CUDA Peru Newsfeed

Introducing Café Connection

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:06:00 GMT

by Greg McKinzie

Another Step Toward Sustainability

Part of CUDA's financial strategy is the launch of two new businesses. One of them, a coffee shop, is nearing its inauguration. Café Connection (the name is indeed a mixture of Spanish and English) will open in early February if everything comes together according to plan—hardly a guarantee in Peru.

Its theme is global connection. With the second business, an English language program, in the same building, the promotion of cultural exchange is a natural choice. Beyond sharing American culture (which will be especially reflected in the dessert menu), the decor will feature pictures from mission fields around the world, which we hope will be interesting conversation pieces as well as wall art.

The Taste Test

One of our preliminary steps was a recent taste test with voting by our Peruvian friends. The samples included:

Cookies

Chocolate Chip, Alfajores (a Peruvian cookie), Oatmeal, Ginger, and Snickerdoodles

Muffins/Breads

Zucchini Bread, Banana Bread, Scones, Cinnamon Rolls

Cakes/Other

Brownies, Carrot Cake, Vanilla Cake, Cinnamon Cake, Candy Bar Cake, Peruvian Apple Pie, Peruvian Corn Cake

The winners were Chocolate Chip and Alfajores, Zucchini and Bannan Breads, Candy Bar Cake, and a tie between Vanilla and Carrot Cakes. It's going to be tasty!

We've also chosen a coffee provider: CECOVASA (Central Agricultural Cooperative of the Valleys of Sandia). This Peruvian cooperative is Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade Foundation, and USDA Organic certified. We will start with their Tunki Coffee, which in 2010 was voted best in Peru in the Specialty Coffee Association of America's Roaster's Guild of Coffees of the Year Competition. It was also given the People's Choice Award, chosen through a tasting of the best-in-country winners that year. Because of SCAA's prestige, many consider the latter award to be a crowning of the year's "best coffee in the world."

Living Library Update (1st Quarter 2012)

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:27:00 GMT

by Megan McKinzie

The Living Library program has kicked off to a great start this year. I met with the three CUDA staff members as well as Greg and Rachel earlier this month to discuss the future of the program. We are implementing many changes. First, any libraries we open in the future will be in schools. Over the last three years, we have opened and closed several of our libraries. We have found that the most sustainable model is to open a library in a school setting where (a) we know for sure kids will read the books, (b) teachers are there to support the program and need the extra resources, and ( c) we can develop a relationship with the teachers and students, knowing that they will be constant throughout a school year.

The plan for this school year includes providing books that grab the reader's attention, extra resources to help teachers in low-income situations, teaching reading comprehension strategies and techniques, and reading aloud to the children. I have been placed in charge of creating a curriculum to help the teachers improve reading comprehension throughout the year. I am also developing a method to test the students at the beginning and end of the year, so that we can determine what kind of difference the current program is making. The CUDA staff will meet to look over a draft work plan on the first Monday in February. Once they have edited and revised it, we will bring in Peruvian teachers to offer input as well. We are also partnering with another NGO, Put Them First, which has volunteers who will be working in the Villa Santa Rosa library. Our collaboration is another exciting dimension of the program.

Currently, there are four Living Libraries: three in schools and one in the community of Naranjal. We will facilitate a kids' event on Sundays for the remainder of the summer holiday, starting the last Sunday of January. As for the schools, we plan to target the 3rd grade classes this year. We are not planning to open any new libraries until we can complete testing and assess the effectiveness of the existing program. Please pray for this work and the difference it will make in the lives of Peruvian children.

HU Professor Budd Hebert Joins CUDA Board

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:31:00 GMT

CUDA announces the final addition to the 2012 Board of Directors. Dr. Budd Hebert is the Director of Harding University's International Business Department, as well as the Harding Character Initiative.

We are excited about the experience and expertise that Dr. Hebert will bring to our operations in the coming year. He will be especially helpful to the CUDA Microfinance program, which is projected to double in 2012.

