Eudisa Belloc in the Philippines

In the past month, I received dozens of updates from the microfinance projects we funded. A selection from the reports:

From the Philippines:

Eudisa Belloc’s loan has increased her business capital to purchase an additional storage box used for the packaging of her fish, additional weighing scale. She can also buy more fish from additional fishermen, so the number of fisherman she is helping through her business has increased.
With the extra revenue, she was able to partially renovate her house. (Full)

From the Dominican Republic:

Matilde sells clothes in her small community out in the batty near Hato Mayor. She began with 5000 pesos (138 USD) and has extended her business with the microfinance loans she received. She wants to be successful in her business and dreams of somewhat becoming a designer for her community.

As for now, she is buying clothes from the city then bringing them back to the batty to sell. However, her dream is to eventually buy a sowing machine so that she can repair and design her own clothing. (Full)

From Lebanon:

Lina is a very active woman who does her best to improve her sales. Her grocery store has been doing great, and thanks to her loan, she diversified her merchandise and increased her sales. She also expanded her product range to perfumes, beach equipment for the summer season and toys for children.

She has three children. One of her daughters is married now, and her soon is engaged. He is still in the university and plans to continue his studies in order to get a high education diploma. Her younger daughter is 12 years old and is still in school. (Full)

From Ecuador:

As a member the community bank “Progressive Union” who provided the microfinance loand, Sara Leon diversified her business. She used to raise guinea pigs but at the moment business is slow due to competition. She now bought some pigs and materials to butcher the animals. (Full)

From the Philippines:

Roberto Doroni says his rice farm is doing well. The loan we gave allowed him to purchase pesticide and fertilizers, which gave him a good harvest. (Full)

From Uganda:

Jovia Tiberindwa’s business of selling goats has significantly improved ever since she got our loan. She bought more goats to sell to her increasing clientele. Her profits have increased as a consequence, allowing her to pay for her children’s eduction. (Full)

From Tajikistan:

Kamilova Rano has successfully repaid her 8-month loan of $1500 US Dollars. Rano used the loan in order to increase the turnover capital so she could expand the stock of her goods. Part of her additional revenue is further invested in developing her business. She saves the rest for the education of her children. (Full)

From Ghana:

Victoria trades in textile and foot wear. With our loan she increased her stock was been able to acquire a shed for her shop. This allowed her to stop hawking to sell her goods. (Full)

From Cambodia:

Here is a report I received from the microfinance institute we used to issue a loan to Mrs Tol Sok:
“We met with Mrs. Tol Sok in late March and she was doing well. Mrs. Tol Sok purchased fertilizer for her farm. She is very grateful for her loan because she received it at a very fortuitous time. She needed to start farming but did not have any money to purchase supplies for her farm. Without this loan, she and her husband would not have been able to farm this season.

Mrs. Tol Sok is sad that she is old and her daughter is so young. She is afraid that she will not be able to take care of her daughter when her daughter needs her most. So she is working hard to give her daughter the best education so that she can have a good profession and take care of herself.

At this moment we are sorry to inform you that Mrs. Tol Sok’s group is delinquent on their loan. We are unsure of the cause.” (Full)

A more detailed report shows the Tol Sok Village group missed their repayment of June, although up to 48% of the loan was already repaid. As the loan runs up to early next year, I am pretty sure they will be able to catch up.

From the Philippines:

Edmar ortega used his loan to purchase additional stocks for his sari sari store, and to repair his existing vehicle so he could give better services to his regular costumers. His business keeps on improving. (Full)

Also from the Philippines:

Virginia Fabros is a four-year client of ASKI, the local Kiva partner. With her previous loans their house was being renovated and is now made out of concrete. She was able to purchase more seeds such as string beans, eggplant and bitter gourd. In addition to that, her husband bought stocks of fertilizers needed to grow their vegetables. (Full)

From Ecuador:

Piedad Arminda Calderon Escaleras invested in her food business. She now rents a space on a main street to sell her encebollado instead of selling from her home. Now that she is selling her food in a busier location she has more customers. (Full)

From Mongolia:

Oyuntuya Dashchoimbol received a 4,000,000 tugrug (about US$2,850) loan from XacBank, Kiva’s MFI partner in Mongolia, in May 2009 and is currently paying off the loan.
She requested this loan to purchase more inventory for her food retail business. She bought a great amount of poultry and her business is progressing day by day. Her working capital increased and her monthly profit reached 300,000 tugrugs (~US$210).
With her business earnings she bought necessary things for her children’s education. She helped to her oldest daughter buy a ger so that she could live on her own. Her life improved greatly and her business is expanding. (Full)

How we discovered Claudia Martinez

As some of you know, I worked in the Dominican Republic. I arrived days after the Haiti earthquake early January this year, and flew back to Rome last week.

