Sheep rearing

Entrepreneur

About Me

I was born in 1977 in the Island of Rusinga, Kakrigu Village in Waware South Sub Location, Rusinga East Location. I was raised in the village where my father was a small scale fisherman and practiced peasantry in the small family land. The hardships that I saw my parents undergo influenced not to be after formal forms of employment but to engage in agriculture. This is one area that I realised many people do not venture into opting to fishing that is widely practised. However the depletion of fish species influenced me to diversify the economic activity from the mainstream fishing to farming.
In the few years that I have engaged into this sector I have discovered the 'gold' that is hidden here and I want to expand it to greater levels. I get inspired when the whole of my family, during spare time we spend a lot of our time in the farm and enjoy doing it together. My children comment that they want to buy a tractor when they grow up to aid me in ploughing instead of the conventional hoes that we use. A lot of our free time is spent in the garden and imagine the taste of a paw paw juice one hot day!!!!

My Business

Rusinga Island where I live is surrounded by the vast Lake Victoria Waters. Despite the availability of the vast waters food security has always been a challenge. The changing weather patterns have adversely affected agricultural production in the community hence low production of food crops.
In response to this challenge I decided to venture into horticultural farming where I grow cabbages, onions, tomatoes and other fast maturing food crops.
Horticultural farming has proved to be very profitable as the demands for the products are high from middle men/women who buy from my farm in bulk and resell to consumers. I occasionally sell to consumers direct which is as well profiting.
I used the proceeds from my farm in paying school fee for my children, buy school uniforms and other family supplies. I am also relieved from buying most of the food that I use at home as they are got directly from my farm.
I thank Zidisha for their support using the previous loan to cultivate the additional piece of land that I acquired and the harvest was equally bountiful.
I got a lot of support from the proceeds as my children's school fee were smoothly settled, I can now do some Christmas shopping for my family and daily meals weren't a bother as I could buy that which I did not have. Surely Zidisha is transforming lives!
I have realised that agriculture is as paying even more than mainstream jobs. I want to raise up a fence made up of barbed wire as the temporary fence I raised is weak and cannot keep the marauding animals away. At the same time a fence will keep intruders away. From the proceeds of the last harvest and an addition from yet another loan from Zidisha I hope my dreams will accomplished.
Because of the strong El-nino rains I feel I should diversify and as well try a hand in poultry rearing. It is also one project that my feasibility study has proved to be as profitable and in demand.
It is for this reason that I have a fall back in Zidisha because my savings may not be sufficient. An additional Zidisha loan added to my savings will enable me therefore to buy the materials needed like cedar poles, nails, barbed wire, pay for the labourers, raise up a structure for the chicks and buy some feeds. I understand that it is a demanding venture that will require a lot of financial input and commitment but I believe I am upto the challenge.
I therefore appeal for support from the worthy partners once again as I prepare to launch the next phase of my projects.

Loan Proposal

Thanks once again to my Zidisha organization, I'm happy for the last funding and currently would like to seek or rather request more Funding to my projects. As a farmer, i started with horticultural project of which to date I still carry on with. It is successful despite the little weather challenges. I have already the local goats farming project and i would like to start sheeps rearing.
I intend to purchase local sheeps around here. Sheeps are easy to handle and rear owing to their natural adaptation. I have seen my friends with them and I'm optimistic that if i try my hands in it, I'm sure, I'll be able to successfully. Sheeps can easily mingle freely with goats and keeping them will be easier. If my new sheeps project is funded, i intend to buy 30 local sheeps at a cost of 2000/=KES,This translates to a total of KES 60,000/=I'll also add 10 more local goats at a cost of KES 1000/= and that will need a total of KES 10,000/=.
The remaining money,I'll use KES 20,000 in housing for the new structure materials,including timber, nails etc. The rest remaining KES 10890/=will cater for labour charges and Other more costs incurred.
I have some big land that i inherited from my late father and therefore keeping or doing this kind of farming would be easier. This project will benefit me and my community. It will boost my income and raise my family economic livelihood. The community would buy from me and hence promote them and as a result development would be in this region.

Feedback

Loan Info

Lenders