Collective Thoughts

Scarlett's Kiva donation

I told Scarlett all about Kiva and the way it lends money to people in poorer third world countries but that the money is evenatually repaid to us. She got the idea straight away and wanted to use hers. She spent quite a time looking through the entries and then eventually made her $50 choice. This is the lady she chose.

Caroline Njoki is 36 year old entrepreneur, married with two kids. One in grade seven and the other is in grade three. Her husband works as a barber. He earns about US $20 a week. The income was not enough to pay for their children’s school fees and cater for the daily needs of the family since he was the sole bread winner. In 2000 Caroline opened her own general merchant shop selling cosmetics and lanterns on the busy Kenyatta Avenue in Nakuru city. She has established a dependable customer base by selling at wholesale and retail prices to the local street vendors. Now she is able to assist her husband in meeting the family requirements and paying her son’s school fee. Her business has enabled her to improve the livelihoods of the street vendors since she is located close to them. Despite all this, she has been unable to raise capital to stock up her shop and expand the existing shop. She is requesting a loan of US $1,500. Her budget is: US $1,300 to purchase stock and US $200 to re-decorate the shop. Her business expansion will mean the creation of more jobs for the unemployed thus assisting the community in improving their living. Caroline is an ambitious entrepreneur with skills and ability to repay the loan.

posted by Frederick The Butler @ 10:15 pm