I already told you a story from my time in the Dominican. Something else happened during my stay, something to be know of “The story of Claudia”.

When we set up our office in the Dominican, we called in staff normally working in other parts of the world. One of them was Anisa. I worked with her back in my Dubai days, where we considered her “the mama” of the office. While she was probably the shortest of us all, she had the biggest heart of the bunch. Anisa is the person who considered the office as dear to her heart as her own home. She is the one coming in early to put a flower on people’s desk, goes around with soup when we  – once again – have a long day… And come up with the craziest ideas, born in her big heart.

I called in Anisa to help us in Santo Domingo…. where she immediately resumed her ‘mother-ing’ role, and looked after us like we were her own. For the coffee, the fresh fruit and the occasional “time for you to get out of the office, you have been here long enough!”.

In the early days of the emergency, she wrote me an email, titled “Gesture of generosity to appreciate a local Santo Domingo hairdresser”. (and I thought: What now?):

Peter,

I read the attached article in Gulf News on 23.01.  It really touched me that here is a soul who is reaching out to others in her best capacity, physically, financially as well as emotionally… as she is doing it with her heart.
I am sure she herself penny pinches but has a heart of gold and filled with generosity to reach out and bring a smile on another human being.

So I cut out the article and was going to ask any one of our staff who would be in Santo Domingo to trace her. I wanted someone to give her a small donation from myself. This would then enable her to continue spreading the happiness and cheer to a lot more other ‘Haitian patients’.

But then I was asked to come her myself. I was in a state of shock …. Was this a calling for me to come over personally and seek this woman out or what?

Well, I cut out the article and from the time I have arrived I have requested Amelia and Elizabeth to help me trace this lady – Claudia Martinez. Which has not been easy.

Eventually, Elizabeth managed and has spoken to her and we have her phone number. Claudia is willing to come to the Hotel and meet with us. So my humble request is can we keep a small box for a collection? Have a write up stuck up above the coffee station with the box and staff can pitch in as they feel best.
With the donation and our best wishes she can then continue with her ‘good deeds’?

An opportunity for the our staff  to reach out and bring some happiness and support to the less fortunate…..

Thank you,

Anisa.

I read the article Anisa attached. It was a piece from Gulfnews, one of the local newspapers in the UAE. It told the story of Claudia Martinez, a Dominican lady who volunteered to help some of the Haitian earthquake victims in the main Santo Domingo hospital. She helped by… doing their hair. As the story said: “Her task may seem trivial, but she believes restoring a bit of beauty and humanity to people who have lost everything and survived deplorable conditions is important.”

A story that speaks to one’s imagination. We collected over US$300, and finally met Claudia in March. She came over to the office together with the hospital volunteers’ coordinator. I introduced her to the staff in the office, and we engaged into a lively conversation. Claudia, a single mother of two, was not aware of the newspaper story. “One day, a guy at the hospital took some pictures and asked me some questions, and that was it”, she said. Nor did she realize it was picked up by Agence Presse, and got republished in many newspapers all over the world, from the US to the Middle East, Pakistan and New Zealand. And she had no idea how she had inspired others.

We emphasized the money we collected was for her, and to use it for something she wanted to do. Asked what she wished for, she answered: “I wished I could learn how to read and write. I wished I could give my kids a proper education”. That was quite a challenge as she could barely make ends meet, and her eldest is speech impaired. But still, she volunteered most of her time at the hospital. “It is heart-breaking to see how little those people in the hospitals really have”, she said. “I feel rich compared to them”…

Anisa (L) and Claudia (R)

We sat outside for a long while, with staff from the office joining into the conversation, and Gaby patiently translating between English and Spanish. We got to understand the hospital is the largest in the Dominican. Often patients were brought in, and left there. Many did not have a change of clothes. Kids without anything but a pair of pants. Their families simply did not have the means to take care of them. Neither did the hospital. Claudia asked if we wanted to come over, to see for ourselves. Which we promised to do.

