3 kiva transactions in 1 day

That had not been my plan, but Kiva made me a deal I could not refuse.

They said if I donated $25 to their foundation, they would give me $50 to make loans at my leisure over the next two weeks.

So, I went on the site to check to see what loans might be of interest.

After all, my stepmom's birthday was yesterday and I like to chose a loan in her honor every year.

Plus, I had an added impetus: thanks to repayments from others I'd loaned to, I had $24.36 in credit on Kiva.

Once on the site, I found not one loan, but two, that were of interest!

My mind was made up at that point.

I added sixty-four cents to bring the total gift to Kiva to $25 to assist in their philanthropic endeavors.

Almost immediately they put the $50 credit into my account!!!

Well, alrighty then!

On to the loan in honor of Bonnie's bday 78!

That $25 of credit went toward Claudette's loan for her water distribution company in Bujumbura, Burundi, a tiny landlocked country in Africa.

She had asked for $35,000 with which to set up franchises of Jibu Burundi, an organization that has been improving access to safe and affordable drinking water in Burundi since its launch in 2020.

She already had lenders who had donated more than $25,000 toward the loan, with several Nerdfighters, so I was glad to be part of that total.

(smile!)

The other $25 of credit was donated in honor of my youngest brother's upcoming birthday.

As I've done for his previous birthday, I found a loan that benefited a larger community with light in the darkness.

This time, the loan is to Izili Bénin and her husband in Cotonou, Benin, a long, thin country near a river in Africa.

Their ask is for a loan of $100,000 to provide clean, affordable solar energy to power 1,920 households in Benin.
They arrange for homeowners to make payments over time, with ownership transferring to the household after the payments are done.

That means that in a few years' time, the household will pay nothing for their electrical needs.

That's amazing!!!

Nerdfighters are backing their Kiva loan, too.

I'm so glad to be part of that group!

(smile!)

Ever since I joined them, I've made a difference in the lives of so many!

On paper, I've contributed to 73 loans, though some were to groups, making the total number of people directly helped a bit higher than 73.

This year, I have already made seven loans, which is a reflection of the steady flow of money being repaid to me from previous loans. 

What I find interesting, though, is that my money has now traveled to 63 different countries to make change in lives and communities.

Sixty-three countries.

I credit the internet with making that possible.

Good to know it does have benefits!

(smile!) 

in support of music education

One of the surprise benefits of the "Broadway To Bourbon Street" concert?

It was a benefit for the Equinox Global Missions.

What is the purpose of this group?

"[It] is passionate about using world-class music to restore good wherever it's lost and to revive joy wherever it's fading."

That sure sounds a lot like the credo for the Nerdfighters.

That's why I ponied up the $35 for the ticket and the $5.25 for fees.

If that's all it cost to help "revive joy wherever it's fading", that's a deal.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to help others on this 25th anniversary of a very dark time in US history.

i thank You, God.

wedding salon for uzbek women

This 35-year-old woman is Odina and she has operated this wedding salon in Qorgontepa, Uzbekistan for more than a decade.

Her work provides an income for her and her three children, including the fees for them to attend school.

Now, she has applied for a loan from Kiva because she wants to expand the selection for her clients, to help provide them the wedding day of their dreams.

After all, a woman's wedding day is a day of dreams for the future, dreams of a life with children, dreams of creating their new family.

Having a choice in the wedding gown for that day is part of the dream.

I remember that for my wedding in 1992, I could not find the gown of my dreams, so I created it myself, with my aunt's sewing machine.

Of course, I live in the USA and electricity is everywhere.

Many homes in Uzbekistan do not have electricity unless they are in big cities, so many new brides depend on wedding salons for their special day.

As a Nerdfighter, of course I supported Odina and her mission to help others' dreams to become reality.

Fortunately for me, part of the money I loaned her was supplied by Kiva.

The rest of the money for her loan came from funds repaid by other borrowers to whom I have loaned money this year.

Full circle.

My thanks to them all.

