Stories of Our Micro Loan Entrepreneurs

Sarah, the sole caregiver for her six children was facing challenges providing for her family. She wanted to change her circumstances so she could pay for school fees and purchase necessities such as mealie meal and cooking oil. Being a seamstress, she decided to start a business that sells custom made dresses as she had her late husband’s sewing machine. However, she did not have funds to purchase fabric. In 2019, Sarah enrolled in our program and received business training and her first loan. She set up shop in a busy area with easy access for potential customers.

 Sarah helps customers pick out fabrics and design their own dress. Her business is doing well, and she is on track with repayments on her second loan. Her plan is to open a boutique in future. In her words, “It is a great relief and fantastic progress for me and my family that micro finance has helped me to learn new skills and make new friends. This empowerment has helped me to sponsor the education of my children and eased the pressure in our family home. We now have a happier life, and I am positive about the future’’.

Mary is a single mom and the sole caregiver for her five children. After her divorce, she was depressed as she had no way to provide for her family. She was running a small vegetable stand but wanted to increase earnings. In 2019, Mary received business training and loan funds to expand her business. She added fresh and dried fruit to her assortment and located her shop near a community hospital in the George compound in Lusaka, Zambia. She applied her talent for sales and procuring high quality supplies, to build a large and regular customer base.

Mary has repaid her first loan and is on track with repayments on her second loan. She is confident of her skills as an entrepreneur and happy that she can provide for her family. In her words, “With micro finance loans I have been able to put past challenges behind and I have so much hope for the future. I am very happy and proud to be a beneficiary of Matero Care Center micro finance”.