VU Staff Engineer David Fann Joins CUDA Board

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:11:00 GMT

CUDA announces the addition of David Fann to the 2012 Board. Fann is a Senior Staff Engineer at Vanderbilt University's Institute for Software Integrated Systems and an adjunct professor at Lipscomb University.

Fann brings a specialization in electrical engineering to CUDA's operations. His experience with creative solar power solutions and other engineering-as-missions endeavors in underdeveloped contexts will especially benefit CUDA's new Pure Life Power initiative to bring solar power to poor households.

HU Professor Mark Elrod Joins CUDA Board

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:39:00 GMT

CUDA announces another exciting addition. Dr. Mark Elrod, Professor of Political Science at Harding University, has joined the 2012 Board.

Dr. Elrod is a sponsor of the student-led social-justice advocacy group, HUmanity, and a strong proponent of mircofinance. His expertise in international relations and political theory adds an important dynamic to CUDA's administration.

HST Librarian Sheila Owen Joins CUDA Board

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:58:00 GMT

CUDA is pleased to announce that Sheila Owen will join the 2012 CUDA Board. Sheila is the Associate Librarian at the Harding School of Theology.

Her talents are an exciting addition to CUDA, in particular the Living Libraries program. With Sheila's help, we hope to make the promotion of literacy in Arequipa even more effective.

HU Professor Ileene Huffard Joins CUDA Board

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:16:00 GMT

We are proud to announce that Dr. Ileene Huffard will join the 2012 CUDA Board. Dr. Huffard directs Harding University's Mid-South Professional Center and is an Associate Professor of Education.

She brings expertise that is of special value to CUDA's Living Libraries program. Dr. Huffard's participation in the board is an important step in the promotion of literacy in Arequipa.

ACU Professor Monty Lynn Joins CUDA Board

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:50:00 GMT

CUDA welcomes Dr. Monty Lynn, who will join the 2012 CUDA Board of Directors. Dr. Lynn is Associate Dean of the College of Business and Professor of Management at Abilene Christian University.

His expertise in the field of microfinance in particular will be a significant contribution to the board. The addition of Dr. Lynn is an exciting step toward CUDA's goals for 2012 and beyond.

MOU with Put Them First

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:20:00 GMT

CUDA will inaugurate a new Living Library on November 27 in cooperation with another local NGO called Put Them First.

Put Them First (http://putthemfirst.com) specializes in connecting international volunteers with schools in under-resourced communities. This library, which will be located in an elementary school in a community called Villa Santa Rosa, will be available for the school's use. During non-school hours, Put Them First volunteers will open the library for the community. CUDA workers will train Put Them First workers in the use of our reading comprehension curriculum and reading incentive program.

CUDA Organizational Ethics Policy

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:03:00 GMT

The CUDA Board of Directors has adopted the Word Association of Non-Governmental Organizations' Code of Ethics and Conduct for NGOs.

Read more at the WANGO website: http://www.wango.org/codeofethics.aspx.

Medical Mission Campaign 2011

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:53:00 GMT

CUDA hosted its first medical campaign on October 9th through the 11th, 2011. We were aided by three dentists and one eye doctor from the states, as well as five other support staff, which allowed everything to run relatively smoothly for our first campaign. The dentists were busy checking for cavities and pulling teeth, while Greg Muse, the optometrist, saw over 130 patients. The team worked for three long days, spending the first two out at Naranjal and the final day in Porvenir. In each community, CUDA has already begun to change lives through the Living Libraries (Porvenir) and Pure Life projects (Naranjal). The medical campaign enabled the medical team and those of us here in Arequipa to increase CUDA's presence in the community and begin the prossess of building more relationships and changing more lives.

