It’s been something like 15 months now since I was first introduced to the wonderful organisation that is Kiva.org. As a work Christmas present from client “Cathay Pacific Airways“, I was given USD$25 to loan to a start-up business in Africa.
As mentioned in my introductory blog entry over a year ago, I chose to sponsor Nanano Swaibu and her pharmaceutical business in Kasubi, Uganda. After receiving update notifications on how Nanano’s business has been fairing over the last year or so, I recently received a “loan fully repaid” email which has freed up my lending funds to help out another business.
Since I sincerely believe in the good work being put in by the Kiva organisation, I’ve boosted my invested sum by USD$75 to take my lending balance to USD$100 for 2009. This has enabled me to provide loans to 4 start-ups around the world for this year, and following are some details on who I have decided to go with:
- Zarbibi Mahmudova – Retail Business – Tursun-zoda, Tajikistan
Zarbibi Mahmudova, 52, is married and has 6 children. Zarbibi lives in Tursun-Zade. Her husband works as a helper at a construction site. Zarbibi has been selling plastic covers for 4 years. She applied for this loan to purchase building materials and to pay rent for her stall. Zarbibi will use the building materials to build a shed for her stall. She will repay this loan within 12 months. - EMIGDIO – Refrigeration Services – Bolivia
Emigdio is 45 years old. He lives in his own home located on Viru Avenue in the Peatonal Zone with his wife and their four children who are 20, 17, 14 and 16 years old. Emigdio has had his refrigeration shop on the same avenue for many years. There he lives and has his accomodation and he can count on his children for help. Competition is low since his shop is the only one of its kind in the area. As a result, he has a lot of work. And regarding his accomodation, this is because there are others in that place. Emigdio invested the whole requested loan amount in his refrigeration shop, a value of US $1,000. This would be his third loan requested from this institution. All of the previous ones he repaid punctually. He has an outstanding debt with another financial institution. - Sreyton Lot – Fruit and Vegetables – Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Mrs. Sreyton Lot, 26, and her husband, Mr. Saman Lonh, 25, live in a small village along the Mekong River, about 20 kilometers from Phnom Penh. They were married in 2004 and have one young daughter. Sreyton has been selling sugarcane and corn for two years. She buys her supplies in her village and resells them at nearby villages. Mr. Saman Lonh has been farming for five years. He grows rice. Besides farming he is a horse cart driver as well. Sreyton is requesting a loan of 1,000 USD to purchase contracts of sugarcane and corn for resale. - Fares – Barber Shop – Nabatieh, Lebanon
Fares is a 31-year-old man who lives in Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, with his wife and their three children. Fares has owned a barber shop for eight years. He has requested a loan of 1000 US dollars from Al Majmoua in order to purchase tools for his shop. This is the first time that Fares has requested a loan. Fares is special in his work because he does good haircuts and likes his work. His clients are his friends and neighbors. When he first started his business, he was afraid that his business would fail. In the future, he plans on expanding his business.
If you too want to get involved in this awesome and easy opportunity to help your fellow man out across the world, sign up for a Kiva account at www.kiva.org.
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