Our Customers

BREAD IS THE STAFF OF LIFE

Gulnur Joldosheva is a successful businesswoman and mother of three. She has been a Kompanion client for many years.
 
Gulnur was born in a village Eski-Noukat, Osh oblast. Her father was economist in training and her mother worked as a primary school teacher. From early childhood her parents taught Gulnur many useful life skills, like industriousness, honesty, respectfulness and dedication.
 
After leaving school Gulnur entered medical college but left to get married and move to the village of Kyzyl-Suu, Issyk-Kul oblast. Soon after, the Soviet Union collapsed and difficult times began. 

During a period of mass unemployment, Gulnur decided to start her bakery business. Together with her husband, she constructed their first tandyr (clay stove for making flat bread). At the beginning they could process only 20 kg of flour a day. In 1999 Gulnul was told by her friends about the possibility to take a microloan for business development.Gulnur used her first microloan to buy more flour to increase her productivity. 

"It was very hard at the beginning. We had nothing," Gulnur remembers. "Every day we wheeled one bag of flour in a barrow and kneaded dough manually. My childrens' childhood was not merry and fun; every day they helped me. Instead of playing with peers they were oiling pans and cleaning cauldrons."
 
Over time Gulnur was able to process one bag of flour and increase her turnover rate. When she received her second loan she bought her fist electric oven. Unfortunately, one of her group members died without finishing the cycle of loan. But Gulnur and other members of the group were reliable partners and despite relatives’ protests, they paid off the loan in time. 
 
"At the beginning we sold bread only in our village Kyzyl-Suu," Gulnur continues. "It was very difficult because of the high competition. We won our customer by making our bread heavier and people said our bread was tastier.
 
Today Gulnur and her husband have a workshop which is fully equipped with modern cabinet ovens, mixer operator, water heater, electric tandyr for flat bread and transformer. There are four employees working in their workshop and her husband delivers bread all around Jeti-Oguz region on their personal car. Thanks to their business, family was able to buy a comfortable house, a car and were able to pay for their childrens' education.
 
The eldest son has now graduated university and was thinking about starting his own business. The first daughter is at the university too and the youngest one is finishing school.
 
"I want to start baking cakes because in our village we have only imported ones from Bishkek," Gulnur shared her plans for the future. "But for this, I need to learn confectionary. I hope to realize this dream soon."
 
Gulnur thinks that relationships with business partners should be strong, that is why for more than six years now shehas been working with one supplier of flour. She adheres to the same principles working with Kompanion and for many years she has been taking loans only from one company.  
 
We wish Gulnur success as she continues to work toward her dream of learning confectionary.

All Customers