Thank you again to Marshall, Erin, Jared, Holly, Wilson, Dale, Anthony, Greg, and Cassie for making the trip and impacting the lives of Peruvians in such a positive way.

by Rachel Steele

From the intern

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:04:00 GMT

by Anna Heikkila

Doing my internship with CUDA has given me an opportunity to work with the micro finance project and at the same time, collect data for my masters thesis. I am currently studying a Masters Program of Development and International Cooperation, majoring in sociology.

For the poor, savings reduces vulnerability in times of emergency. However, most of the poor are excluded from formal financial systems which would provide them the protection needed. Micro-finance has risen to meet the needs of the poor by giving them access to different forms of financial services.

A common way to execute micro-finance projects is to form small groups, often called 'solidarity groups'. Significant research has proven that social contacts (social capital) formed in regular group meetings helps increase economic returns. Due to these findings, many developmental assistance programs promote policies that emphasize social capital.

For my thesis, I will study how social capital is developed among women in solidarity groups. It is said that Peru is the most religious country in Latin America. What kind of implications do the norms and values of religion have on social relations? And what kind of impact does the role of women have on group formation and networking? Instead of concentrating on the outcomes of the micro-finance project as a whole, I will be studying cultural embeddedness in the formation of social networks.

Anna is a student from Finland spending one semester in an internship under CUDA as part of her masters program. She and her husband, Sakari, arrived in mid-September and will stay through the end of January.

Living Library Update (3rd Quarter 2011)

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:05:00 GMT

There is much to be excited about in the Living Library program. As of now there are two working libraries: one in the Porvenir community and one in a school location in the Galaxia community. After 2 1/2 years, we have seen two locations thrive and three die out. The first three were all located in homes in various communities but died out because of low participation from community members and lack of time for the host families to open the library.

Porvenir

All of our manpower has gone to the Porvenir library, which occupies a city-owned building. Currently, we have 10-15 children coming every Saturday for the reading incentive program. We have also been able to use the facility to host larger events like a monthly volleyball tournament, drama productions to promote literacy, and a Christmas charity event. Aside from the many books that have mostly been donated from the US, we have a set of computers that the kids are able to use for educational purposes.

Galaxia

The Galaxia library is in the community primary school and serves the children and teachers there with books and extra resources. After seeing 2 of our original five libraries succeed, we have learned a few things about making this program successful. One, man-power is crucial for running the libraries. As a small team, we are not able to run all of the locations. We have to have the support of Peruvians. Two, though community members are well-intentioned and initially very excited about hosting a library, we have found that they are unable to serve without compensation. As the Galaxia library has proven, though, a school a wonderful place to put a library. The students need books, and the teachers are the people already pouring their hearts and time into promoting literacy among the children.

An exciting November!!!

November is an exciting time because we will inaugurate two new locations. One location is in a pueblo joven much like Galaxia. It will serve an under-resourced school and the rest of the community. CUDA will be signing an MOU with Put Them First, another NGO that is helping the school in order to partner in this endeavor. We are so excited about this opportunity because Put Them First will provide the manpower, and we will provide resources and ideas based upon the lessons we have learned so far. The second new library will be in Naranjal, a pueblo joven we already know very well. Our Pure Life projects and a medical campaign have taken place in Naranjal. The community would like to use their common meeting place as the location for the library. They are excited to stock the shelves not only with books for children but books for adults as well. It is very likely that a school will develop in that area in the near future because of local development and growth. We are excited to see the Naranjal library serve the surrounding neighbors as well.

Funds needed now!

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:16:00 GMT

Our loan program is growing quickly and we need your help to keep making a difference in a neighbor's life. Check out our currently available loans and lend to one or all of them. Just $25 has a major impact.

