Kojogulov Aiylchy was born in the village of At-Bashy in Naryn oblast. He graduated from Tokmok Industrial Training College as a training officer and returned to Naryn to work in secondary school as a teacher of drawing and manual training.
Aiylchy and his wife Gulmira have seen a lot of changes, and some difficult times. After Kyrgyzstan gained independence they were bringing up five children.
"Wages were paid once in half a year," he remembers. "I had to leave my job and began to resell cattle fodder and potato."
In 1995, because of Naryn rigorous climate, Gulmira became ill and the family decided to move to Tokmok town.
"To earn money I rented a truck and delivered barley. Once in Naryn my friends asked me to make furniture to order. I never learned to make furniture and my skills of manual training teacher were very useful. It was my first order."
Aiylchy was glad to use his training and skills again. However, he lacked tools for furniture making and space to master at home. From neighbors he learned about microfinance and went to the nearest Kompanion office where he got his first loan.
"This money I used to buy a car Niva and all the indispensable tools for furniture making," Aiylchy told us. "It was how I started to make furniture and new orders appeared soon."
When the first loan cycle was successfully finished, Aiylchy and his wife calculated the family budget and decided to take second loan and then third one. Aiylchy used these funds to organize mini workshop for construction of furniture, to build Russian baths, an outdoor cookhouse and to buy a trailer for his car.
He was also able to pay for his daughter’s education. Now she is a third year student of Tokmok Technical University. His next loans allowed Aiylchy to extend his house and to install a steam heating system at home. Now Aiylchy has two houses. One is used as a workshop, garage and bathhouse and another one for living is situated directly against the first one.
Aiylchy was able to establish his profitable and solid family business. Today Tokmok's citizens know where to renovate the old furniture or order new furniture custom made.
"I advertise with the local newspaper and people on the local market know me well and recommend to their customers. The peak of work for me is from September to March. This time I have a lot of orders. And two times a month I send readymade furniture to sell on the markets at Kochkor and Chaek villages," Aiylchy told us.
Aiylchy also does welding.
"Almost everyday people bring something to weld or to grind down. And all tools were investments made possible by loans. I had only hummer and hacksaw before. Now I have better tools."
Gulmira assists with business, accompanying her husband to the market. Aiylchy shared his plans for the future: "We discussed things over and decided to spend money from the next loan to buy a new car, more comfortable and bigger."
