Feeling good about Kiva...

I haven't posted much lately... been busy just with the joy of lending on Kiva...

I wanted to share some of the journal updates that come through periodically on the email...

This is an update on your loan to Dilovar Amonov in Tajikistan.

Dilovar and his family are very grateful and thankful to KIVA for the loan program. The loan has created a positive impact and helps improve their familys well-being. Dilovar said from his profit, he is continuing assisting his children in paying school fees and meeting feeding expenses. Dilovar is very determine and eager to take more loans from Kiva to expand and diversify his business. Dilovar and his children are very thankful for the opportunity of taking this loan and for your support and encouragement.

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This is an update on your loan to Mai Abu Ayash in Palestine.

Meeting with Mai Abu Ayash was uplifting, she received us with a wide smile with her husband and daughter who help her taking care of the cucumber and cabbages she grows.

Mai used the $2000 to pay her debt of purchasing fertilizers, plants and raw material she needed for her project.

The loan covered all expenses and increased Mai's income as she now sells the crops in her house and her brother's in law shop. Mai adds that she is now able to pay her 4-years-old daughter who is Diabetic besides house expenses.

Having two sources of income is changing Mai's and her family life to the better, therefore she thinks of renewing the current loan when it ends and expanding her project buying a new greenhouse to plant a different crop.

It's worth telling that the cucumber fruits her land produces is delicious.

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This is an update on your loan to Justine Kyosimire's Group in Uganda.

Since receiving the loan amount of 500,000 USH Justine has had so much success selling the local brew "tonto" that she has started a produce business to supplement her income. She sells beans, bananas, millets and maize.

With the additional profits that the produce business delivers, Justine is able to afford her children's school fees and no longer stays up at night worrying where the money will come from to do so.

She is very grateful to the Kiva lenders and would like to receive further loans in the future.

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This is an update on your loan to Thaera in Palestine.

This is Thaeras second loan with FATEN (she used the first to improve her familys home in Qalqilia) and she could not be happier with the effect it has had. Thaeras $2500 loan enabled her husband Ahmed to start a business selling used car parts. Specifically, Ahmed purchased spare parts and a computer and finally has a steady job with a reliable income that does not force him to enter Israel illegally to work.

In addition to handling the familys expenses, Thaera handles her childs health care, taking her to a Jerusalem hospital when she needs treatment (although Thaeras says that her daughters health is better). Thaera is also currently a student at the university and wants her family to be well-educated, something her husband never had the benefit of.

Her repayments have been progressing well and she hopes to be able to close her loan early. Thaera is not a rich woman to be sure, but she feels like her familys life is now in order and they are more comfortable. Her loan from FATEN has played a significant role in improving her familys livelihood.

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I can go on and on with eco-fuels in Mongolia and school teachers in Sierra Leone... rice farmers in Cambodia and crafts people in Guatemala and second hand clothing sales in Nigeria and Costa Rica and Haiti and the Philippines... I have so much more to feel good about now that these people have so much more to hope for...

later man, jan