Nyepudzai is a woman on a mission.
Our Time Group: Nyepudzai, Margaret, Charity, Chipo
As an entrepreneur in Zimbabwe—where the average annual income is $2,000—Nyepudzai sells fashionable purses and handbags in a local marketplace. She travels by bus over long, bad roads to South Africa to purchase the bags her clients are looking for. Nyepudzai dreamed of growing her business, and the answer came the night she learned about Thrive. Their TV ad was a life-changing moment for her: Nyepudzai realized it was “our time to expand.”
Nyepudzai enlisted three other neighborhood business women to create Our Time Group, and joined Thrive, a microfinance group that provides loans to women and trains them before and after borrowing. Thrive teaches members about the risks and responsibilities of loans, helps them to plan for profitable use of the funds, and provides training in recordkeeping and other business skills. Founded in 2012 by former Kiva Fellow Henry Bartram, Thrive Microfinance Ltd is also a Kiva Field Partner.
Part of our Kiva loan for October went to Our Time Group, to help Nyepudzai purchase stock of purses and handbags for the holiday season. She’ll be able to offer more selection and hopes to have a larger share of the market. I can’t wait to hear how Nyepudzai’s business grows!
With each loan we’re making a tiny difference. We’re helping a little, so Nyepudzai and other determined women business owners like her can have their “time to expand.” Thank you so much for helping!
Our other October Kiva loans went to Hien in Vietnam, who owns a general store; to La Mision Group in Mexico, to help a member with their cosmetics sales; and to Dúo Las Victorias De San Martin Group in Guatamala, to help a member buy shoes to sell. To read more about October’s Kiva loans, you can visit our Kiva page.
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