(smile!)

still counts as a bday68 gift to me...

I've been a bit busy, so this annual part of my birthday ritual was delayed.

Today, Kiva sent me an email that I still had money available to lend.

No time like the present to gift someone with support!

I chose Rasha, an educator in Israel who is helping her students fight those who bully others.

Here's the message I sent to the other Nerdfighters on my team.

 

As I told them, I once had my office as a Safe Space for any and all who needed a listening ear and an open mind.

That was during my time as a full-time assistant professor in the Chemistry Department at Armstrong Atlantic State University, and beyond when I was back to adjunct status, before the merger deleted my position entirely.

I've been retired since May of 2018, but I still recall how grateful students were to have a safe, non-bullying, environment that welcomed and supported them so they could concentrate on their studies.

Rasha has requested a rather large loan, which is why I sent the message to the other nerds like me.

I also posted a message on her loan page.

"As a retired professor whose office once provided safe haven to all students, I know the importance of this work. Wishing her much more success!"

I'm glad that she has the support of several schools who recognize the importance of her work.

She has a month to raise the funds she needs to expand her program.

Anyone can help, using this link.

Thanks!

my second seamstress of guatemala

 

I'm so glad that Kiva was quick to provide the $20 lending credit for the International Women's Day loan made yesterday!

Thanks to them, I was able to lend to the other young woman, Ruth Nohemi.

 

She is just two years older than Manuela, and she and her clients are in the northeastern part of the Central American country.

However, just like her countrywoman in the south, she is working to please her customers by providing new clothes for Easter.

I know Mama would be so pleased that I chose these two.

Sewing and embroidery were a big part of her life, and, consequently, of mine when I was younger.

I do hope Ruth's loan will be soon completed.

Incredibly, Manuela's became fully funded as I was making the one today!

I made sure to leave a note on Ruth's page... that will help.

Hopefully another Nerdfighter will lend a financial assist, too!

(smile!)

getting folks ready for holy week!

 

She does embroidery and wants to buy nice materials and threads.

That's because she has regular customers and wants them to have pretty choices for the religious holiday approaching.

I remember my mother making new clothes for us for Easter.

 

This young woman is also a single mother.

Mama was a single mother by the time I was in high school.

 

For this International Women's Day, Kiva is granting me $20 to give toward a future loan, just for making a loan to a woman today.

I intend to give that to another young woman, doing similar work in northeastern Guatemala.

For today, though, I chose to fund Manuela Christina Olivia in the south.

I'll have to let my first niece know.

She'll catch my inside joke with her.

(smile!)

better ingredients, better food

I know, that sounds like a commercial, doesn't it?

Maybe one for a restaurant, though I can't recall which one.

That's neither here nor there.

I'm talking about a group in Tanzania wanting to improve their crop yield.

Here they are, with the emphasis on Costantino.

He's the big 34-year-old on the far right.

He's asking for a loan of $6,100 to purchase certified fertilizers, pesticides, and micro-nutrients.

As I wrote in the comments on his fundraising page, "Better farming techniques and supplies mean better food for families and communities!"

I do hope that will help him get the rest of the funds he needs.

Good for him for having the support of so many others!

happy bday58 to paul

Amazingly, I have the funds already for my third loan in less than a month.

Like the first of those three, this is also to celebrate a birthday, though this is for a man who is like a brother to me, rather than actual blood.

Like that first loan, too, this is for the 20th anniversary of an 18th birthday. 

Paul has been part of my life since we met in grad school in Tallahassee.

The 40th anniversary of his 18th birthday was on the 14th, so this gift is, admittedly, just a little belated.

That's because I was waiting to find a worthy loan, using the credit Kiva.org gave me after I made the second of the three loans I've made in less than a month.

That loan had been for the 20th anniversary of that charitable organization.

That's a lot of 20th anniversary dates being celebrated!

This third loan has been to Olusheno, a group in Namibia, and this is their second loan from Kiva.

Here's what the site said about them and this $100,000 ask.

