My Surname Lupiya Means Money

‘My name is Hopson Lupita. Fun fact my surname Lupiya means money. I was born in a humble family of 6 and I am the firstborn child. My mother is the one that is responsible for all 6 of us since our father is a drunk. With every single note, he finds he uses it for alcohol. I noticed how hard it has been for my mom to take care of all of us hence I decided to start up a business in order to help support her and meet the day-to-day need of our family.’

In order to start his business, Hopson says, ‘I started using my talent.’ He began using supplies such as wood and timber to create Zambian culture beads. He created flowers and animals out of his supplies and found that tourists really loved his products.

For Hopson, this has been an ideal business since it has not required large quantities of startup capital. After a year of being in business, Hopson is learning a lot and is proud that he is able to contribute towards the family income.

As a new member of the Zidisha community, Hopson is just getting started but is excited to see what the future holds. He has raised three Zidisha funded loans with his first loan for $15, the second for $25, and the most recent one for $65.

While raising his first loan he shared, ‘When I get this money I want to buy some equipment which I am not having as of now. I need to continue the crafting and also paint for painting things like a zebra and elephant for attraction. As of now, I do not have all that is needed to make proper craft things. For the past year, I have been compromising and using knives needles to cover up and try to earn money since I cannot afford proper equipment.’

Shortly thereafter, Hopson used his second Zidisha funded loan to purchase additional supplies including wood and ink. He also bought cement in order to start building his own shop.

Most recently, in March, Hopson has been experiencing some setbacks because of the recent rainfall. This usually requires him to pack up his merchandise and run inside so that his products do not get wet. Fortunately, since he already has a parcel of land and cement, he will soon be able to start building his own shop.

In an effort to diversify until things become more stable, Hopson has added a second business to his entrepreneurial portfolio sharing, ‘In my quest to make ends meet, I have also ventured into second-hand selling of clothes. I recently purchased some second-hand clothes in bulk and I am selling them. My income is raising because of my hard work and the two businesses that I am doing. So repayment of the loan is something I am guaranteed of doing before it is due.’

Would you like to make a difference in the life of an entrepreneur like Hopson? Make sure to head on over to our Browse Projects page to see what is happening with other creative business owners in the Zidisha community.