Since then, “our project” continued: we donated several parcels with used toys for the kids and basic clothing for the patients. But then another thing happened unexpectedly: Just incredible how things go sometimes…:

A few weeks after I met Claudia, I was in North Italy, on a short break with my family. Frau Preindl, the owner of the hotel, knew I worked in the Haiti emergency. Just as we were leaving, Frau Preindl said “wait!”. She grabbed an envelope and put it in my hands: “Here, you will know what to do with it. Go and make a difference. You know, we seldom realize how lucky we are. We have all we need, so the least thing we can do, is to share some of it.”

It was not until I got back to the Dominican, three days later, I realized there was a real significant sum in that envelope. And I did not have to think long what to do with the money…

Stay tuned for Part II of the story.

The news spread around, and quite a few people from work follow the project. While working on mission in the Dominican Republic for the Haiti earthquake relief operation, I had one of my colleagues come to me at the end of his mission. He said working in Santo Domingo and Haiti opened his eyes more, and he became more aware of what he could do in life, and for those around him.

He asked if he could give me a -considerable- amount of money, part of his daily allotment for working here, so he could do some good through me. He wanted to remain anonymous, but still wanted to contribute.

So the loans I allocated today are his “giving back” to the world, a world he felt now much more part of.

I was taken by this gesture, as it illustrates how ‘doing good, spins off’, but also towards him, I said “Do good, and good will come to you”.

Thanks again, my anonymous friend! May the good come to you too! Your loans were allocated to agricultural entrepreneurs in South America, like the Santa Lucia Communal Bank entrepreneurs, consisting of 18 women. They are all friends and neighbors and are working in their fifth loan cycle.

Justina, the team leader, requested a loan to establish a business selling slaughtered chickens. At first she will sell to the neighborhood businesses. Then, she wants to have her own henhouse to raise, fatten, and sell the chicken herself. This will leave her with greater income.

Her Kiva entrepreneurial group is part of the 6 loans we allocated this week:

• Cautivo Group in Peru: $100
• Antonia Valverde in Peru: $50
• Virgen De Bronce Group in Ecuador: $100
• Intihuatana Group in Peru: $100
• Santa Lucia Group in Paraguay: $100
• Blanca Deleg in Ecuador: $50

The Unidos Venceremos Group in the Dominican Republic

As I have been in the Dominican Republic since January, supporting the Haiti earthquake emergency, I thought to concentrate my next batch of loans to entrepreneurs in this region.

I found a few of them based in the Dominican itself, like the Unidos Venceremos group in Samana, bit further North from here.

Martina is the coordinator of the group. She lives with her partner and their three children. This is her nineth loan with Kiva. She plans to use this loan to invest in her business by traveling to the capital to purchase skirts, jeans, blouses and pants in the main markets and then bringing them back to her community to sell. She will use the profits to invest in her business by purchasing a scooter to help her move her merchandise as well as saving towards having her own store one day (her current business is mobile).

She also wants to invest in her home by remodeling it.

As I have been busy with work, repayments from previous loans had been piling up on my Kiva credit, to a total of US$3,500. So after I “exhausted” the loans for Dominican entrepreneurs, I looked for more entrepreneurs from South America.

Why? Well, during my stay here, we had many South American staff from our organisation travelling through, and working with us. While I travelled through over 100 countries in the world, South America clearly showed to be an unknown to me. I was surprised to find so many of these people well-trained, very motivated and knowledgable, and I have started to grow fond of them.

That’s why the majority of the funds for this US$3,500 loan went to entrepreneurs in this region. As they deserve all the stimuli they can get.