"In partnership with d.light design, Olusheno... aims to bridge the affordability gap by providing high-quality solar light to thousands of “off-grid” families on affordable installments. Olusheno has already provided sustainable lighting to over 31,500 households across the country and is working to fulfill the government’s dream of bringing reliable electricity to its one million off-grid citizens by 2030.
This new loan will be used as working capital for Olusheno to purchase 5,000 solar home systems that will... help thousands of people light up their lives for the first time!"

I love that the description included that exclamation point!

(smile!)

The real attraction for me, though, was the photo of the woman standing in the doorway of her lit home, with the night darkness all around.
That spoke to me.

So I, in turn, left the above comment to encourage others to help.

I'm so glad that 21 other Nerdfighters have already added their support.

Paul, happy birthday, you're a man who lights up his community.

(smile!)

a horse of a different color!

Naturally, when someone starts talking of equine animals, my mind goes to "The Wizard Of Oz".

I can't help it - that movie has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.

 

That's partly what drew me to Nariman's loan at Kiva.

Horses.

Everyone else in Kazakhstan who had animals were interested in getting more cattle or more sheep.

Not him.

In his bio, he states that he "owns 174 registered horses — all documented with veterinary records and official tags".

Impressive!

This loan will help him improve his livestock facilities and develop milk processing.

Yes, that's right: this horse ranch is a dairy farm...

with products derived from mare's milk...

wow!

That's amazing!!!

I made sure to post on his loan page, to encourage others to become part of this change.

"I am fascinated by the originality of this dairy farmer! Not cows, not goats, not sheep - horses are the source! He even has an established clientele for his mare's milk products! That's why I chose this loan: to support innovation!" 

I then sent the above message to all the other Nerdfighters of Kiva to make sure they knew about this one. 

Why was I wanting to make sure others knew of Nariman?

Because of this: I was the very first person to lend to him.

That's never happened to me before.

I felt that I was meant to find this one loan amidst all of those clamoring from my attention from that country not yet in my portfolio.

Enough repayments from others I'd lent to had finally amassed to enough for a new loan, so I stipulated "countries I've not yet lent to" in the search.

Pages and pages of people with loans sprang forth!

I whittled down the list to three, including Nariman.

All had established farms, all ran them with their entire family.

But, this was the only one with horses...

this was the only one using mare's milk...

and that innovation struck a chord with me.

I do hope his loan is a success over the next 13 days.

I like the thought of, maybe, someday, trying mare's milk cheese.

gift to all of my brothers

Finally I had enough in my Kiva account for this gift to my brothers, as well as to those seeking the loan there to enrich their community!

Meet Mary, of Good Hope Sgbl, in Zambia.

She's the third from the right in this photo of the group she works with for loans.

She needs the $2,750 "to buy beers and restaurant dishes" for her customers.

What made her ask so compelling for me?

Today is Friday.

That's the day I get together with my brothers and their friends for the Smiths & Kamerons Friday Fiesta at Jalapenos of Sandfly.

Seriously, that's a real thing.

The men quaff beers and the women sip margaritas and we all sit and chat for at least an hour whilst munching chips and salsa.

Then, we order and we're there another hour, still chatting and quaffing.

Hugs all around before we go our separate ways at night's end.

Let me tell you, this time with them is very important to my social life.

I'm sure the people in Zambia who dine at Mary's restaurant feel the same need for a place to eat, drink, and be merry with those important to them.

So, Happy Christmas, Smitty and Dood!

coffee, chatting, and jewelry, too

The next time in Puerto Rico, I'll have to look up The Coffee Boutique.

I was hoping to find something woman-empowering on kiva that both Barbara and Christa might enjoy, and there it was!

Right place, right time.

Zorey found herself jobless when the pandemic struck, so she turned her hobby of jewelry-making into ZK Jewelry & More.

Now, she's ready for a new adventure... and that word is how she hooked me!

 

As a coincidence, mi amiga Sandy is also making jewelry and had her first sales show almost a month ago.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if she has another this busy Labor Day weekend!

