All Urchins Kiva microloan payments came in this week! We had enough recycled money (10 cents are donated to the Urchin Kiva Pig whenever you bring your own bag) just from our lendees repayments to make four new loans. Shamsiya is in Tajikistan and needs a loan for a new modern sewing machine for her growing tailoring business, with which she single-handedly supports her dependents. (I am loving these ladies and their busy sewing machines and their excellent repayment histories!) Madeira in the USA needs the loan for a recently acquired lease for a warehouse in San Diego that she hopes to convert into her own workshop, manufacturing space and retail store. With the extra space available, she wants to create a “work-share” space where local artisans can have a place to work and sell their creations. She hopes this new endeavor will not only promote her business, Godspeed Leatherwerks, but also build up the local artisan community. (I am loving these Kiva loans that help Kiva lendees support and incubate other artisans!) We also contributed to a school in Uganda so that they dont have to boil the kids water every day to make it safe to drink. (I am loving these Kiva loans that enable people to have access to sanitary water!) And finally, we contributed our last $25 to an unusually mega-sized Kiva loan of $100,000 to a Haitian social business called Kreyòl Essence, which plans to expand the manufacturing and distribution of a variety of beauty products made from Haitian black castor oil, following a successful pilot program earlier this year. These products are farmed by Haitians, bottled by Haitians and exported by Haitians. This loan will enable Kreyòl Essence to create new jobs for Haitian farmers to grow castor plants, and new jobs for women to make castor oil from its seeds. Kreyòl Essence will focus especially on employing women, and make sure that all their employees receive fair wages and benefits. (I am loving any Kiva loan that helps Haitians help Haitians!)
Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 12:15:00 +0000
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