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Success Story
USAID supports
innovative businesses
unable to access
traditional startup
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Micro-Loan Helps Launch Auto Repair Shop
Photo: Mercy Corps Int
The master mechanics and apprentices
stay busy in the auto repair shop in
Halmion.
“I was very happy to stay in
Kyrgyzstan and fi nd a good
job close to my home,” said
master mechanic Hamid
Yusupov.
These days it is not unusual to see a long line of cars waiting
to be repaired in the front of mechanic Uson Matysakov’s
repair shop in Halmion, southern Kyrgyzstan. In June 2008,
Uson transformed a once empty building into a bustling auto
repair facility. He now has a thriving business thanks to his
entrepreneurial spirit, several highly skilled masters, six eager
apprentices and new equipment and tools he acquired through a
USAID micro-loan.
Uson started seeking new entrepreneurial opportunities after
becoming dissatisfi ed with the results of his previous business.
Observing the rapidly growing number of automobiles in Halmion,
he realized there was a lack of auto repair facilities in the area.
Car owners had to spend the extra time and expense of traveling
30 - 60 kilometers to the nearest repair shops.
The USAID-backed micro-loan supported Uson’s idea of opening
a quality repair shop and granted him a micro-loan because
his business idea addressed a local community need, created
new workplaces and apprenticeship opportunities, and was
economically viable.
Being aware the skill level of the mechanics is of critical
importance to the reputation of a repair facility, Uson recruited
a highly skilled master mechanic, Hamid Yusupov. Like
many migrant Kyrgyz workers, Hamid previously had to fi nd
employment in Russia. Now he works at the shop with three other
mechanics trying to keep up with demand while also passing on
their knowledge and skills to the six apprentices employed by the
shop.
The business now serves up to ten clients a day – double the
initial projections.
“I’m very pleased with the high quality of their work,” said local
customer Zamir Masherapov. “And we are glad the repair shop is
now available locally, so that we don’t need to drive so far away
from our village.”
Uson continues to expand and improve his business. Recently he
opened a spare parts shop within his garage to provide a muchneeded
local supply of auto repair and maintenance items. Print-friendly version of this page (533kb - PDF)
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