HEAL Micro Loans: Vitalis Odek
October 5, 2010
Vitalis is one of the first individuals provided a micro capital loan for the establishment of a small business in Kisumu. As a child, Vitalis developed paralytic poliomyelitis which has limited his ability to walk unaided. Alternating crutches and a modified bicycle, however, Vitalis is remarkably mobile.
The business plan that Vitalis brought to HEAL centered on bulk purchasing of eggs and fruit with organized distribution to local restaurants, hotels, and street vendors. The plan presented five ways in which Vitalis hopes to capitalize on the lack of delivered produce in Kisumu:
- Offer door to door deliveries utilizing boda-boda (bicycle taxis)
- Control pricing through relationship with suppliers
- Focus on tenders (short-term contracts) with businesses with steady demand
- Focus on reliability and timely deliveries
- Maintain cleanliness and high quality
The HEAL Micro was granted in late August with repayment to begin on October 15th.
Below is a brief conversation Dan had with Vitalis this September.
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Today I was lucky to meet a well focused man who easily proves that disability is not inability. Vitalis Ojwang Odek is 29 years of age and not married. His home village is Nyakach, but he has relocated to Kisumu for increased opportunities. Over the last year Vitalis has started a business selling eggs – recently expanding to include the sale of local fruits and vegetables. In 2004, Vitalis earned his Diploma in Accountancy from the International Correspondent School. Due to a tough job market, however, he has been unable to find steady employ in that field.
Vitalis decided on an egg delivery business because of the identified demand for the service and the small startup capital required. HEAL originally provided an initial grant of 6,000 KSH (75.00 USD) along with some advice on making and maintaining a business plan. This push was enough to move forward and begin to make some small profits.
Since that time, changing demand and significant price fluctuation in fresh eggs required diversification into a wider array of produce. With the assistance of his HEAL micro loan, Vitalis now employs three part-time staff for transport and delivery using “boda- boda” and has increased his ability to hold a steady stock of products. He currently maintains client relationships with several local hotels and a number of local shop keepers which allows for a small but steady profit for his efforts. “I am still some way from needing to pay taxes,” Vitalis admits. “But, I’m closer than I was a year ago.”
Being a successful man, Vitalis now has people who rely on him – now paying school fees for his four younger brothers (two in primary and two in secondary school). When asked about his feelings on this family support – Vitals replied, “It’s responsibility, and can be a burden, but it feels very good to be able to do it”.
- Dan Odhiambo
This is a great example of how HEAL can help individuals who have a good idea and great energy but are lacking the small amount of money to get a small business going. Sounds like this has transformed Vitalis’s life and that of his family. Way to go HEAL!!