“I want to grow my business to include other products.” That is what Martha Thobela, who is on her fifth loan cycle with Phakamani, recently told branch staff. Her vision for the future continues to grow as she finds that more and more is within her reach. Since she began working with Phakamani to grow her seamstress business she has sent he two children that depend on her to school better prepared and been able to buy them a bed. She has also been able to put up cupboards in her home.
As her business grows she faces ever more complex challenges such as how to manage the collection of debt from those that bought clothes on credit and what to do when a customer returns clothing they already wore. Phakamani staff are there to support her as she navigates these complex business situations and also serve as a sounding board and partner as she works to determine in what ways she should expand her business. Martha is grateful for the help she has received as she determines how to use her profits to buy the right stock for the future.