Here are all the loans:

• Mata De Palma women in Dominican Republic: $100
• Jehova Group in Dominican Republic: $100
• Luz Divina Group in Dominican Republic: $100
• Unidos Venceremos group in Dominican Republic: $100
• Mata de Palma Group (3) in Dominican Republic: $100
• Cristo La Fuente Group in Dominican Republic: $100
• Africa Romano Group in Dominican: $100
• Mata de Palma women (2) in Dominican Republic: $100
• Joyitas group in Bolivia: $100
• Julia in Peru: $50
• Ventana Al Futuro in Chile: $100
• Isidro Castro in Peru: $50
• Asociaciaon Autopista Group in Bolivia: $100
• Gudelia Quisbert in Bolivia: $50
• Julia Damian in Peru: $50
• Elsa Maribel in Peru: $50
• Rosaura Tunoque in Peru: $50
• Esmelida Prudente in Ecuador: $50
• Clara Pinto in Bolivia: $50
• Ana Cecilia in Bolivia: $50
• Las Perlas Group in Paraguay: $50
• La Esperanza Del Valle Group in Peru: $50
• Agua De Illimani Group in Boliva: $50
• Union Familia Group in Bolivia: $50
• 5 De Junio Group in Bolivia: $50
• Pro Mujer Group in Ecuador: $50
• Las Margaritas in Boliva: $50
• Salome in Bolivia: $50
• Mujeres Unidas Group in Paraguay: $100
• Mujeres Latinas Group in Peru: $50
• Sara Bustamante in Ecuador: $50
• Mujeres Unidas Ii Group in Paraguay: $50
• Marcelina in Bolivia: $50
• Luz De San Antonio in Peru: $50
• Jenny Grimaldo in Peru: $50
• Eulalia in Bolivia: $50
• Abaroa Okinawa in Bolivia: $50
• Marta Meza in Paraguay: $50
• Dominga Benitez in Paraguay: $25
• Flor Cruces in Peru: $50
• Loyda De Centellas in Boliva: $50
• Kantuta Group in Bolivia: $100
• Sartanani Group in Bolivia: $100
• 28 de Noviembre Group in Peru: $100
• Las Misioneras Group in Bolivia: $50
• Basilidesa Hidelisa in Peru: $50
• Perlitas Blancas Group in Peru: $100
• Primavera Cruz Group in Bolivia: $100
• Zhullin Group in Ecuador: $50
• 8 De Diciembre Group in Paraguay: $75
• Angie in Peru: $50
• Elda Tenazoa in Peru: $50
• Claudia in Peru: $50

One of our new entrepreneur groups: The Por Una Vida Digna Group in Peru

“Por Una Vida Digna” is a group of ten people who have been investing in some type of business since six years. Mrs. Benedicta Serrano, for example, makes and sells variously flavored yoghurts according to her customers’ wishes. She also sells various fruit nectars.
She has a lot of demand so the funds she receives will be used to buy an ice chest. She is a very active group member and, because of that, she was selected to be the group president.
As a dance teacher, Elsa Dávalos, noticed renting costumes could be a profitable enterprise so she began to make them herself and then rent them to her students. This work has given her much satisfaction.
The other group members have different lines of work to which they are dedicated with much enthusiasm and effort because one of their most important objectives is to provide their families with sustenance and good education.

We allocated a loan of US$50 to the “The Por Una Vida Digna”, as one of our 44 new loans. In this loan trench, I concentrated on:

1. Groups of entrepreneurs, led by women, or with a majority of women; or
2. Entrepreneurs working in agriculture by either growing a crop or raising animals; or
3. Entrepreneurs in South America.

I allocated a total of US$1,775 in loans to entrepreneurs in Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Cambodia, Philippines and Nicaragua. This amount was the total repayment of previous loans, which I received during the month of December.

Here is the full list of the new loans:

