Syrlybayeva Gulbagira
Koktobe village, Turkestan region
Gulbagira has been engaged in crop growing for more than ten years. She had produced different crops, from sweet pepper to watermelon, before she applied to ACF for microloan for the first time in 2017. “My village is a native land of agriculture. All citizens produce tons of different fruits and vegetables for subsequent sale. And I did the same. One day, I thought I could extend my activities and start growing seedlings for those who lived in my village. To this end, I needed cash which I didn’t have in sufficient quantity. One day I saw two young people in our village who told me that there was such an organization – Asian Credit Fund – which was created particularly for the business development of those who lived in the villages. I got my first microloan to purchase 500 seedlings; since then, I have been a standing customer of ACF for five years,” says Gulbagira.
Gulbagira brought her business to a new level for the period of cooperation with ACF. 10 hectares of her land are used year-round in winter and summer. In winter, she and her family grow seedlings in a new greenhouse, and summertime – is a time of fruits and vegetables. In 2020 Gulbagira opened a grocery store where she sells the products she grows in addition to usual food products. Gulbagira is a responsible employer. Currently, she provides ten workplaces, and in summer, the number of her employees reaches 25.
Despite serious competition in fruit and vegetable growing, Gulbagira has an advantage. She is the only one in the village who grows Mayer lemon. Mayer lemon, or Chinese lemon, is a hybrid of orange and lemon created by nature. The lemon fruits are round. Peel – is thin and aromatic, taste – is rather sweet than sour. Many people cannot grow such lemon variety, but Gulbagira managed to grow and get a good yield. Last year’s harvest of lemons reached 2 tons!
“Being ACF client since 2017, I know I can get a microloan at any time and for any goal. I tell all my relatives, neighbors, and people from my village about ACF. Thanks to ACF, I built a greenhouse, started a new business, and opened a store. On behalf of all village dwellers, I would like to thank a person who founded ACF. If there were more such organizations, the village population would live much better,” said Gulbagira.