Customer Stories – MSME

Chisala Chiboshi a widow and mother of one child is a success story of Mfinances’ support towards growing the MSMEs. K200, 000 was extended to her as working capital for her businesses for a period of 6 months. The loan has since been repaid and she has approached MFinance for yet another facility.

Chisala runs a flower boutique called “Sentiments Flower Boutique”. I t has grown to include branches in Lusaka and Ndola. The Boutique imports approximately 80% of its merchandise from China and supplies gift shops. It also supplies cut flowers to hospitals and some reputable organizations. Due to the high demand of cut flowers, Chisala now grows her own flowers in order to ensure that she gets value for her investment.

Using support from MFinance, she has expanded her business to include fish farming by sinking several fish ponds. She now boasts of being an employer of  30 workers: 5 (Lusaka Shop), 5 ( Ndola Shop), 5 ( Kitwe Shop), approximately 10 for the fish farming and floriculture projects. Casual workers are also hired on an as need arises basis to assist in cutting and packing the flowers plus packaging of the “gifts”.

Chisala is now able to support her family and contribute towards poverty reduction through offering employment to both skilled and unskilled workers.