Lucy    Oct 24, 2013

Lucy has had problems with her businesses having but very positive in paying..
.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

analinjsaturria    Aug 18, 2013

Dear lenders,

Contact with Lucy and her references has been intermittent in the past few months. 2013 has been a year of struggles for Lucy: between an accident that left her son with a broken leg, school fees and a very poor business performance, Lucy has spent the majority of the year struggling financially. Lucy has expressed her difficulty in accessing the Internet on her current location and manage internet tools in general. We've put her in contact with her listed Volunteer Mentor so they can further evaluate her payment options under her current financial situation. We will keep you posted in a more timely manner as we know more.
Regards,
Analin Saturria McGregor
Country Liaison Manager at Zidisha.

Lucy    Feb 14, 2013

I, Lucy Nduta Ndegwa thank Zidisha to give me a loan, but for jam not paying as I said because my business of hens died and after that I started a small business, but it is not able to help me and also my child got sick. Please Zidisha I request you to give me a grace period of two months so as for me to recover. Thank you for your help.

traciyoshiyama    Aug 20, 2012

August 17, 2012

Hello, my name is Traci Yoshiyama, Zidisha’s Kenya Client Relationship Manager. I am currently visiting Zidisha borrowers in and around Nairobi.

The ominous sky with its threat of rain, the thick proceeding fog, the layer of mist forming on my jacket; my day in Kerwa looked gloomy to say the least. But once I arrived at Zidisha borrower, Lucy Ndegwa’s home and was approached with that beaming smile so many Kenyan’s possess, my weather blues quickly dissipated. With a hot mug of tea and the rhythmic patter of rain on her tin roof, Lucy and I sit cozily in her living room discussing her recent business challenges.

Introduced to Zidisha through Veronicah Munga, Lucy received her first loan in June. This could not have come at a better time, for although she intended to purchase a cow and sell its milk, one of her hens got infected with the Newcastle disease. Being highly contagious, it quickly spread, eventually killing two hundred out of Lucy’s three hundred hens. Quick on her feet, Lucy used the Zidisha loan to buy vaccinations, and as Newcastle disease spreads not only to livestock but their food as well, Lucy also purchased new chicken feed. Through Lucy’s quick actions she was able to save and sell eighty of her hens at 50 KES each. Before this unfortunate event, Lucy sold her eggs in the Wangege market on Mondays and Thursdays. Selling all sixty trays each week, this proved to be an extremely successful business. Although Lucy currently has no hens, her days as a poultry farmer have not ended. Many find chicken rearing an expensive business, feed costing at least 9,000 KES a week. When financially ready, Lucy would like to start afresh, as she knows this is not a desirable job market and the demand for eggs are high.

Still having daily responsibilities and school fees for her three children, Lucy now intends to sell her produce in the Limuru market. With this income, she hopes to pay her next installment in a month’s time. Lucy gives me a tour of her lush farm, showing me her recently planted cabbages, budding avocado and banana trees, and her field of maize. Beans, onions, and potatoes, also cover the ground of her shamba.

Back in her home, Lucy prepares a bag of avocados for me to enjoy. She expresses the happiness she feels now that I have visited, and Veronicah and Lucy both comment on the joy it brings them to see that Zidisha is so interested in the well being of their members. The generosity of the people I have had the pleasure of meeting never fails to be a humbling experience, today being no different. As Lucy, Veronicah, and I make our way back to the highway, they speak to passing friends about becoming Zidisha members and as interest grows, so does our group. Our group of three quickly grows to seven and I leave Kerwa with six more beaming smiles to warm my day.

Please visit my blog for more photos of Lucy.
talkingstory.posterous.com

traciyoshiyama    Aug 20, 2012

August 17, 2012

Hello, my name is Traci Yoshiyama, Zidisha’s Kenya Client Relationship Manager. I am currently visiting Zidisha borrowers in and around Nairobi.

The ominous sky with its threat of rain, the thick proceeding fog, the layer of mist forming on my jacket; my day in Kerwa looked gloomy to say the least. But once I arrived at Zidisha borrower, Lucy Ndegwa’s home and was approached with that beaming smile so many Kenyan’s possess, my weather blues quickly dissipated. With a hot mug of tea and the rhythmic patter of rain on her tin roof, Lucy and I sit cozily in her living room discussing her recent business challenges.

Introduced to Zidisha through Veronicah Munga, Lucy received her first loan in June. This could not have come at a better time, for although she intended to purchase a cow and sell its milk, one of her hens got infected with the Newcastle disease. Being highly contagious, it quickly spread, eventually killing two hundred out of Lucy’s three hundred hens. Quick on her feet, Lucy used the Zidisha loan to buy vaccinations, and as Newcastle disease spreads not only to livestock but their food as well, Lucy also purchased new chicken feed. Through Lucy’s quick actions she was able to save and sell eighty of her hens at 50 KES each. Before this unfortunate event, Lucy sold her eggs in the Wangege market on Mondays and Thursdays. Selling all sixty trays each week, this proved to be an extremely successful business. Although Lucy currently has no hens, her days as a poultry farmer have not ended. Many find chicken rearing an expensive business, feed costing at least 9,000 KES a week. When financially ready, Lucy would like to start afresh, as she knows this is not a desirable job market and the demand for eggs are high.

Still having daily responsibilities and school fees for her three children, Lucy now intends to sell her produce in the Limuru market. With this income, she hopes to pay her next installment in a month’s time. Lucy gives me a tour of her lush farm, showing me her recently planted cabbages, budding avocado and banana trees, and her field of maize. Beans, onions, and potatoes, also cover the ground of her shamba.

Back in her home, Lucy prepares a bag of avocados for me to enjoy. She expresses the happiness she feels now that I have visited, and Veronicah and Lucy both comment on the joy it brings them to see that Zidisha is so interested in the well being of their members. The generosity of the people I have had the pleasure of meeting never fails to be a humbling experience, today being no different. As Lucy, Veronicah, and I make our way back to the highway, they speak to passing friends about becoming Zidisha members and as interest grows, so does our group. Our group of three quickly grows to seven and I leave Kerwa with six more beaming smiles to warm my day.