(smile!)

And Carolyn, how would she feel about such a enterprise?

Oh, please, she wears more jewelry than all of us combined, and would love an excuse to hang out and talk about it!

(smile!)

Sure, we'd have to cruise down to Puerto Rico to do so... but that's fine.

We all enjoy a good shipboard adventure, and we wouldn't even need passports there. (smile!)

Capital One is matching all loans for Coffee Boutique, too.

Plus, there was already another Nerdfighter chipping.

I've even posted the link on fb, in hopes others will follow my lead and bring this dream to life for Zorey and others... like me and mi amigas.

(smile!)

Yes, definitely where I was meant to be on Kiva.

georgia on my mind... and india, too!

Thanks to the Nerdfighter Challenge that I stumbled upon at Kiva, I've added two more countries to my list!

Called the Mid-Year Loanathon, here's what our team captain had to say:

"If we lend $220K by June 15 we'll win a $1,000 prize. PLUS if we win there will be a fun contest with a $500 individual prize for the winning team member! All loans count, but you can filter below for team picks to see some loans we’ve vetted for you!"

 

Major coolness!!!

After filtering out those countries I've already loaned to, I settled on these two loans.

 

Davit of Georgia, a country with a coastline much like the one for my US state of Georgia, was an immediate hit with me!

"Davit is a 21-year-old determined student charting his course in marine navigation at the university. With a love for the sea and a passion for precision in navigation, he is committed to mastering the skills required to safely navigate ships across the world's oceans. However, the financial challenges of pursuing this specialized field weigh heavily on him, prompting Davit to seek a student loan to fund his education. He envisions himself as a future captain, guiding vessels through challenging waters and contributing to safe and efficient maritime transportation.
This loan is special because it allows low-income students to pursue education and find jobs before repaying. " 

Marine science!!!

Low-income student!!!

In Georgia!!!

Those are all descriptors that could have been applied to me at his age!

(smile!)

The loan for the Diaspora Co. in India took a little longer to attract me.

In fact, their ask of $100,000 was a big drawback, until I read more.

"Diaspora Co. is a woman-of-color-owned business dedicated to working with South Asia’s best regenerative family farms. Diaspora works with 140+ farm partners and 1500+ farm workers across 10 states in India & Sri Lanka to source their collection of 30+ single-origin spices and 6 house blends that are sold to their primary market in the US. Diaspora sets thriving wages with its farm partners (an average of 3 to 5x higher than commodity prices) that ensure smallholder partners and their workers are adequately compensated for their labor.
Kiva’s loan is critical for Diaspora ahead of their planting and harvesting seasons as they look to invest in seeds, irrigation, and farmworker help. It enables the company to make pre-harvest advances for the majority of Diaspora’s supply chain, allowing farmers to produce without taking on high-interest predatory loans. Lending to Diaspora supports improved, sustainable livelihoods and climate-smart agriculture practices. This is Diaspora’s second loan through the Kiva Social Enterprise program."

Here's the comment I left to encourage others to lend to them.

"This one loan will help HUNDREDS improve not only their livelihoods, but their lives and the lives of others in their community. Win, win!"

Right now, they've acquired about a third of the needed funds to make that happen.

 

I'm glad I had the repaid funds from former loans to allow me to celebrate my birthday by helping others.

 

If, dear reader, you feel inclined to help them, just click the links for the two loans.

Many thanks!

four women for international women's day!

I've been having a bit of a pity party, but what better way to celebrate the end of that moping than by helping other women?

And what better time to do so than on International Women's Day?

Indeed!

This action was especially beneficial to me because it made me feel part of something bigger than myself, part of a world family working to decrease suck.

Yes, I'm talking about being Fliss of Nerdfighters!

Three of the loans I chose were referred by that group, with a special boost: for every 5 Nerdfighters that helped each loan, the Piggy Bank would put in an extra $25.

Yes, please!

I did my part at 2 AM, before bed.

When I checked just now, those three loans had achieved that boost!!!

