Loan purchase solar-powered warmer for keeping food fresh

Judith

Tajo Village, Kenya

100% repaid

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How it Works

Entrepreneur

Name

Judith

Member since

April 2015

On-time repayments

102 installments • 24%

About Me

I am Judith Akoth, I was born and raised up in a rural community of Mbita. I was the 1st born in a family of six. My parents were peasant farmers.

My early life was really hard. We were faced with lack of food most of the time. I did not continue to High School and got married at a very early age. My husband is a Carpenter. I have struggled with life and raising surplus income to supplement my husband meager income has been a challenge.

Lack of proper income to support our young but steadily growing family compelled me to start a mixed organic food & trees farm in a lease 1 acre land.

This mixed farm has done so well and produce enough food to feed my family of 4 children (3 boys and 1 girl), though started as a very small farm behind our main house, this farm has grown and I had to sale off surplus food to neighbours. This is how my current farming business began in my backyard.

In my free time, I do visit the sick in the nearby Mbita District Hospital to pray and encourage the sick.

My Business

I started growing kales which was highly productive. The new organic farming techniques were introduced to us by the USAID, an American NGO working with women, orphans and vulnerable children to create social - enterprise among African peasant farmers for holistic development. From the income of the surplus food sold, I developed a passion for this business I liked the business with time I had collected almost one turn of manure and started horticulture farming. Things turned out well,and I was able to pay for my children school fees with ease even after the sudden death of my husband.

I grow kales, carrots, watermellons, cabbages, onions, tomatoes and oranges for sale. The farm is doing well, though it has not expanded very well due to some interruptions.

I choose this business because it is less capital intensive and kales grow so fast. I do keep goats that produces manure which we use to grow kales, while the farm gives them feeds.This symbiotic relationship has made farming to be even cheaper.

I normally use KES 19,000 to pay casual labourers helping me in my farm on a monthly basis and take home a profit of KES 12,000 per month besides vegetable, tomatoes and kales for use at home.

Loan Proposal

I am seeking a loan of KES 22,024 to enable me buy a solar - powered food warmer box for keeping food fresh. My fresh food business has picked up and doing very well. I am now using kerosene fueled stove to keep food warm for clients. With a solar-powered food warmer, i will be able to keep food fresh.

It will keep food fresh and enable me to serve my clients with a lot of ease and increase my profit with 30%. I will repay the loan in time and seek more funds.