"With a growing family the pressure on me to make more money was acute but I had nowhere to turn until I met the WildHearts loan adviser."
Lawrence Kuugbee – ‘Fast Fingers’ Trust Group Member

 

My name is Lawrence Kuugbee and I am the founding member of the Fast Fingers Trust Group. I am thirty-nine, married to Jennifer Kuugbee, a pito brewer, and have four children, all at the basic school level. I sew smocks for sale. My smocks (locally called “fugu” or “batakari”) are made from a hand-woven traditional cloth with symbolic local designs. In the past smocks were worn by people whenever they were going to war. However they have become quite popular among all tribes in Ghana for traditional occasions like festivals and official ceremonies. The material is usually hand woven in strips and sewn together. I have been making smocks for eighteen years but, despite the great demand, and the quality of my products, my business stayed small; until WildHearts came along.

With a growing family the pressure on me to make more money was acute but I had nowhere to turn until I met Moses Lambon the WildHearts loan adviser. After our first meeting I spread the good news amongst my friends and our group quickly took shape. I used my first loan of £240 to buy different coloured materials and sewing threads. Immediately my business picked up! Now my customers have more choice and business is booming. At the moment I sell to the local community, but with future loans I plan to branch out to neighbouring markets. Thank you WildHearts for giving me hope and for being such a dependable and trusted partner. God richly bless you!