Kansanshi Mine holds ‘go community banking’ workshop
ALL micro and small entrepreneurs should embrace community banking because it guarantees ready business capital.
A participant of Kansanshi Mining Plc-sponsored business development workshops in Solwezi Mr Thompson Chitolela counselled entrepreneurs to take community banking seriously because there were many frustrations and setbacks in trying to access loans from commercial banks.
Mr Chikolela, a member of the Solwezi Business Association, said he and other entrepreneurs formed a 17-member community group called Alpha Banking Group to realise financial independence in business.
It was expected to start disbursing loans to members early 2018.
“We decided to form the group so that we could be financially independent, and we don’t have to borrow money using collateral which we don’t have.
“If we could make our money, we get loans from our community bank, without collateral, on very little interest as low as 10 percent.
“With community banking you are sure of receiving money when you have a business idea, as opposed to commercial banks,” Mr Chikolela, interim Chairman of Alpha Banking Group, says.
Mr Chikolela indicated that his community banking group intends to invite members of the community to join so that they could be attracted to business development training workshops and learn further.
He commended Kansanshi Mining Plc for initiating the workshops as many people have in the process learnt business skills and principles for business.
And Fortune World Investments Limited Chairperson Andrew Kafuta implorered entrepreneurs to take community banking seriously and contributing accordingly if they are to have money to start businesses and change their lives.
And Priscilla Lupito, a farmer of Kizhingezhinge Extension area and a member of Alpha Banking, said she decided to go farming after her second-hand cloth business collapsed.-SUMA SYSTEMS.