• Las Cumbeñitas Group in Ecuador: $50
• Tol Sok Village Group in Cambodia: $50
• Beverlyn Solito in Philippines: $25
• Cruz Velasquez in Nicaragua: $25
• Fely Bautista in Philippines: $25
• Yein Phang in Cambodia: $25
• Enriquita Cerbas in Philippines: $25
• Evelyn Diaz in Philippines: $25
• Margarita Irabon in Philippines: $25
• Chhom Meas’ Group in Cambodia: $50
• Pao Pech Village Group in Cambodia: $50
• Saroem Moul Village Group in Cambodia: $50
• Lydia Perangco in Philippines: $25
• Arlyn Bajenting in Philippines: $25
• Yeu Soem Village Group in Cambodia: $50
• Roath Sao Village Group in Cambodia: $50
• Mao Lerb Village Group in Cambodia: $50
• Toeurn Loch Village Group in Cambodia: $50
• Goun Touch Group in Cambodia: $50
• Savon Khun Group in cambodia: $50
• Thach Pen Group in Cambodia: $50
• Seu Suon Group in Cambodia: $50
• Mey Loem in Cambodia: $25
• Oeurn Suong Group in Cambodia: $50
• Chea Nun Group in Cambodia: $50
• Sokhorn Chham Group in Cambodia: $50
• Thoeun Pin Group in Cambodia: $50
• Sopheap Srey Group in Cambodia: $50
• Alejandrina in Peru: $25
• Norma Ruth in Bolivia: $25
• Qorimakis Group in Peru: $50
• Papa Paulo Group in Bolivia: $50
• Esther in Peru: $25
• Las Triunfadoras in Ecuador: $50
• Maripositas Group in Bolivia: $50
• Alternativa Group in Bolivia: $50
• 10 De Noviembre Ii Group in Bolivia: $50
• Mujeres Anfitrionas Group in Paraguay: $50
• Por Una Vida Digna Group in Peru: $50
• Victorina Aranda in Paraguay: $50
• Rosas De Bautista Group in Bolivia: $50
• Virgen De Fatima Group in Bolivia: $50
• Piedad Escaleras in Ecuador: $25
• Janneth Marlene Narvaez Luna in Ecuador: $25

Over the past two months, we have received quite a bit of news from our entrepreneurs all over the world which we supported through microfinance loans.

A grip out of the numerous updates:

Over the past year, we have supported many loans to Ecuador. A recent update showed how life continues to be a challenge in South America:

A major energy crisis has swept Ecuador since November 5, crippling many businesses.
Daily power rationing in every zone of every town and city lasts between 3 and 5 hours every day. Half of Ecuador’s economic output is petroleum, but most is destined for foreign lands. Domestically, the country relies on hydroelectric power. The nationwide drought and lack of alternative fuel sources have brought the country to a near-standstill. Coupled with the global financial crisis, the energy crunch has impacted further access to capital for many entrepreneurs, given slower demand for goods and services.

Examples of how Kiva borrowers have been affected are unfortunately easy to find from our interviews. For example, Felinda in Manta has a restaurant that needed to shut its doors in the evening for dinner, as she could not service her clients. Astromelia in Portoviejo could not use her computer nor print photos for clients using her digital printer when the power went out for 5 hours in the middle of a work day.

In Cuenca, the drought itself is impacting the many agricultural businesses of Kiva borrowers such as Teresa who lives in the hills behind Cuenca. Many of her chickens and pigs purchased with a Kiva loan have passed away, and she is currently behind on her repayments to Fundación Espoir. Luckily, the government has stated that the crisis will be over and daily rationing will end before Christmas due to new deals signed with Peru and Colombia to supply energy to Ecuador.

Cindy has invested her money in buying more shoes and a car to transport goods. She has not had difficulty in paying her loan so far and is in good health. Cindy is also 6 months pregnant with a boy on the way. Her husband’s electrician business is not going as well due to the economy, but has been taking advantage recently with the energy crisis with the sale of generators for businesses in need.

Maria, on the other hand, invested her money in buying more chickens, guinea pigs and food for her animals. Mari has had some family issues recently with the recent death of her sister who passed away from a stroke. Maria has taken over care of her 3 nieces who are 7, 5 and 11 months of age because the children’s father was an alcoholic and could not care for them.

After the devastating typhoons which hit South East Asia in October, we launched a major fundraiser to support the affected entrepreneurs in the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam. Over $6,000 was raised in one month.
In December we received several updates:

Instead of running her planned a sari-sari (variety) store, Ms Irvy Bation in the Philippines is currently focused on her ice drops business. If the weather is good, Irvy estimated that she can make P1,000 in a day. She’ll usually leave 3 boxes of ice drops at three separate school canteens at the beginning of the day, and then will visit the schools again at the end of the day to pick up the earnings. She also takes orders for ice drops, usually from neighbors.