 

I'll have to see about adding Olga Christina to their list, so she can get the perk.

She's the one I had already selected before I came upon the Nerdfighter challenge.

She lives in Colombia - South America, not South Carolina - and has her own business selling textile products retail in the municipality of Riosucio.

After my demon-slaying foray yesterday, and given part of her name being that of my first niece, I thought helping this young Spanish-speaking starfish would be a nice part of the bday41 gift to Christina Ann.

Yes, there's an inside joke for my niece.

(smile!)

After choosing that loan, I stumbled onto the Piggy Bank challenge from Nerdfighters.

Clementine, part of the group villageoise Saint Michel in Congo (DRC), is a widow, 45 years old, and has 4 children who are all in school.

She reminded me of my mother at that age, though I was out of school and in the Navy, and Mama was already a grandmother by then.

Clementine has her own business, now 12 years old, of selling shoes and wants to expand her inventory of footwear and add handbags to sell.

She's doing that in a conflict-affected area, too.
Now she has my group helping to support her group!

(smile!)

 

Speaking of mothers who are grandmothers, Kady was the next person to benefit from me and the Piggy Bank.

That's her, the friendly woman in blue, waving from the midst of her group, in Senegal.

She is my first niece's age but has six children, as well as two grandkids living with her.

Kady sells honey and beeswax to pay for the children's education.

Glad to be of help to her!

(smile!)

 

Nadia in Egypt was next for me.

Married, she started her grocery store four years ago to help support their three children, and now she is expanding her business with more choices for her customers, maybe even buying a taxi for her husband to have a steady income as well as serve their community.

Under 30 and on top of her game!

(smile!)

valentine to brighten a gloomy and chill day

What to do when the weather has been dreary and rainy for over 24 hours?

Search elsewhere for a bright spot to soak up some sunshine for the soul!

Now, I'm 1 of 6 Nerdfighters fighting gloom in Mexico!

Yes, that's right, I went off to Kiva to find something to lift my spirits, and found it, too.

Here's the link for any who want to join in!

These are the bright flowers, with the highlight on Isabel, second from the left.

Here's her story:

"El grupo ´Las florecitas” se conforma de mujeres trabajadoras y responsables, que comparten un solo objetivo que es el bienestar familiar, viven en colonias populares donde las condiciones de vida son regulares.
Como es el caso de la señora Isabel quien tiene 2 hijas menores de edad vive con su esposo.
Se dedica a la fabricación de muebles, ella realiza esta actividad desde hace más de 5 años en compañía de su esposo es quien realiza esta actividad, durante estos meses han invertido más en su carpintería ya que tiene más clientes. Su sueño es que este negocio crezca y aumentar la producción de muebles y automatizar su taller.
Junto con Isabel componen el grupo las señoras: Yareli, Maricela, Daniela, Gabriela, Nayelis y Julia. "

Furniture makers?

As I told them, I have two brothers who make wooden furniture!

I even own wooden furniture, as I like it much better than metal plastic.

Yes, helping them has brightened my day!

Plus, I was able to practice my Spanish!

(No worries, the website has the story in English, too.)

(smile!)

turkey, with a side of cambodia

Today, I brought my number of countries supported via Kiva to 36.

Very nice!

I do like their new lending policy!

In all the years - a dozen and counting - that I've been with Nerdfighters on the Kiva crowd-sourcing site, each loan had to be a minimum of $25, or multiples thereof.

Now, the minimum amount lent is set to $5, allowing more flexibility and more lending.

That flexible option has allowed me to help finance two loans.

 

The first that I chose was to Davy, in Cambodia.

Here is the profile on the website.

"Davy is a seller and business owner. 

Since she has been making foods to sell for about 60 month. 

It has gained a good reputation and now has a strong base of loyal customers. 

She started that business to provide for her family. 

She has applied for a loan from Kiva to buy some groceries to make foods to sell. 

This business is offering her community more options and giving her the opportunity to build a better life for her family. 

