Our new KIVA loan is going to a cooperative of women in Kampala, Uganda: Catherine, Victo, Angella, and Norah.
Catherine, the leader, is twenty-five years old and married with one nine-year-old child. She and her family live in a one room house with no access to electricity or piped water.
Here's what else KIVA has to say: Catherine has a stall, and that is how she makes a living. She rents her stall at $9.25 a month and gets about twenty customers a day. She buys her produce from Nakawa market and works seven days a week. She has worked at this business for three years now. Prior to this she was frying edibles. This is her seventh loan since she joined MCDT, a Kiva field partner, and has been with them for four years, working with the same group members. Catherine wants to use this loan to buy boxes of tomatoes and also to start buying directly from farmers. She hopes to build a house from her savings.
We'll keep you posted on their progress. We're thrilled to be able to participate in this micro-lending program thanks to your purchases from World Peace Jewelry. We believe we can change the world by doing just one little thing at a time.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Our KIVA Loan Repaid!
How wonderful it is to say that our KIVA loan has been repaid in full by Victor, a weaver in Ayacucho, Peru
Victor is a member of the Confianza (Trust) Village Bank. He is 30 years old and lives with his girlfriend and their daughter. Victor and his brothers own a workshop where they make weavings on a loom. They then sell their weavings in a local market. Victor has been working as an artisan for 14 years. Victor requested a loan of 1000 soles to buy wool and dyes for his weavings, as well as to buy new heddles for his looms, since they need to be replaced periodically and his have gotten worn out. Victor's goal for the future is to export his work to sell. He may be able to do this through FINCA Peru Exports, a branch of FINCA that works with artisans to sell their work internationally.
Victor is a member of the Confianza (Trust) Village Bank. He is 30 years old and lives with his girlfriend and their daughter. Victor and his brothers own a workshop where they make weavings on a loom. They then sell their weavings in a local market. Victor has been working as an artisan for 14 years. Victor requested a loan of 1000 soles to buy wool and dyes for his weavings, as well as to buy new heddles for his looms, since they need to be replaced periodically and his have gotten worn out. Victor's goal for the future is to export his work to sell. He may be able to do this through FINCA Peru Exports, a branch of FINCA that works with artisans to sell their work internationally.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
New Jewelry!
We have new jewelry pieces in our online shop. Bold scarab necklaces, copper ankle bracelets, an assortment of honey bee bracelets, and new peace sign earrings and necklaces. Be sure to check out our Spring Fever Sale!
Yesterday in the studio, I worked on an interesting jasper necklace with the American Indian folklore theme of crows bring good news. Multiple pendants include a wonderful ceramic three dimensional black crow, hand carved brecciated jasper feather, plus a silver peace symbol. And to my delight the postman delivered my new pendants from Hong Kong, including some beautiful gemstone crosses. This spring I seem to have more ideas than I have time to bring them to fruition! It's a good "problem" to have.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Clean Water
1.1 billion people worldwide have no access to clean drinking water.
One thing you can do is participate in a program that distributes PUR packets that make potentially deadly water drinkable. As little as a one dollar donation provides a child drinking water for 30 days.
One thing you can do is participate in a program that distributes PUR packets that make potentially deadly water drinkable. As little as a one dollar donation provides a child drinking water for 30 days.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
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