MYC4 conducts spot checks of every provider on the platform every 6 months. Below, Faith Wambua from the MYC4 Nairobi office recalls her first visit to a MYC4 borrower during a recent spot check of Tujijenge Uganda‘s loan portfolio.
Faith Wambua during a spot check
My visit to Tujijenge Uganda’s Soroti branch started at 5am from Kampala city. Myself and my colleague Githa, together with our driver Yahaya, drove for over 400km and by 12pm we had arrived to the quiet town of Soroti. A small town mainly dominated by the Eteso people of Uganda, who also happen to border with Kenya at Mt Elgon, Western Region of Kenya.
My first field visit was to Serere District to visit Titus Okello, the owner of Glory Drug Shop. On arrival to this local town center, we found 3 shops and a small dispensary, but they were all closed. Apparently it was the planting season as the short rains were in Uganda and everyone was busy cultivating on their farms.
Titus Okello was at his farm far away but his wife was busy planting at a nearby farm so someone was sent to get her to come and open the shop so that we could have a little chat with her. This was the only pharmaceutical shop in the local town centre and even though we had driven for over 40km to get to the Glory Drug Shop, we did not encounter any other drug shop on the way.
The wife arrived shortly after and was very excited about our visit and welcomed us gladly.
Stock inside the Glory Drug Shop
Since the husband got the loan through Tujijenge Uganda, their business has improved with huge significance. She explained that they were able to stock more variety of drugs and hence able to satisfy the market demand. This had also brought about increased profits and larger incomes to make them able to pay for their children’s school fee. She was very grateful for Tujijenge Uganda availing these loan services to them as no other organisation has reached these parts of their district with the good news of giving out loans.
- Titus will feel really bad when he finds out that he had visitors all the way from Nairobi but was unavailable, she explained. She also said that they were working hard to pay off this loan so that they can get a second loan, but this time for a larger amount to invest as a wholesaler for drugs in the region.