More competitors and the rainy season are her major challenges.
This loan is special because it provides entrepreneurs with resources to increase income and improve their living conditions."

She sounds like she's running a diner, to allow folks to purchase meals she makes fresh.

I appreciate how valuable a service that is to her community!

 

As I have kept my sanity by such services in my own seaport, I loaned her $20.

Thanks to repayments from several of my Kiva loans, I had a credit of $42.

That was enough to make two good loans, as well as help Kiva in their funding. 

As that fee for the loan to be processed is about $3.50 per loan, that left $15 for me to make a rare second loan.

I chose Yasemin, in Turkey, for that second loan.

Here is her profile.

"Yasemin is 50 years old, married, and has a daughter. 

She started working to support her husband and daughter. She sells food containers and food storage boxes.
She will buy food containers and food storage boxes with the loan she will receive through Kiva.
This loan is special because it supports underserved women in rural parts of Turkey."

Those are all plastic, no doubt the same linear, high density, polyethylenes that I worked with for my doctorate in analytical chemistry, almost thirty years ago.

Good for her, I thought!

So, to help her loan get fully funded, I left a comment on her profile.

"How wonderful that she is selling a reusable product! 

Not only will the foods stored in the plastic containers stay fresh longer, but those foods will also be safe from infestation from bugs or animals. 

That's good for the health of those who eat the food.
- Faustina
Nerdfighters "

 

I do hope both women will soon see their loans fully funded...

and wish them much success in their endeavors!

communication in madasgar

When I finally had the funds, I didn't have time to look for someone.

Now, Jean Charles, a 34-year-old man like my nephew Michael, is one step closer to helping others stay in touch with their family.

Here's what Kiva had to say about this father of three in Madasgar.

"He is enterprising, he has been in the business of mobile phones for a dozen years. He has a place of sale at the edge of a popular street. He manages to meet his family's food, schooling, clothing and other basic needs with his earnings. However, he wants to progress. He wants to further improve the living conditions of his family and also wants to carry out major projects such as buying building land.

Jean Charles takes out loans to strengthen his selling capital. He is one of Vahatra's good partners. He profited from his previous loans. He manages to contribute savings with his profits.

Jean Charles is applying for this loan to buy various cell phones to put back on sale. He's going to buy touch-tone phones and androids. He will be able to increase his merchandise."

The need for people to stay in touch, even when at a distance, is vital for their mental health.

This nerdfighter of Kiva wishes him much continued success and applauds the fine example he has set for his children.

Kudos to you!

in memory of my middle brother

After becoming bereft from film of a football game...

and bouncing back to this time and space via a crossword puzzle...

I decided to go in search of a loan to honor memories of Ronnie.

Kiva showed this nerdfighter one that was perfect.

No, the recipient did not bear his name... but his heart is close to that of my brother's.

Marcel lives in Rwanda.

He has two children, as did Ronnie.

He is active in helping others around him and his well-liked, with loyal customers.

His store is helping those in a refugee camp to have needed supplies.

I know Ronnie, who chose to live homeless for the last years of his life, would approve.

Better yet, the loan only has a few days left to secure funding.

Right time, right place.

i thank You, God.

in honor of Mama for her bday85

Kiva has been after me for almost a month to re-lend, re-lend!

(smile)

My intention had been to do so last Saturday.

That would have been Mama's 85th birthday, had she not stopped aging at 63.

So, I've been celebrating her birthday without her for the past 22 years.

(sigh)

Today, I finally relented and went in search of someone she would have supported.

I found Anila almost instantly.

It was almost as if I had been taken by the hand and led straight to her.

Even better, she is the ONLY borrower on Kiva with her name.

Seriously.

The name is what first drew me to her, but it was her face and style that made me stay.

She looked so much like my mother had when I was a teen.

 

After making the loan, I alerted my fellow Nerdfighters to join me in supporting her.

This is the very first time I've ever done that.

I've been a member of that team since 2012.

Here, I make the same plea as I did on Kiva to my teammates.

