By Brian Parker | Project Leader
Twenty individuals have been given loans since the project started in 2016. There is great variety in the businesses that have been started or developed as you’ll see from the list:
agricultural**, auto-rickshaw drivers, barbers, café , computer/mobile accessories**, cosmetic shop, crockery shop, garments stall, grocery stores**, herbal medicine, home appliance, pet bird shop, printing , toys**, van hire.
**Applications in progress
The First Businessmen Fellowship
Unique Star Pakistan is not only giving loan to people in the minority Christian community who are running their small business but also providing them space where they can come together talk, share their experiences and support each other. The first Businessmen Fellowship took place in February 2017, where all the Unique Star partners (loan holders) came together. A Bible message was shared as well as training on the procedure of getting loan, loan policy and answer different queries. There was also opportunity for loan holders to feedback:
“It is really nice we are here and know each other through Unique Star Pakistan. We can share our businesses with each other rather than having to call someone from another community to work in our homes. This fellowship provides us an opportunity to share or promote our business with other people and make more contacts.”
Life is not a bed of roses
That’s what Anneq* thought. “I was working KFC and other local and international food chains with small earning, I have 7 persons in family and 2 kids .I was very upset so I had decided to start my own work. I talked many schools and colleges about their café they refused to give me work.
I started work with my friend on one campus café in a local university (2 Campuses, 4500 students) where my wage was 1,000/Rs. per day (9$) which was again not enough but it had something which I never had before. One day my friend told me that he is selling the café. It rounded my life 360 degree and I talked with him and said how much you wanted for this cafe, could you sell this café to me? He agreed 100,000/Rs. (962 $). That time it was a huge amount to pay him. I heard about Unique Star loan so I applied for loan.
Now I have my own business with the help of Unique Star I am taking my step to better future my monthly sell has increased and now I have that much to support my family and my workers who are working for me. First, when I owned this café there were nothing (no furniture, machinery, fridge or other appliances) now with the help of Unique Star we have everything and our daily sell has increased. I am thankful to Unique Star that they have provided me a loan with easy interest.”
Latest loan requests
We have further people applying to take out a loan. To be approved in principle means their application was accepted generally, but final approval is subject to further information, such as personal credibility, credibility of the guarantor, further details regarding current income, etc.
Could you help Gulshan develop his computer and mobile accessories business, or Anil with his grocery store, or Mushtaq selling toys or Rasheed with his agricultural venture?
Thank you for your partnership with RED International and Unique Star. Please share these stories so more people can be inspired to support the business loans that transform lives.
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