Loan officers at Juhudi Kilimo typically wear out a pair of work shoes every two months. With an average of 500 clients spread out across a remote farming region, officers spend most of their time en route. A typical day usually includes 1-2 loan meetings, client visits at the farm, and paperwork at the regional office on each end. Out in the field, officers can go only so far by tax van and motorbike before they hit the road on foot and usually down an unmarked dirt road. This is John’s favorite part of the job.
After six months sitting at a desk as an intern in the Nairobi headquarters, he became a loan officer in the Murang’a field office in 2009. His degree was in economics, so he developed agricultural expertise quickly and can now advise farmers on many topics.
With so many clients, it can be a challenge to know them all but through the group meetings he learns about their businesses and challenges. Whether financial or technical, he feels he is solving clients’ problems.
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