Founder's Story

Hi there! I’m Lweya Joe, the founder of Solendr, and I want to share with you the story of how this platform came to life. Spoiler: it involves a village, and a fair share of late-night realizations.

From Loan Officer to Tech Founder

Before I created Solendr, I was deep in the trenches as a loan officer. My days were filled with knocking on doors, collecting documents, juggling spreadsheets, and answering endless client calls. The work was fulfilling, but let’s be honest—it was chaotic.

You see, I grew up in a small village where everyone knew everyone, and small loans were the lifeblood of our economy. The mama selling vegetables at the market? She relied on a loan to stock her stall. The boda-boda guy ferrying people around? His motorbike was bought on credit. Small loans weren’t just financial tools; they were the backbone of our community.

As a loan officer, I saw firsthand how these loans could transform lives. But I also saw the other side: the inefficiency, the paperwork, and the sheer cost of onboarding clients. I spent hours verifying documents and chasing down borrowers in remote areas, all while wishing for something—a magic wand, perhaps?—that could make it easier.

The Moment

One day, after an especially long trek to visit a client in the scorching sun, I sat down under some tree (the ultimate problem-solving spot) and asked myself:

• Why is this process so outdated?
• Why isn’t there a simple system for small lenders to onboard clients, track loans, and generate reports without all this hassle?

And that’s when it hit me: that i could fix this problem, I would.

Building Solendr

I started with one simple goal: create a platform that simplifies loan management for small lenders. Solendr is my way of giving back to the same communities that shaped me. It’s designed to help lenders like the ones who supported the mama in the market or the boda-boda guy. And I wanted small lenders to have access to the same tools big banks use—without the big price tag.

Reality Check

Of course, building Solendr wasn’t all smooth sailing, the skeleton itself was built way back as an ALX bootcamp project - and the version it is today is so much different and sophisticated than the simple initial app. Quite some years of coding and debugging at midnight. And don’t even get me started on explaining about a missing semicolon!

Why Solendr Matters

That's why today, Solendr is more than just a tool—it’s my little movement. It’s about empowering lenders to focus on what they do best: democratizing access to credit and serving their clients. It’s about cutting down onboarding costs and speeding up disbursements, so no one has to wait weeks for approval for a loan that they need.

And most importantly, it’s about honoring the spirit of entrepreneurship that thrives in our villages, towns, and cities.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Whether you’re a lender, a borrower, or just someone curious about what we do, Solendr is here to make a difference—and we’re thrilled to have you with us.

Warm regards,

Lweya Joe

Founder, Solendr