Elizabeth Tettey-ofei

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to Elizabeth Tettey-Ofei by Kraban Support Foundation in Ghana. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 8 - 10 months, Kraban Support Foundation will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

Elizabeth commands gently: I felt her feminine regal presence when we initially shook hands. The women meet under the shade of a large tree the weekly meeting place for the Sesemi Women’s Development Association. Elizabeth is the Treasurer, and has been a member of this women’s collective for four years. It took us three hours in the mid day sun to get there, three tro tro’s (mini-buses), a communal taxi, then a fifteen minute hike up a red clay road to the base of the mountains. We were greeted with “Ekoomefeemo”, which means unity is strength. This is their motto they hold dear to their hearts and bonds them together.

She is a revered cook and business woman in her area. It was her aunt who taught her how to cook when she was a young girl. She purchases large amounts of flour, sugar and flavorings for her business. Before her Kiva loan she was purchasing 8 x 80 kg bags of flour per month. She is now able to purchase 12 x 80 kg bags per month, increasing her profit from 220,000 cedis (US $23.91) to 550,000 cedis (US $59.78) per week.

She has five children with her husband, a local teacher. Elizabeth is very proud that all of her children are excelling at school. The eldest two attend the University of Accra, a major achievement for her family, given her challenging circumstances. In Ghana, financing education can be an incredible burden to a family.

Elizabeth is hungry to succeed; she knows where she is going. She is looking to expand the scope of her catering business to include large groups, such as weddings and funerals. Funerals are large events in Ghana. The tragedy of a death reunites tribal members from all over the region and between 100-600 people in attendance is not uncommon. She is a dynamic leader and very appreciative of her Kiva lenders trusting and believing in her. She says, "Thank You!"