Tag Archive for: business

Determined to succeed

Peter Onyango Aguro, aged 31, a farther of three children, one boy and two girls aged 8,5 and 1 respectively, is a well known tailor in Ng’ong town. He has done tailoring for almost a decade now. He says his greatest inspiration was his Uncle, who taught him all the basics of tailoring. Peter says he exists because of his business, it is from his his sweat that he is able to he pays rent, school fees(tuition) and still puts food on the table for his family.

This chain of responsibilities has become his greatest motivation. He knows he needs to work really hard to meet all these needs. For a number of years in his career, he was employed, but later on his employer went bankrupt and closed down his tailoring shop. With his savings he decided he would put up his own tailoring shop within Ngong town where he had a number of clients. Being that his saving wasn’t enough to get him enough machines and materials to satisfy the needs of his clients; Peter felt that he needed to get a loan to boost his business. He got  in Opening Village Doors Foundation when a friend told him about our work. I approached the organization for Ksh. 50,000 ( $500)

Peter used the funds to add two sewing machines one for Ksh. 25,000 ( $250, and another for Ksh. 15,000 ($150. One of the machines he bought was electric, which increased his productivity thus meeting customer deadlines without any problems without loosing opportunities for new orders.The rest of the money he used to add more sewing material.  When asked how things are progressing for him, he stated, the loan and mentorship that he has received from Opening Village Doors Foundation has given him so much confidence with his work and given him stability and an assurance that for sure he can sustain his business for many years to come.

Peter is very grateful to Opening Village Doors Foundation and plans to work very hard to pay back his loan so that others can also have an opportunity. He plans to employ one or two people  to expand his business. One of his dreams is to help others learn the skill of of tailoring, with time he plans to start identifying young men and women interested in the work and teach them just like his uncle had done.

Thank you for making Potential. Possible!

Business thriving…

“Sometimes life beats you so hard, you just have to fight on, the sun rises each morning as a sign of hope, you have to find any ounce of energy in you to keep trying. ” Jane Machari narrates her story. Jane’s story is of determination, hard work and hope. Struggling as a single mother of two children she has toiled to make sure they attend school by working in any job menial jobs she could find.

“I learnt to braid hair since I was very young” Jane continues “ I wanted to get training on using different hair products and different hair machines so I can stand out from the competition.” Jane completed the training and wanted to open her own beauty shop but could not get any bank or anyone to loan her money. She joined a women’s group, she started saving the little she was getting from doing menial jobs. It was at the women’s group she heard about Opening Village Doors Foundation micro businesses program, and decided to seek support.

Jane received $375 capital; she bought beauty products, and hair equipment. Jane is very innovative and observant and studies her clients’ needs. As she interacted with her customers who came for braiding, haircuts and hair treatments; she noticed that she could do better if she started to sell gently used clothes alongside her salon business. The business is doing well and she has started paying back so someone else can get the starting capital.

Jane ends her story with a big smile stating “ you came to my aid after trying so much for the last 5 years to find money to get started, this business means a world to me and my children. The children can go to school and I can save for their college, God bless you!”

Potential Made Possible by You!

There is a swahili saying that states ” haba na haba hujaza kibaba” meaning, ‘little by little fills up the measure.’ I use this saying to answer a question that I have been getting of late expressing willingness to help sponsor a project to empower a family out of poverty in Kenya.

Below are some examples on how to help Opening Village Doors Foundation empower more individuals through capital to start businesses, training and mentoring. Here are ways you can help.

  1. Does your business have a jeans day or sponsor projects? How about you team with your co workers and raise some money to sponsor a project and empower a family out of poverty by helping them start a small business to empower them for life?
  2. You can decide to sponsor a project as a family. Visit our website to find a list of projects.
  3. You can also donate any amount and we can pool it together with others to partner with more families and empower them to succeed for a lifetime.

We stand ready to work with you to partner together to empower one family out of poverty, one at a time. You can read more on some of the projects highlights on our website. Visit our website and click on sponsor a project page to select a project or simply donate.

Thank you!

 

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