Friday, November 16, 2012

New Kiva Loan

Rose's story obviously appealed to me on many levels.  She's in Uganda, where Shallon lives, she is "chunky," she has six kids and is taking care of 2 orphans, and she sells gin.  How more perfect for me could she be?  She sounds like someone who has really made something of her life and is determined to make the world better for her children.  I think I would like her in person!

Rose lives in Kampala, Uganda. She is married and has six children. Four of her children are in school. She also has two additional family members she looks after (two orphans).

Her business is to buy and sell local gin. She has been in this business for three years. She sells her goods both at retail and on a wholesale basis. She works seven days a week. She has houses for rent, as another source of income. Rose applied for a loan of 1,800,000 UGX to enable her to buy jerrycans of local gin in large quantities. Her major business challenges are seasonality and transportation.

Her goals and aspirations are to raise more capital, and to start brewing the local gin by herself. She says she decided to work with MCDT, because services are brought near to the members and the interest rate is low. Rose owns the house where she stays. She has no access to electricity or to piped water. Her greatest monthly expense is school fees.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

New Photo of Briana

I received a new picture of Briana, in Haiti today.

Someday I am going to get a picture where she is actually smiling.  That will be a happy day.

It hurts my heart to see those thin-thin-thin arms and legs.

I also discovered that Somai, from East India, who is a correspondent child, lost his financial sponsor.  Unfortunately, I can't afford to sponsor another child, so I had to tell them I could not take over the sponsorship, and thus I will lose him.  Makes me feel guilty, since now he goes back on the waiting list, but I can't do any more.