Shisongoya Kitutu is a 49-year-old woman that is happily married with three children. She has always been strong, energetic and extremely enthusiastic about farming activities. She enjoys gendering and poultry keeping as well as small-scale dairy farming under zero grazing.
Her dream was to improve and extend her farming activities in order to increase the household income of the family. However, during the 1990s, there were very few credit facilities in Tanzania and particularly as a woman it was very difficult to obtain a loan. In 1999, she visited SELFINA and applied for a loan. After a short review, such a loan was granted and Shisongoya Kitutu was able to extend her business.
As a result of the SELFINA loan Shisongoya Kitutu proudly declares that there have been dramatic improvements in terms of her household income. Her children were able to receive good educations, as well as attend various universities. She is also able to support her parents in Kilimanjaro as they are at an age where they are no longer able to work. She was able to make some large purchases such as a Suzuki motor vehicle and a one-grade Heifer to improve the milk production of the zero-grazing system. She has also been able to provide Agro Veterinarian facilities that offer services to all the farmers in the Mlandizi township. She was also able to improve her small-scale pig production.
Through hard-work and financial aid from SELFINA, Shisongoya Kitutu was able to provide for her family as well as operate numerous prosperous businesses.
