Girl Scout Cookies and Soldiers

I bought 6 boxes of girl scout cookies today to support a friends daughter's troop. I am having them shipped directly to soldiers overseas. Its a win/win situation, I support my friends, the soldiers get cookies.

Kiva

Kiva has run out of loans again (YAH!), but I managed to get in one one to Luis in Tarma, Peru.

Luis is 23 years old. He is single, and he is an enterprising and very enthusiastic young man. He lives in a rented house near the highway exit for his town.

In spite of the fact that he was not able to complete higher education as a mechanic because of a lack of money, he wants to continue moving forward with the hope of making progress. For the past year, he has worked as an assistant to an auto mechanic, and he believes that he now has the necessary experience to open his own workshop. This is well-paid work which permits him to live without worries.

This is Luis' sixth loan with MFP, and he has been happy to see that each time he comes closer to his dream of having his own workshop. He also enjoys working with his communal bank, because its members are well-organized and responsible people. With the funds he is currently soliciting, he will be able to buy a welding machine so that he can begin offering services in his own mechanic's workshop.

New Kiva Loan

Made a kiva loan today.

Geoconda Vera is an active member of the communal bank "El Pedregal," located in the Picoaza parish in the city of Portoviejo in Manabí province.

Geoconda has been married for 14 years; she is a housewife but also has a business selling colas (soft drinks) and juices along with her husband. They have had this business for 10 years. She tells us that her children are still small and they have to work hard to advance their family economically. They deliver their products wholesale to the stores in some places in Portoviejo and they run the business through orders. Two times a week they go to visit their customers in their own car, taking orders and then later delivering them.

With this new loan Geoconda will buy more crates of colas and juices; she comments that in order for her business to grow she must the entire loan that the Foundation gives them.

Geoconda's dream is to be able to be able to finish her house, which still needs some work done on it.

kiva

Found a loan on Kiva to Namengo Group, Lugazi. I was amazed at the statistics; Kiva has lent over $100 million, and I can remember when they rejoiced at making their first million.

Doctors Without Borders in Haiti

Another Kiva loan and Gift Certificate

Back in the country, made a Kiva loan today to Julian Albadi in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. She needs a loan to purchase more shoes and bags to sell.