Ayisetu Osman

"My profits quadrupled overnight and I can now afford to take care of my children.  I know I can make sure they have a better life than I did." Ayisetu Osman

I have been friends with the people in my Trust Bank since we were children. We heard about WildHearts from other friends in our community and were delighted when we learned that we could form a Trust Bank together. Before we received our loans we were given orientation training on financial management and how to invest our loans.  We were also taught about the group guarantee system.

In all, there are 22 members in the ¨God is Great¨ Trust Bank but to ensure easy monitoring, our group has been divided into 4 sub groups.  Our subgroup is called Awalikiye (meaning Good Works) and we share it with three other members; two run a coffee shop and the other is a hairdresser.  We are confident that our hard work will pay off to enable us provide for our families and are all determined to repay our loans and enable WildHearts to help other women in our community.

I run a shop next door to Rukaya Mohammed selling a variety of soft drinks including fruit juice, fanta, coca-cola, malt and bottled water.  My customers come from the local community and commuters who stop off for a drink. Thanks to my WildHearts loan I have started selling chilled water. In such a hot climate, there is a constant demand for chilled water but the majority of my customers could not afford to buy bottled water.  They prefer to buy the cheaper, locally produced water called ¨ice-water¨ that comes in clear plastic sachets.

I wanted to add ¨ice water¨ to my inventory but I only had one old fridge, which I was already fully using for my soft drinks.  I couldn’t afford to buy a second one.  I began saving regularly in a money box but the price of fridges continued to go up. So when I received my first loan of £240 I immediately bought a second fridge. Instantly there was high demand for my ‘ice-water.’   My profits quadrupled overnight. Now thanks to my increased profits, I can provide food for my family and send my children to school.  Next, I hope to expand my range of soft drinks to attract more customers.  The success of my business means that I will be able to make sure that my children finish their education and have a better life than I did.

Shortly before she received her loan Ayisetu's husband left her taking their three children with him because he said she couldn't look after them properly. She was distraught but felt powerless as she knew she couldn't provide for them. However with the encouragement of her fellow WildHearts Trust Bank members and the help of her loan officer both her income and her confidence increased. The day this picture was taken Ayisetu got her children back.
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