Mt Kilimanjaro, TZ – Family hopes productive asset leads to home improvements – 31 Aug 2018

The FRL family is excited about their new productive asset: a gas-powered corn sheller. They purchased the machine with a loan from their VICOBA community bank group. They plan to repay the loan in just 3 months, using revenues from charging people to use the machine as well as selling corn from their own 1-acre farm.

Corn is a seasonal crop so the family expects 2 cash windfalls per year from the machine. If they can fully repay their loan this year, Mr. FRL plan to begin construction of a more permanent house after the next harvest season. He hopes to make gradual progress, one harvest season at a time. The family’s current house is has a dirt floor and walls made from sticks and mud. Their new house will be stronger and safer, built with cement and made to last many years.

The corn-shelling machine will benefit Mr. FRL’s neighbors as well. Shelling corn by hand can take hours. The machine will save people time which they can spend on higher value activities like farming and studying for school.