Apart from ice pops, Irvy also sells what she calls “lumpianiza” – or lumpia (small eggrolls) with longaniza (Filipino pork sausage) as the filling. She sells the lumpianiza for credit, payable in 15 days.

Irvy expressed her thanks for the loan in the video above. She was comfortable enough to use English for most of her interview, so the video is well-worth checking out! Going forward, Irvy would like to buy a freezer, so she can make more ice drops and expand her business to other schools.

We highlighted Fe Erma before, an entrepreneur directly affected by the typhoons before. Fe used our loan to buy what was needed for her fishing business: 4 bundles of different fishnets worth Php 40,000 and 40 pieces of bamboo worth Php 2,000, a total of Php 42,000.
She will use all of these in expanding the fish pond. The remaining part of her loan is kept as a buffer when her business needs it.

Lolita Cerezola, also in the Philippines was also affected by the typhoons which destroyed her fishing pond. She converted her loan to a group fund and every member of the group can use it in times of emergency needs.

Lolita used the loan that she received in buying the necessary things that needed by her business in improving it. To repair the fish cage she buys what is needed like fishnets worth Php 11,250, bamboo cost Php 2,500, different nails worth Php 1,000, a total of Php 14,750. They also bought a small boat and repaired it to make bigger, costing them Php 25,260. She use her own savings to compliment the loan.

Nancy Cernero used the loan to buy a complete boat worth Php 18,000, different types of fishnet worth 12,000, a total of Php 30,000. Their first plan is to make their own boat but they decided to buy a made fishing boat because they were running out of time. They really needed to use the boat in fishing. They’ll just make sure that the boat that they’ll buy is durable.

From Cambodia, we received this update:

Mrs. Mao Kung and her husband, Mr. Nget Sarom work hard to support their four children. She is a pig breeder and her husband is a rice farmer. In order to grow her pig breeding business, Mao Kung used the loan of 1,000,000 Riel ($250 USD) to buy piglets and pig feed. She successfully sold the pigs earlier this year and experienced an increase in profits.
She reported that she was able to start a savings as well as buy a cow to plow her husband’s rice field. They expect to save money over the long run since they will no longer need to hire a laborer for the field. They did have a minor setback as her husband got a lung complication and needed to spend 150,000 Riel ($38 USD) on medical attention. Despite the minor financial setback, Mao Kung was very happy with the loan’s impact and plans on taking out another loan to buy more piglets.

Fe Erma Aragones lost her fish pond in Typhoon Ondoy

Fe Erma Aragones lives with her husband Biato Aragones and their three children Emilio, Ana Marie and Angelica in Binangonan, a village in the North of the Philippines province of Rizal. She says their children, and their new grandchildren are really their blessing and the reason they strive hard to fight against poverty.  Because of their work, all of their children could graduate from college, and found work now.

Fe and Biato have a fish pond in the sea. When Typhoon Ondoy entered Rizal, their fish pond was damaged. The level of water in the sea got that high all the fish inside the fish pond were lost. They wanted to repair the fish pond and expand it. They also needed new funds to buy fishlings they can raise until it is ready for harvest.

Fe asked for a loan of US$950, repayable over 14 months. We allocated a loan of US$25 to her, as part of our project to help microfinance entrepreneurs in the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam recovering from the recent typhoons.

Over the past month, we allocated $1,825 to this project. Friends from The Road’s lending team contributed another US$730, bringing the total of new loans after the typhoons to US$6,055. This matches the total amount we raised through this post.

The project balance:

The microfinance loans I allocated this month:

