kiva

Found this loan searching on my sister's name. Sounds superficial, but I find everyone is worthy. I wish I could help them all.

This loan is to Kiyinki B1 south d Group in Bugiri, Uganda for various enterprises.

Amina is joined in her small group by Lydia Kyazike, Rose Nabwire, Hadija Namutamba, and Hadijah Eya. Lydia Kyazike has a business in paraffin sales and wants to expand her business. Rose Nabwire is currently operating a business selling shoes and clothes and wants a loan to add more to her shoe business. Hadija Namutamba operates a public pay phone business and wants to purchase more credit cards and another phone. Hadijah Eya is currently in the business of selling clothes and is requesting a loan to increase stock.

I am traveling again tomorrow for a few days (Toronto, Canada) but will be trying to change the world from where ever I am. Can't hurt to try.

kiva

Made a loan today to a large group from El Alto / La Paz, Bolivia. They want almost $5000, averaging $300 per person. Since they all vouch for each other, the money will get paid back. Microlending is such a great idea.

I chose this group for the Julia member...

kiva

Made a loan today to Julian, a charcol seller in Peru.

Lidia in Peru

I made a loan today searching on Julia and finding a name close enough to my sister's in Peru to be excited! Lidia is in Julicia, Peru and wants funds to be able to purchase product and have it on hand, instead of just catalog sales. The beginning of a store...

I really like Kiva's new method of asking for the 10% donation when you check out a loan, by rotating a few pictures and descriptions of their operation.

Kiva is a grassroots project started by a team with a big idea: one-to-one, real-time lending to the poor via the Internet. Currently, we take no cut of the loan you make through our site -- 100% goes to the entrepreneur. We suggest a 10% donation, in addition to your loan, to help us cover our costs. Kiva is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and your donation is tax-deductible.

On the left is a picture of the Kiva engineering team which works to improve the site each and every day.

Helping a cheesemaker in Boliva named Julia

Couldn't resist this loan - to a cheesemaker in Boliva named Julia.

Julia dedicates herself to the sale of all types of cheeses, such as the chaqueño and San Javier which are in great demand in the local markets. She lives alone in a small apartment which has a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. She has one daughter who now has a home of her own, and they only see each other some weekends. She used to have other people bring back her cheeses, or she received them by parcel post. Now, she personally travels to buy them herself at better prices.

Novica Foundation

I attended the Novica Foundation introductory party last night, Novica is starting microcredit loans for its artisans! A master weaver from Peru was there, Leoncio Tinoco. He has been awarded the Amuauta title from Peru, which is given to the most skilled person in the craft. I really wanted to get one of his tapestries, but they started over $1000. I did make a donation to the foundation. And was given kudos by the C.E.O. Roberto Milk for inspiring them with the idea of starting the foundation, when I was there a few months ago as part of a consumer group, I spoke about KIVA and microlending and sparked the the idea. I hadn't realized it, so I helped change the world without knowing it.

Tomorrow I am off to DC for a study section for the National Institute of Health for a few days. So I'll be changing the world by helping select grant proposals to fund to advance biomedical research and help cure diseases. This one is specifically on cancer, and there are some wonderful studies proposed.

kiva & novica

I made a Kiva loan today to one of the oldest loans, it has 4 days left. Its to Maria Lina for construction.

I'm off to a party in Beverly Hills tonight for Novica.com, they are introducing microlending to their artisans. I'll post about it tomorrow.

kiva loans

I forgot to blog about my loan from yesterday, to a Manuel De Jesus Martìnez Cruz in Chontales, Nicaragua. He's looking for a construction loan. His loan has 5 days left to fund, and $650 to go. I think he's going to make it.

Today I loaned to Julia (with an accent) Júlia Tomás Nhacuonga in Catembe, Maputo, Mozambique. She wants a loan to purchase beams, zinc plates, and cement to build a home where she has sufficient space. Work is moving along reasonably well. In the future she longs to build a mini grocery store to help with the family income.

Electronics in Peru

Did a search on julia and found this loan to Noemi in peru. She's going to university, which I highly encourage.

Bakers

couldn't resist the first loan. A baker in Peru.

Ella is 29 years old. She finished her high school education and speaks Spanish and Aymara (indigenous language). She has two sons that are studying at school. Her dwellings are located in the 24 de junio (June 24th) barrio of Villa Chipana, Pilcuyo District in the province of El Collao

Elizabeth elaborates and sells breads since 10 years ago; a product that she sells every Sunday at the Ilave fair. She belongs to the "Lago Azul" (Blue Lake) Communal Bank. She started with a S/. 300.00 nuevos soles (Peruvian currency) loan that Ella invested in buying three sacks of flour. With this new loan of S/. 1,600.00 nuevos soles (Peruvian currency), which she promises to pay back in 3 months, Ella will buy three sacks of flour, one sack of sugar and wood. Being part of the Communal Bank taught her to be responsible with her payments. Her biggest hope is to be able to buy a house in Puno so her children can continue to study an also she dreams of having a great bakery.

