Journal entries that make an impact

[Guest]

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[Jan & John]

Yes, Michelle, thanx

So many times the story underneath the story is the one untold...

I try to send wishes for health and happiness along with all of our loans...

And try to remind myself that everyone has their story...

And each story is crucial to all of us understanding one another.

jan

[wthepoo]

I just received my first journal from the Philippines (DianeCharlie are on this loan, too) - from Field Partner Alalay sa Kaunlaran, Inc. (ASKI).


Angelita Lagozo

After getting the loan, Angelita immediately bought the needed merchandise for her store. Her loan has really been a great help in improving the income of her store which is now helping her in providing their daily needs and the daily school allowance of her children.

Angelita wants to say thank you to all who helped her in obtaining her loan. She promised to repay it on time so that she can always get another loan and that other people may also receive their loan immediately.

Upon checking, after less than 2 months on Kiva ASKI already show a journal coverage of 15.2 % which I think is amazing.


Upon further checking: They are topped, though, by Ahon sa Hirap, Inc. (ASHI), with a journal coverage of 25% in less than 2 months.

And I think their journal updates are - matter-of-factly as they are - really good, here are 2 examples:

April Joy Gonzales

Mrs. April Joy Gonzales received her loan last November 12, 2008. She used her loan to Fish and Food Vending. In the Loan Utilization Check conducted the amount of P 2,950.00 was purchased (included in her proposal). Here are the following:

PARTICULARS ITEMS PRICE AMOUNT

LAMAN LOOB P 180.00

FISH P 1,500.00

Pail P 70.00

CASSEROLE 2 PCS. 350.00 P 700.00

WEIGHING SCALE 1 PC. 750.00 P 750.00

TOTAL P 3,200.00

The remaining P 1,200.00 was misutililized due to the sickness of her child that she used to buy medicines. (the best form of "misutilization" I can think of, W.) She promised to back it to her business as soon as she recover in the problem.

and Clara Mallorca

    Mrs. Clara Mallorca received her P 5,000,00 (1st loan) last October 27, 2008. She is engaged in variety store. Here are what she purchased when visited during loan utilization check

    PARTICULARS ITEMS PRICE AMOUNT

    Groceries 2 cartoon 3,000.00

    softdrinks 2 cases 174.00 174.00

    Beer 2 cases 600.00

    Ajos 2 kilo 100.00

    Onion 2 kilos 50.00 100.00

    transportation 250.00

    TOTAL

    She rated 100% in loan utilization check.

Best wishes,
Wolfgang.

[Mona]

When I chose this loan I was not aware that it was a loan to a single mother with eight children. Admittedly it was mostly the photo that drew me in as I am a food chemist by profession.  But after having read the update to this loan now I am more than happy that I have chosen Elberta.

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=comment&id=67410&ent=99242


Elberta used her Kiva loan of 2000 soles to buy sacks of potatoes, salt, oil, pasta, and soap for her lunch stand at the F. Vivanco Market. She sales her sales are down lately; since the cost of basic foodstuffs has increased in recent months, she was forced to raise her own prices, and now has fewer clients each day. Still, sales did improve temporarily during the holiday season, she says.
Elberta has been a FINCA Peru client for 14 loan cycles now. “It’s been a big help,” she says, and loans have allowed her to buy a second food stand and make some home improvements.

Elberta works hard, and she says the work is very tiring. She comes to the market at 7am each day, and works until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. She works standing all day, and spends each evening preparing food for the next day. She says the work is very tiring.

Elberta is originally from Cusco, and moved to Ayacucho because her husband is Ayacuchan, but he abandoned Elberta and her eight children years ago. “I’m father and mother to my children,” she says. Still, thanks to her hard work, her children are getting ahead in life. Three of them are now in college, while the other five are still in elementary and high school. Elberta hopes to send them to college, too.

Elberta has been saving up to build a new house on a plot of land she owns in the Leonpampa neighborhood of Ayacucho. Her goal for the future is to move into the house and open up a general store and chicken restaurant, because she thinks this will be less tiring than her current business.

[Jan & John]

When I chose this loan I was not aware that it was a loan to a single mother with eight children.

