Joseph Nyantakyi

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to Joseph Nyantakyi by Kraban Support Foundation (KSF) in Ghana. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 12 - 15 months, Kraban Support Foundation (KSF) will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

Joseph is a “cuddly bear.” He has an open, generous, and kind hearted spirit. I felt his “gentlemanliness” and dignity as soon as we shook hands. He is the only man in the “Dwen Hwe Kan” women’s group. I got the sense that Joseph is ‘cool” wherever he goes. He is a delight! I enjoyed our time together.

Joseph’s father left the family home when he was 15. Times were tough for his siblings and his mother. His mother believed in education, and Joseph graduated from Senior Secondary school. He is one of the few clients I have met who graduated at this level.

He sells “ new” shoes and sandals from a wooden shed in the Market Circle (largest) in Takoradi. He pays a daily rental to the S.A.E.M.A. the local metropolitan authority (1,000 cedis/ US $10.86). He also hires a young boy at 3,000 cedis (US $ 0.32c) per day to help him set up and break down his stall.

Joseph is pleased with how his Kiva loan is progressing. He used his Kiva loan to purchase in bulk at a lower price point. He can now buy cartons (24 pairs) at 70,000 cedis (US $7.60) per pair, which he retails for 85,000 cedis (US $ 9.23), making a profit of 15,000 cedis (US $1.63) per pair. Before the Kiva loan he was making an average of 300,000 cedis (US $32.60) profit per week. He is now making around 450,000 cedis (US $ 48.92) per week. He pays him to assist him. he rents for from the the Circle Market in Takoradi.

Retail is challenging. Joseph gets support from his wife, who also sells his shoes. Monday to Saturday, she peddles the shoes on her head house to house, as well as business offices, whilst he manages their Market Circle stall.

Joseph’s dream is be a wholesaler and buy direct in bulk. Joseph’s ultimate dream is to be a farmer with a Palm Plantation. However, this is not before all of his children have finished their education, something he is deeply passionate and committed to.

Joseph knows what he wants….. and he is not afraid of hard work. I sensed his “hunger” to succeed so that his children can have good livelihoods…..that he can eventually “work the earth” and be the Palm Farmer his soul deeply aches for.

Joseph just needed a chance.