• Merlie Heyrana in Philippines: $25
• Myrna Guidaben in Philippines: $25
• Genevieve Caipang in Philippines: $25
• Elma Mangubat in Philippines: $25
• Juanita Tare in Philippines: $25
• Marcela Mahilum in Philippines: $25
• Melinda Candelaria in Philippines: $25
• Fe Erma Aragones in Philippines: $25
• Rudy Salvo in Philippines: $25
• Roselie Curato in Philippines: $25
• Gloria Concon in Philippines: $25
• Virginia Alejandro in Philippines: $25
• Rechel Banca in Philippines: $25
• Rosalita Petalcorin in Philippines: $25
• Magdalena Pabatang in Philippines: $25
• Romeo Giganto in Philippines: $50
• Eniseria Pepito in Philippines: $50
• Angelina Consigo in Philippines: $50
• Tita Compo in Philippines: $25
• Feliciana Omandam in Philippines: $25
• Salvacion Ido in Philippines: $25
• Marites Pahayac in Philippines: $25
• Nancy Cernero in Philippines: $25
• Elizabeth Medina in Philippines: $25
• Lolita Cerezola in Philippines: $25
• Riza Misa in Philippines: $25
• Nida Oculam in Philippines: $25
• Domeciano Sabares in Philippines: $25
• Thelma Tagactac in Philippines: $25
• Daisy Jordan in Philippines: $25
• Elizabeth Proctan in Philippines: $25
• Lina Albios in Philippines: $25
• Jocelyn Latoga in Philippines: $25
• Brayan Baguio in Philippines: $25
• Charlie Labtang in Philippines: $25
• Teresita Magallanes in Philippines: $25
• Maria Fe Roxas in Philippines: $25
• Dorotea Gallegos in Philippines: $25
• Rim Meak Group in Cambodia: $100
• Rim Seam Group in Cambodia: $100
• Tean Y Peng Group in Cambodia: $100
• Sokha Hin Group in Cambodia: $100
• Saream Sruon Group in Cambodia: $100
• Phalla Sok Group in Cambodia: $100
• Vanna Huy Group in Cambodia: $100
• Sophoen Morm Group in Cambodia: $100

Our social project uses Kiva to allocate microfinance loans to entrepreneurs all over the world. Kiva explains pretty clearly how THEY do the job, but here I’ll get YOU started to allocate loans too.

The principle is very easy:

• Once you registered in Kiva (see below), you can choose an individual entrepreneur in any of the countries or sectors (agriculture, clothes, construction) you want to allocate a loan to.
• You can allocate a loan as small as US$25. A loan can be paid either through your PayPal account or can be charged to your credit card.
• Over time, the entrepreneur will pay back your loan. Once per month, you will be advised of the amount paid back to your account.
• You can choose then to either redraw the refunded money, or reinvest it in new loans.

Step 1: Register with Kiva

1. Go to http://www.kiva.org
2. Click on “Register” in the top right corner



3. Fill in all the fields in the registration form (“Display me as” indicates the name you wish to be displayed for all your loans)
4. Click on “Sign Up”

Step 2: Register as a member to “The Road” lenders team

1. Go to The Road’s Lenders team page
2. Click on “Join”
3. You are now an official member of our Lenders team!

Step 3: Start allocating loans

1. While you are logged in, click on “Lend” in the menu bar
   
2. Choose your entrepreneur either by selecting the criteria from the top menu bar (“Gender”, “Sector”, “Region”) or type in a country in the “Search” bar.
3. Once you found an entrepreneur, either click on “Lend $25″ or click on “more” to see the full details or to allocate a larger amount
4. Repeat this step until you have allocated all loans you want. Then click on “My Basket” in the top right menu.
5. While viewing your basket, make sure you select “The Road” in the “Count towards team” drop down menu bar.
   
6. Click on “Continue”
7. On the next screen, you can select how much you want to contribute Kiva’s overhead. Select a percentage you prefer, or select “$0.00 – None at this time”. Then click on “Donate this amount to Kiva”
8. Now you will get the overview page of all pending loans in “your basket”. Click on “Complete”
9. This will bring you onto the payment screen:
   
10. Either pay with your credit card or using your PayPal account. Note that PayPal will not charge you any overhead cost for this transaction
11. Complete the transaction and you will be brought onto final screen of your loan(s). Now you can post this loan (or these loans) to your Facebook profile, or forward it by Email to your friends, or just do nothing.
12. Congratulations, you have now allocated your first loan(s) to Kiva!

Roberto Doroni in the Philippines needed more farming supplies

After typhoons Ketsana and Parma hit the Philippines, 7 million people were affected. we started a fundraiser and advocacy campaign here on “Have Impact!”, which generated more than 1,000 comments. I promised to raise $5 per comment, for micro finance loans to entrepreneurs in the Philippines so people could get their lives back on track, and restart if need be.

