Aug 17, 2010

Micro-loans have maxi-impact

During each holiday season, AQR likes to send good wishes and thanks to our advertising clients for a good year. In the past we have sent tea or chocolates, but last year we decided to give to someone in need in honor of our clients. I shouldn’t speak for all, but really who needs more chocolate?

World Vision is a “Christian humanitarian charity organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling poverty and injustice.” One way World Vision accomplishes this is by offering the opportunity to fund micro loans.

So as thanks for a wonderful year, AQR made a micro loan to Beatha Mukankuranga who lives in Rwanda. I love the way her bio says “Beatha is a handcraft woman.”

Beatha, a very accomplished "handcraft woman" in Rwanda

Sounds like one of us. She makes handcraft products to sell to support her family and community and she was requesting a loan to buy yarn to make sweaters for children and adults. With the profits from the sweaters, her goal was to save money for her childrens’ school, buy better food for her family and expand her business by buying a sewing machine so she could knit “without using her hands.” How fun to help a woman trying to better the lives of others around her, by simply helping her buy a machine!

We recently received a final update that, as of July 26, 2010, Beatha has repaid her loan and her business profits have helped her buy a house from which to run her business and helped her meet the demand for 150 sweaters. In addition, she has been able to pay for medical insurance and buy food for her family. She has more plans to use technology and make more improvements on her house. This woman is a business woman like us and she sounds as if she is going places — fast!

And, the story continues. When Beatha repaid her loan, the funds were in turn given as a loan to another person trying to improve their lives and surroundings.

I’d like to suggest you give micro-loaning a try! Receiving this letter last month was quite a treat. It surprised me how much this woman was able to accomplish with the simple resources to do so! Susan