Julia with a hat

First loan I found on my Julia Search had on a hat that I love.

Juliana sells ladies’ leather jackets and wallets. Her husband is a mason contractor, and the couple has four children. The family lives in the area Irpavi II (La Paz) and pays rent because they do not own their own home.

This is the fourth time that she is applying for a loan in Impro and the third time that she is asking for the support of Kiva. Juliana is a person who complies with timely payments. This time, the loan will be used to expand her range of jackets, wallets and purses. It is because of her experience and credit history that she can access this loan.

kiva

Sra. Juliana Ovelar is 57 years old. For the last 22 years she has been married to 51-year old Adolfo Céspedes whose job buying and selling wood helps support the family. They have nine children, five of whom have jobs outside the country and who also help financially. Their two younger children aged 18 and 20 live with them. The latter completed secondary school last year, and the former is in the second year of media studies.

Sra. Juliana began her business 35 years ago with help from her father. From that time to the present her business has been growing and her client base increasing because of the fine service she offers everyone.

She is asking for this loan in order to buy merchandise such as clothes brushes, diapers, combs, adhesive tape, lighters, jars, tomatoes, onions, rice, sugar, and a variety of drinks. By investing in more stock, she will be able to provide greater variety to her customers.

Weavers

Today I made a loan to a weaver - Sothy Uch in Muk Kampoul district, Cambodia. She needs money for supplies - silk!

I also got invited to a party for NOVICA in Bevery Hills next week. They are going to start microfinancing to their artisans.

Helping Bakeries in Paraguay

Today I helped Julia Velazquez.

Julia, 40, is separated from her partner. She has three children, one in elementary school, one in high school and one working and independent. All live in the city of Caaguazu.

Julia started her small "copetin" (snackbar or food-selling shop) around 1992 and later decided to take a course to learn to make confectioneries, something that led to added growth for her business, especially from the sale of "flores de azucar" ("sugar flowers", a local confectionery). She now works with supermarkets in the city and even other cities.

Julia's fondest wish is that her children finish their studies and become successful professionals. She hopes that the change of government (in Paraguay) will bring more security, more jobs and greater justice.

kiva

I did a search on 'julia' and found this Kiva loan, it has only 4 days left to fund. Its to the Mano Amiga Group in Samana, Dominican Republic.

These Dominican entrepreneurs unite in solidarity, allowing them access to funding that they would otherwise never be able to receive on their own. The concept of this group bank paying their loan together is to reduce the risk of one person defaulting, as the othe members gladly help cover one another’s payments in order to receive their next loan together.

horses

I made a loan today to Virginia Cahuaya De Rivera in Yunguyo-Puno, Peru. I joined the loan because a friend whom I had given a gift certificate was on it. She found the loan by searching on 'horse' because she is into horses. And now she is into kiva!

Made a loan today to Kamil Israfilov in Khachmaz town, Azerbaijan. Its a 12 month loan, and was the oldest (and has 5 days left to fund).

Kamil was born in 1957. He is married and has one child. He has been in this business for 6 years. Now he needs a loan of $975 to buy clothes for improving his business.

Happy 4th

Today I made a Kiva loan to Julia's group in Ayacucho, Peru. I must say I made the loan before I read the description.
Julia is a 62 year old widow who runs a bakery from her house. As a Julia who makes her own bread, I am very happy to support her!

kiva

Today I helped out Julia Arlita Sánchez Salinas in Tarapoto - San Martin, Peru.

With this loan for $350, which will be returned after 4 months, she will buy necessary ingredients to prepare her various typical dishes, such as rice, sacks of sugar, gallons of oil, condiments, and so on. She will also buy meats such as beef, chicken, and cubed pork daily so she can prepare a variety of meals to the delight of her customers and others who visit her.

Julia is a happy and enthusiastic woman of 28 years. She is already a succesful woman, and has dreams of getting ahead to forge herself a better future so she can provide her young children with a better education, and like every woman, she dreams of having her own store so her business can continue to grow.

Old loans

I searched Kiva on old loans, and found this one on the last page. Its to the Savey Chea Village Bank Group in Preak Thom Village, Cambodia for a variety of businesses.