Kiva loans for flowers

Made a loan today to Boliva to a group that has many ladies, including a few who want to purchase wholesale flowers.

https://www.kiva.org/lend/1338632

Fishing

I made a loan on Kiva today that had a 'fishing' activity. I chose this one because it was from Bolivia, a country my sister has taken into her heart and does a lot of NGO work for.  She's been there a few times.  My sister is also trying to change the world, at least what she can.

The loan I made was to Mariela.

Mariela's dream is to have all the necessary tools of work, which is why she wants to buy fishing nets and hooks or baits. The loan will be used in the wholesale purchase of fishing nets and fishing supplies. It is for these reasons that Mariela asks for a loan to buy fishing nets and supplies. 

https://www.kiva.org/lend/1331025

Kiva loan

Made a loan today to Grace. She wants to set up a business to bring  financial inclusion to the marginalized regions of Africa. 

Kiva loan in the USA

Made a Kiva loan today to Clara who lives in California. She is a new immigrant and looking to purchase supplies for her business. Google is matching this loan.
https://www.kiva.org/lend/1333328

Betty's taxi service

Made a loan to Betty today.

Loan on Kiva Here

Betty's story

Betty is a 50-year-old woman who is married with one child. She lives in a rural community outside Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands. 

She has a small business running a taxi service in town to earn a living. She has three years with this business. 

Betty has requested a loan to pay for vehicle maintenance and vehicle licenses to assist her in the business. 

She will use her profits to support her family financially and expand her taxi service business.

Betty joined SPBD in 2015 to gain access to financial services.

Feeding horses

A couple of months ago I started feeding horses. This is a picture of me at the paddock.

It's about a 1.2 mile walk uphill from my house.  The original owners aren't around anymore (due to death) . The new owners do not live nearby.

So I volunteered to feed the horses in the mornings.  I walk up the hill, feed them and give them fresh water in scrubbed buckets.  

 It's wonderful exercise and fabulous for my soul.

 

Patreon

I just started supporting my second artist on Patreon.com - David Kassan

Patreon is a great site where you can make monthly support of artisans. I have been supporting my adoptive niece's significant other for over a year, the $25 I give him every month encourages him to buy supplies and do art.

I like the whole Renaissance feeling about it.

Kiva. It's working

I made two new Kiva loans, to Janet and Felipe.

Kiva loan to help a student study medicine

Made a Kiva loan to Lioner.
Lioner is studying medicine and is applying for a loan to pay for his education expenses. His mother died when he was ten years old and since then he lived with his blind grandmother. He studies to help those who need to improve their health.

Loan here

Handmade gifts by Syrian mothers

I bought a necklace today made by Syrian families in Turkey.
 http://www.amalshop.org/

kiva

2 new kiva loans -

Kiva & home

Made a few Kiva loans today.
Had 4 homeless people stay at my house this month, 2 couples who are friends. One had to go to the hospital and stayed a week to heal. The other 2 got jobs kinda in the area (3 hour bus ride) and stayed till they could find a closer room.

Helping the local homeless

Made a donation to

Care Packages for the Homeless Community of Boyle Heights

Ovarian Psycos would like you to help us raise funds to assemble a total of 200 Care Packages which we plan to distribute on our bikes on the morning of December 31st, 2016! The ovas welcome you to join us on your bike while we ride around BH to various homeless camps to distribute the care packages and to connect with this community that is too often outkasted and stigmatized! 

Each Care Package will include the following items:
-2 pairs of socks (preferably wool)
-1 pair of gloves
-A scarf
-Baby wipes
-Chapstick
-Waterless shampoo
-Small first aid kit
-Lotion and body spray
-A beanie
-2 pairs of clean (never used)underwear
-Bottled water
-Snacks and nonperishable food items
-A list of resources in BH for quick and easy shelter

You can help here

Southern Poverty Law Center

I made  donation to the Southern Poverty Law Center. I have been supporting them for decades, they do very good work and are one of the oldest and largest anti-hate group. If you join them you'll start receiving a lot of their literature which is quite informative. They also provide a lot of things for teachers in their Teaching Tolerance program.

https://www.splcenter.org/

kiva

 Made a Kiva loan today - https://www.kiva.org/lend/1160534

A loan to to expand weather, farming information and financing for 500 cocoa farmers through mobile services in Ghana.

A loan to to expand weather, farming information and financing for 500 cocoa farmers through mobile services in Ghana.

Lending for higher education

I made a loan to Jean in Rwanda to help pay for a lap top to go to school in the US.  

Loan to coffee grower in Peru

Made a loan to Peru, to a new microlender.  Adriano, aged 45, is a member of the Cenfrocafe Cooperative and lives in Caserío Cruz de Chalpon, San Ignacio, Peru. Adriano lives with his wife and their two children who are of school age. He wants to use the income from the farm to support his family and to educate his children. Adriano dreams of salvaging his coffee production, which was affected by yellow coffee rust, and buying more hectares of coffee.

With the loan Adriano is going to buy fertilisers so he can ensure good quality in his organic coffee. He has shown himself to be responsible during his eight years as an active member of Norandino and is grateful for the services. With the extra income he wants to reinvest the money into his farm. Adriano plans shortly to buy more hectares of coffee and guarantee a good life for his family.

Scales and support through Amazon Smiles

Just bought a  shipping scale and sent it to my adopted niece. She's building a business and I am helping. I bought it through Amazon, through the 'smiles' program and a portion of the money went to TEAM RUBICON, one of my favourite non-profits. Here I wearing one of their supporting 'I'm in the Tribe' t-shirts.

'Adopted family'

Family isn't always blood.  Over the years I have picked up kids (and adults) who failed the parent lottery and taken on active and consistent roles as a close mentor. A few years ago I picked up twins who are now in University. One spent the summer with me(first time) and is returning to school tomorrow. I just took him on a grand vacation to meet my family in Canada, and show him what family could be. We had many family parties and dinners and we got to spend some time seeing a bit of Alberta including the Rocky mountains.

An adopted niece cat sat.  Family is wonderful and it's not just blood.