 

"Faustina Dec 14, 2022 - 7:14 pm PST
Joined Aug 22, 2012
Anila of Albania is trying to open a fruit and vegetable stand to help support her family. 

She caught my eye for two reasons.

1) She bears a strong resemblance to my Mother, who died in 2001

2) She is a cook with healthy products.
I hope you will join me in supporting her goal.
www.kiva.org/lend/2476174
Thanks!"

 

For those who might want to let Kiva know that I was the one who made the referral, please use the link below.

 

Kiva referral link

 

I wish her much success in establishing her fruit and vegetable stand to help support her two children.

well, if they're gonna triple my donation...

I don't know why today is so special, but it must be.

Kiva.com is TRIPLING loan amounts made on this last Friday of September.

Maybe it has something to do with the end of a quarter?

I really can only conjecture at this point.

I stumbled upon the fundraiser completely by accident.

As I was reading some of my posts on another blog, one had a link to an article that I'd written about a recent Kiva loan I made to El Salvador.

When I followed the link to the lending website, I was greeted with a banner across the top:

"3X loan matching today"

I had bookmarked it, to jog my memory later.

Well, later is now.

(smile!)

In keeping with my goal to lend to new countries, I selected the Rosa Marita Group in Paraguay.

Here's a little more about them.

"The group called Rosa Mistica was formed joining friends and neighbors in the city of Curuguaty. They are looking for a way to improve their quality of living and that of their loved ones. It is a united group where everyone has set a goal of being able to grow and doing this get ahead.
Nilda Ignacia is one of them. She is married and the mother of three children. She comments that she and her husband strive to get ahead with their children and make them good people who don't lack for what they need.
She earns a living selling natural remedies. She mentions that her work is modest but it allows her to contribute to the household income.
She is requesting this loan to buy natural remedies to sell and in doing so continue with her sales as she has been doing.
In this group: Martha Beatriz, Carmen Rosio, Porfiria, Nilda Ignacia, Dilma, Licia, Marta Emilia, Maria Teresa, Clotilde, Paola, Liz Fabiola, Angelina, Perla"

(smile!)

 

I'm not sure, but this loan may have given me a new "pie" slice in the "type of product or service" category, as well as new country of lending.

Very nice!

I do hope some of the other Nerdfighters will join me for this loan!

Even if they don't, I'm thrilled to know my $25 was tripled to help these women in their goal of helping their community.

What a good deed for ending this month!

(smile!)

helping someone in a country i once visited

Back in April of 1978, my first husband and I drove from our "C" School in Pensacola to our first duty station in Panama.

All we had were our travel orders from the US Navy and our military ID's.

Good thing we had money, too!

The lack of passports, deemed unnecessary by the higher-ups, led to our payment of exit fees to leave a country, followed by entry fees to cross the border into another country.

Hey, it was an adventure!

(smile!) 

El Salvador was one of those countries we drove through on this honeymoon trip.

It's also the sole Central American country that I have not contributed to via Kiva.

I've rectified that lapse, choosing a young mother with a cool name.

You know, a cool name akin to mine.

(smile!)

Her name is Fatima Marisela.

This is not her first rodeo, so to speak.

She's already had a loan to get her business started and, with that one repaid, she's ready to expand.

To do so, she needs to buy 300 more little chicks, along with the food for them, so she can raise them to grown chickens and sell them off.

Admittedly, my recent brush with chickens most likely influenced my decision to back her on this project.

(smile!)

Plus, I was pleased to know she had included chicken feed in her loan.

That shows planning and forethought skills.

Good for her!

I've also posted the link on fb and invited all my friends to chip in, either for her or for some other worthy striver.

Oh, I do so enjoy being a nerdfighter and working to eliminate suck from the world!

Here's the link.

 

https://www.kiva.org/lend-beta/2406402?name=faustina8909&utm_campaign=social_share_checkout_variant_scle_b-normal&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=social_share_link

Join me, won't you?

All it will cost is $25 to help one person support their family.

Thanks!

(smile!)