Apurimac Solidarity Group - payment plan of 8 months

Cris is the leader of this group. She runs a small restaurant and needs some new equipment and the option to purchase some food supplies in bulk. Read more about Cris >>

Silvia is a young mom who sews working gloves, 50 pairs per day! She wants to purchase her sewing machine rather than renting it, saving herself that never-ending expense. Read more about Silvia >>

Yolanda has a neighborhood food stand, but wants to buy a custom-made cart to efficiently sell her wares, as well as obtain a better sign and a door to separate her cooking area.Read more about Yolanda >>

Rosa is a seamstress who produces suits and school uniforms. She has been unable to fix her broken sewing machine due to the need to pay to rent one and continue working. She will use her loan to repair her machine and get back on her feet. Read more about Rosa >>

Juana owns a ceviche restaurant and will be freshening up the eating area with paint and decorations, as well as installing a new dishwashing area. Read more about Juana >>

Low-Interest Loans - payment plan of 2 years

Glerida successfully finished out her loan with us, proving that her plan to expand her clothing store to include the adjacent space was well worth it. Her income has grown significantly and she has requested a larger loan in order to open a second store in another location. Given her reliability and progress, we have approved her low-interest loan and are excited to see what she can achieve. Read more about Glerida >>

Javier had such success with his first loan that he was able to pay it off several months early. He now has new ideas beyond his construction work that include the purchase of a vehicle to be rented to a taxi driver. We were impressed by his research, that he approached us after finding the car and driver, installing a garage-style door, rearranging his workshop to allow space for parking it, and allowing space for another vehicle to be parked. That space will be rented to a neighbor that has already expressed interest. This kind of thinking, seeing an opportunity and figuring out how to maximize it, is exactly the kind of enterprise we want to support. Read more about Javier >>

CUDA Microfinance 2.0

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:27:00 GMT

As you may know, many of our no-interest loans over the last few years have been used to give small businesses a face-lift, through the purchase of needed equipment, improvement of sales locales or breaking free from restrictive rental costs. Now it is our turn! Over the last couple of months, we have been working through and developing several changes to our program and are very excited about the new opportunities that are presenting themselves.

One of the highlights of our new approach is that applicants must be a part of a solidarity group from the beginning. Basically, we find one person who is interested in a loan and instruct them to gather 4 additional applications from small business owners in their immediate area. Each applicant must qualify individually, and can receive a no-interest loan of up to $300 to be paid out within one year, sometimes less. All 5 receive their loan at the same time, then begin obligatory weekly meetings together, which include their regular payment and savings requirements, as well as business and ethics training, and interpersonal support. Additionally, this allows the lending agent to handle loans 5 at a time instead of individually, which was becoming cumbersome to schedule as numbers increased.

We learned that savings is often something that the very poor rarely do regularly, so several months ago, we began requiring that our borrowers pay just a few more dollars each month in savings, which they will receive upon completion of their loan. Additionally, within the solidarity groups, the borrowers will have access to their full combined savings over the duration of the loan as capital for fundraisers, commonly carried out by preparing and selling food, as a way to earn “interest” on their savings. Our hope is that all this will combine to show them the value of setting aside even a small amount on a regular basis and using it wisely.

Once a borrower has successfully completed a full loan cycle, they are then able to reapply as the leader of a new group, thus collaborating with CUDA in growing the program. For their second loan, they can receive up to $800 with no interest, also to be repaid within a year. The pattern of weekly meetings continues with the new group as before.

Finally, for rapidly growing businesses that have both proven reliability over the course of two loans and show financial capability to support a larger number, we are offering low-interest loans of up to $3000 for repayment within 2 years. This is just another step in the growth process for some small businesses, giving them a chance for larger expansion and an opportunity to support the costs of the program for others. The interest rate is 50% or less of the average available through banks.

These factors have already been implemented in our newest loans, and since they now come in 5’s, we have several new loans ready for lenders! Please take a look and lend to one (or several!) to make a global, personal impact right away.

A bonus for you is that on our newly designed website, you create an account which allows you to manage all your loans and track each borrower's progress. Once your available balance reaches $25, you can relend it, withdraw it, or gift it to CUDA toward operating expenses.