As part of this project, we have issued quite a few loans to people already. Roberto Doroni was one of them. He lives in Pangal Norte – Echague with his wife and two children. Farming is his main income, and he was looking for a loan of $325 to invest in more farming supplies so he could increase his crop yield.
We issued him a loan of $50, to be repaid over 7 months.

Here is the list of all 42 loans we have have issued over the past four days:

• Maria Bosi in Philippines: $50
• Liza Maquiling in Philippines: $50
• Aireen Miraran in Philippines: $50
• Benigna Torremocha in Philippines: $50
• Norwina Cabato in Philippines: $50
• Restie Cenabre in Philippines: $50
• Rosalinda Comidoy in Philippines: $50
• Ruth Ann Pascual in Philippines: $50
• Bernadette Labad in Philippines: $25
• Evangelista Vitalez in Philippines: $25
• Ligaya Dela Torre in Philippines: $25
• Danilo Galendez in Philippines: $50
• Maria’s family in Philippines: $25
• Lucena Cabansay in Philippines: $25
• Merlina Castillejos in Philippines: $25
• Luz Fermin in Philippines: $25
• Fe Lim in Philippines: $25
• Helen Mendez in Philippines: $25
• Helen Fortaliza in Philippines: $25
• Bonifacio Sanchez in Philippines: $25
• Asuncion Iquin in Philippines: $25
• Lolita Viajidor in Philippines: $25
• Azel Apiado in Philippines: $25
• Aida Suyu in Philippines: $25
• Lolita Padogdog in Philippines: $25
• Concepcion Elcarte in Philippines: $25
• Maria Eloisa Laranjo in Philippines: $25
• Gonzala Magalona in Philippines: $25
• Nemesiana Lagrosa in Philippines: $25
• Nancy Leones in Philippines: $50
• Eudisa Belloc in Philippines: $50
• Jennlyn Ely in Philippines: $50
• Diosa Bacala in Philippines: $50
• Aireen Miraran in Philippines: $50
• Erlinda Rodriguez in Philippines: $50
• Maribeth Gulocan in Philippines: $50
• Nenita Tura in Philippines: $50
• Remedios Marzo in Philippines: $50
• Josephine Ventoso in Philippines: $50
• Adelaida Montes in Philippines: $50
• Marilou Cagatin in Philippines: $50
• Roberto Doroni in Philippines: $50

Apart from the loans I issued, many others have joined forces with us. members of our Kiva Lenders team issued over 2,000 US$ of loans just in the past week. Well done all!

Felicino Sara in the Philippines

In our team effort to raise microfinance loans for the Philippines, which were hard hit by the recent typhoons, we are raising $5 per comment left on our kickoff post. Our action runs until October 31.

Apart from fundraising, we continue to allocate new loans to entrepreneurs in the Philippines who will use the funds to revive and expand their livelihood.

Diane, one of our Kiva Lenders’ team, stepped forward and helped me out. She already allocated 25 loans for a total of $625 for this project. She committed to “buy” up to 200 comments on the post I mentioned before.

My Friend “E”, donated $300 to “buy” 60 comments, loans allocated in this post.

Elizabeth, a colleague and friend, who is also member of our Kiva team, donated $100, and as such “bought” 20 comments. Her loans are allocated in this post.

I donated $300, buying 60 comments, for 6 loans.

Our Philippines project has now allocated $1,325 already.

The most recent loan went to Felicino Sara in Trento, Agusan Del Sur, in the Philippines. Felicino is 58 years old and farms a small rice field a short distance away from his village. He hopes the farm will help him supply his family with the food, clothes and other basic things they need. He constantly attempts to surpass the size of his previous harvest.

He needed a loan of $175, refundable over 7 months, as an additional capital for his business. The loan will help him sustain his livelihood until the next harvest.

As small stake holder farmers are the “engine” of the economy in a country like the Philippines, we gave him a loan of US$50.

The loans we allocated in the past two days:

• Martina Acosta in Philippines: $50
• Irvy Bation in Philippines: $50
• Luzviminda Acio in Philippines: $50
• Mary Ann Campos in Philippines: $50
• Felicino Sara in Philippines: $50
• Marionito Abesia in Philippines: $50
• Edmar Ortega in Philippines: $50
• Roger Ermita in Philippines: $50