Aboke Kinda Self-help Group

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to the Aboke Kinda Self-Help Group group, consisting of Monicah Adhiambo, Thomas Otieno, Fabian Ngesa, Emmanuel Onyango, Francis Oduor, Benedicto Hanyang, Francis Oduor, Jared Ochieng, Akoth Florence, Beatrice Achieng, Alice Akinyi, Margret Juma, Mary Awino, Leonidahs Mary, Josephene Adongo, Mary Anyango, Esther Achieng, Rosa Akoth, Everline Adhiambo by Opportunity International- Wedco Ltd. in Kenya. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 5 months, Opportunity International- Wedco Ltd. will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

Update by Zack Turner, Kiva Fellow with OI-Wedco in Kenya:

I met with Monica Adhiambo after the weekly group meeting for Aboke Kinda Group in the village of Aboke near Busia. She was gracious to offer an update on the loan and the group.

Monica has been selling vegetables and produce for seven years. She buys from a supplier in Busmela and sells in her home villages market. Recently she focuses on onions and cabbages as they are more profitable. Business is “fairing well”, she averages a monthly profit of 4000-5000 schillings ($60-75). She used her loan to purchase larger amounts of stock and increasing transportation costs. A challenge that she has faced is that she allows some customers to buy on credit but some don’t pay.

All of the group members were deeply affected by the violent crisis that occurred after the disputed presidential election in Kenya earlier this year. During these months violence made business and travel extremely dangerous and economic activity halted in much of Kenya. She was unable to conduct business in January and February. After peace was brokered the prices of goods and transportation had risen significantly, which cut into all the members potential for profits. During the early part of the crisis she had her handbag stolen as she was heading to her supplier and lost 15000 schillings ($225).

Some members were displaced during the violence. One lost his wife and another had his goods burned by a militia.

Monica’s husband passed away in December prior to the presidential election and she was been working hard to stabilize her family from the loss and provide for he two children.

Special Notes:

Monica does not sell clothes as per her business description. She has been selling vegetables for seven years. We apologize for the error.

This loan was posted mid-cycle on Kiva for extraordinary reasons. After peace and stability was restored, Opportunity International-Wedco chose to reschedule the loans of groups impacted by the post-election crisis. Kiva offered to help by posting the groups that were rescheduled, thus this extended update.

A self-help group is a legal community of people that band together to provide collateral. In a group loan, each member of the group receives an individual loan but is part of a group of individuals bound by a 'group guarantee'. Under this arrangement, each member of the group supports one another and is responsible for paying back the loans of their fellow group members if someone is delinquent or defaults. For the Kiva posting, we select one member to represent the group with their story and business.

For more regarding the post-election crisis please start here:

http://fellowsblog.kiva.org/2008/09/09/brief-summary-of-the-post-election-crisis-in-kenya/