Although Komi has only recently had a loan from lendwithcare I met him on a trip to Togo in March 2012 and asked how his business is progressing. Komi has been a carpenter for 24 years. He rents the space for his business and buys his timber in bulk from villages around Akatpamé, mainly Iroko and Acajou wood. Komi said that deforestation is a big problem in Togo and that foresters need a permit from the government environmental agency before they are able to cut any trees and harvest sustainably. Komi took the loan to buy wood for flooring but other carpenters also buy wood from him. Komi employs three apprentices, some of whom are pictured here. The main cost at the moment is electricity for his polishing and sawing machinery, which is rising in price all the time. He makes around £200 profit per month. Tracey Horner, March 2012.