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We’ve added another $100 to our KIVA account and have decided to assist one more person. Here is some information.
Jeannot SENGHOR’s workshop is in the Gadapara district of Kolda. He makes beds, chairs, armoires, and art objects, principally out of ebony. He is unmarried but supports his family and helps cover the expenses, thanks to his work in this trade. He would like to have more wood in his inventory in order to address possible work orders and thus to increase his revenues.
Today was track and field day at our school. Everyone spent a wonderful day outside in what my have constituted the most perfect day we’ve had this year.
I assisted the Principal with Shot Put. Growing up, it was the only track event I was any good at and in Gr. 8, I made it as far as the city finals. But, it has been a long time since I even picked up a shot put so I was more than rusty. Luckily the Principal is an all ’round uber athlete so he led the way and I was more like his assistant.
I had a great day. After the events of the past few months (illness in the family), it was great to see the students enjoy themselves so much. It was just a relaxed and happy day which I really needed.
A few weeks ago I wrote about a student raising money for KIVA. Well, as of today, we have officially lent $100 to two different people. We are very excited to help those who need it. We are hoping to get a little more money together and loan more within a month or so.
Here is some information about the two people we lent money to:
The price for chocolate being definitely uncertain does not make it flexible for Suweni in operating as a cacao farmer. Because after being given a first loan yield from the cocoa bean was encouraging. The stated first loan was used to buy pesticides to prevent the cocoa beans from being infested. With the result of good beans and encouraging yield, tending to the cacao plantation usually conducted until now, so that is it safe from disease, every day Suweni goes to the plantation with her husband in the morning until evening, besides feeding and maintaining also sometimes harvesting ripen beans. Yield generated is gradually increasing until earnings attained are acceptable. For this second loan will be used to buy cacao seedlings so that more yield will be produced. This endeavor significantly assists meeting Suweni’s family’s needs. Hopefully, in the future, receiving subsequent loan will expand her endeavor.
Tavarali Shomahmadov is a client who lives in the A-Rumi region. He is 53 years old, married and has eight children. He has secondary education. He does not have a job and runs an animal husbandry business for more than sixteen years. He has several calves. He will use the loan money to buy a few more young calves for future resale.
Over the past week, one student has taken it upon himself to put together a coffee fundraiser aimed at teachers. His objective was to sell Fair Trade Organic coffee in the mornings to teachers and use the money towards lending money through KIVA, a micro loan organization that helps people around the world. Given the opportunity, this one student also talked to teachers about sustainable farming, a passion of his. As I wrote to the teachers on the electronic bulletin board “Know that you not only provided donations for a great cause, but allowed a student who was passionate about certain issues (i.e. Fair Trade/sustainable/organic agriculture and micro-loans) to share his ideas and knowledge with you.” Teachers were amazing, allowing him to share his ideas and knowledge and asking questions.
The next step will be for this student to choose two people to lend the money collected to. We have even discussed using some of the money raised from charity fundraising throughout the year towards a larger loan or several loans with others through KIVA.
Glad to have helped organize and be the staff liaison with this project. It took this student a little over two months to plan and execute this project (lots of research/shopping for affordable Fair Trade and Organic products). I offered to help him out by purchasing the coffee and providing a decent coffee maker but this student did run the coffee fair all week.
I start my course today. Oh my goodness the next 8 weeks are going to be BUSY! Looking forward to learning lots of stuff.