Ramona - same thing has happened with this loan of mine http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=72906 - just an ordinary group of girls selling merchandise in Honduras...


then I get today this journal update - WOW

    Senia Karina Sandoval Marquina, Maria Santos Alvarado Gomez and Maria Elena Lavaire Zuniga are three women working hard in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to repay their Kiva loan.

    I had the opportunity to visit with Senia, but unfortunately the other two have left Tegucigalpa to pass the new-year with family in nearby pueblos. Senia’s mother passed away six years ago, leaving Senia and her two brothers a long-standing clothing business. She used her loan to purchase clothing in bulk. After he mother passed away, Senia took the business by the reins and used it to finance her university education. She completed all her courses in psychology but is missing la practica, or a required internship. During school she ran the clothing operation in the mornings and attended class in the afternoon. Her brothers helped her make this possible. Since she finished her courses last year she has been working hard to earn enough so that she can spend her days completing her unpaid internship. Starting this January she will be working in a local cancer ward counseling children with cancer and their parents. She speaks passionately about similar experiences she had with earlier internships. She tells a particularly sad story of a little girl she knew who needed to have her leg removed. This potential loss was so difficult for her emotionally, that she decided to try to fight the cancer without removing her leg. She passed away after Senia left the internship. Senia hopes to help people like this girl face their illnesses. Senia likes meeting the people that come from all over Honduras. She says the hospital feels like a family. She doesn’t mind not being paid because she loves it so much, and she sees this internship as another type of investment.

    Senia tells me that she feels its important to maintain her clothing sales on the side as a way to keep earning an income if something should fall through with her plans to be a psychologist.

This is the kind of story that makes Kiva so very exciting for me... and wish I could help even more.
jan

[Turtle]

Oh Jan, thanks so much for posting this.  Senia's line of work during her internship is an area that I'm seriously considering entering...although I don't know that I'd be able to handle it well, lol....  I have for (too many) years seen first-hand just a heartbreaking need for it & most esp. in children's hospitals.  I really admire Senia's strength & courage in deciding to dedicate herself to this incredibly challenging field.  This has really helped me put into perspective my own struggles with studying psych....Thank-You.

Be well.

[Jan & John]

Michelle, isn't it wonderful?

I just went to post on the update and find you have already said it so well there to Senia.  I too wish her well.  And I hope the other 2 young ladies succeed in whatever their dreams are.

I also realized that the update was written by Sierra Visher, one of the Kiva Fellows, friend of Josh Bull (ElToro? fame?   So I wrote a note thanking her as well.

jan

[Mona]

That is really a wonderful update! Thank you, Jan, for making my day! 
Mona

[Diane R]

This is the sort of Journal update (and from the Sinapi Aba Trust (SAT) field partner representative, not a Kiva Fellow) that bring light to my heart. It is both factual and poetical, and I'm so glad to know Agnes has made such great strides.

Agnes Mensa




Agnes needed a hand to lift her, a shoulder to lean on and a smile to light up her life, business and family. When all avenues proved hopeless, you were there to provide all these. You have fulfilled her joy and sense of pride through your loans. These are the words of Agnes to all her lenders.

She has made tremendous improvement to her business. The loan of $225 disbursed to her was on time and gave her the opportunity to buy five sacks of peanut, at the time the price had fell in the market. She stored them and made her peanut butter during the lean season. To her surprise, she made five times her previous income to maintain the business and support her family.

Currently, her first two kids have entered into senior high school and Agnes is solidly behind her kids education now.

Expectantly, she has successfully completed repayment and desires to pick up another loan soon to further expand the business to include the sale of vegetables.

She is so fun of her lenders and she takes this opportunity to say a big thank you to them all.


--Diane.

[Lily]

Thanks for sharing that journal entry Diane! I can't wait until I start receiving updates like that. That journal entry makes it all seem so worthwhile! Way to go Agnes!!

[Jan & John]

This is the sort of Journal update (and from the Sinapi Aba Trust (SAT) field partner representative, not a Kiva Fellow) that bring light to my heart.

Agnes Mensa
....
--Diane.

It's also an absolutely beautiful photo...
Has anyone heard any news from Fiona about the releases needed for a 2010 Calendar?
This would be a wonderful photo for the wall
jan