business.

I started a stall of selling used clothes and shoes and that I what I am still doing. I am a mother of two children, one aged 23 and the other one 10. They all depend on me for their upkeep.

My Business

I have been in this business for four years and I make a profit of about $200 per month. In the four year of operation, I have faced many challenges and I am glad I have surmounted them all.

The main challenge is lack of capital to cope up with the many demands of clients. With savings, and borrowing from family and friends and I glad the business has now grown well and the future looks bright.

I normally get my clothes from big stores at a wholesale price and then retail the same at a profit. I am hoping to expand my business into a bigger store where I can serve more people and thus increase profitability and secure my family’s future – financially.

Loan Proposal

I am planning to use this loan to buy new hats for women. These hats are normally worn by women during social gatherings like weddings. I have been contracted by an acquaintance who is holding her wedding next month and she has asked me to provide the said hats for her bridal party. This is a business opportunity I do not want to miss as it will help me create a new niche for my business.

I am supposed to supply 6 hats and each will cost 12USD. I will be able to make a total profit of $15 at a go (I hope she doesn’t read this (smiling face). I would have bought this from my operating cash but this is so much tied up by other orders from my clients.