Journal entries that make an impact

[Guest]

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[Jan & John]

I just received this wonderful update on Ruth Hortencia:
... to give injections they charge 5 bolivianos (70 cents, patients bring their own needles and prescriptions).

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=49849

Hi Natasha,  your update was written by the same Kiva Fellow Cynthia McMurry as the one I was referring to.  She really does make you understand how hard some of these people are working to improve their lives and she gives good examples of how the loan has been a benefit.  We really need a better way to pat these Fellows on the back. 

I also wondered about how we would deal with our health if we had to bring our own needles and prescriptions?

jan

[Natasha]

Thanks Jan, I didn't realise that the journal update was also from Cynthia McMurry until after I posted.   

Yes I too wondered about providing your own needle etc but I guess it must be different in Bolivia. 


By the way I quite agree, the "updates" from Jose from IMPRO (I also received one... loan is 42% repaid) are unacceptable and give a false impression about the amount of "updates" provided by IMPRO. 

[Diane R]

Well, we're going to have to agree to disagree about Jose's updates.  Although many are the one-liners you cite, his journal updates with more content have been among the most interesting, informative on-the-ground updates I've received.  Short but very much helping me understand the situation of the working poor in Bolivia, and not written by a Fellow who was sent with the job of writing updates, but rather written by the loan officer, whose first language is not English.  Additionally, the fact that he at least posts a one-liner about the progress of a loan tells me that he has *reviewed* the loan and is *familiar* with the borrower and the facts of their case.  In fact, he may just have gotten into the habit of making these little one-liner updates as he enters the data for someone's actual payment, so in a way these might be personalized notices that our partners with IMPRO in Bolivia have visited and made their payments.

Anyway, I endorse *ALL* of Jose Jimenez's journal updates, and I hope he continues to make them.  They are a positive thing, not something to complain about, IMHO.

--Diane.

[Natasha]

Its ok Diane, we can agree to disagree...

You make a good point about one liners, but I much prefer brief update to say something about the borrower. I have no issue with brief updates such as the ones posted to Alisa Aščerić from Zene za Zene and have enjoyed receiving the updates from time to time on this particular loan:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=28276

"When she got the loan, Alisa bought hay. For now, she does not have any problems with animal nutrition. She is very happy because she doesn't have to worry about animal nutrition. She hope so that she will with selling milk products ensure additional money for this year."


"Adisa is still saving additional money for the next season and for now she does not have any problem with animal nutrition."

"Our officer was visiting Alisa and she is satisfied because she can feed her stock. For now, she has orderly been repaying her instalments.

Alisa is grateful to KIVA and KIVA Lenders for the money they lent her!"
I don't expect more than one update per loan, but the series of updates have let me know that the loan officer has been routinely following up on this particular loan. So I guess in the same way we also know IMPRO are also following up loans, by their recent notices. All in all I guess that is some comfort for us as Lenders. 

[Diane R]

And just so you all don't think Jose's updates are *all* one-liners, this week they have included these among the one-liners, and I learned something new or important from almost all of them:

"Adolfo purchased the motor and made repairs on his minibus The loan is 6% re paid and he says he and his family is fine. The mini bus is the only source of income he has so the new motor was vital for him."
(Adolfo's family is fine! How nice of him to let us know.)

"Neyda purchased a sewing machine to increase the volume of bermudas to satisfy growing demands. Unitll now she is the only one of our clients that makes bermudas, that is something weird considering the fact that in Bolivia (cities of La Paz and El Alto) the weather is cold all the year no matter summer, maybe the fact that helps Neyda is that her work has high demand when public schools hire her to make bermudas that will be used as gymnastic uniforms (these people buy the bermudas and they paint the logo of the school on them). Now the loan is 26% re paid"
(Hey, now I know that school kids wear shorts as part of their gym uniforms in Bolivia! (And I love his little, "...that is something weird."))

"Jhon used the money to cover the treatment costs for his mother\'s kidney problem. Without your help her mother would have been very bad. The problem is that the medical atention is not good (especially when is sponsored by the goverment) and she couldn´t go where cuban doctors work in Bolivia because she doesn´t know where they are. But now her kidney problem is being solved (specially with the medicines part) The loan is 8% re paid"
(YAY! I am on this loan and am VERY happy Jhon's mother got her kidney treatment.  I wonder what's that part about CUBAN doctors..??)

"Rosa purchased wool and yarn for her weaving business. SAince Christmas is coming she thinks she won´t have any trouble with the sells. Besides, Rosa makes good scarfs and she re paid 17% of the loan"
(Rosa makes good scarves and Christmas is coming: bodes well for her business!)

"Maria used the loan to purchase concrete (cement and sand that they mix themselves) to renovate their home. Time of rains is about to begin and I need my home in good shape said Maria. I would have hired a worker to help with the work but I didn´t wanted to ask more money because I have too much expenses this days. The loan is 9% re paid"
(Uh oh, the rainy season is about to begin in Bolivia. But it sounds like Maria got the house fixed up in time, and without having to hire outside laborers.)


So while most were those "dreaded" one-liners, Jose is also giving us newsy updates on many of his clients also.  He's taught me about the "step by step" method of borrowing to fix/build a home, reminding me that it's important for the working poor not to take on too much debt at once even for this important purpose, and that it often takes several years of these small micro-loans in order to finance all parts of constructing even a small home.

So.... thanks, Jose!  (And thank goodness for Jhon's mother's good health!)

--Diane. 

[Jan & John]

Anyway, I endorse *ALL* of Jose Jimenez's journal updates, and I hope he continues to make them.  They are a positive thing, not something to complain about, IMHO.

--Diane.

It does sound like I was complaining, doesn't it?  and thanks Diane for all those snippets - I have to admit that I was lax when 'skimming' through Jose's journals and probably just scrolled way too fast thru the pages - sheer laziness on my part and I assigned to him a reputation he probably doesn't deserve. 

However, I do really love the updates - specially the ones with fresh photos...
and I notice that there is a definite difference in the number of recommendations made between the longer updates and the 'one-liners'. 

I still do think he appears to be wasting his very valuable time by reposting an old photo and telling us the loan is being repaid.  I think that too many of them in that category could easily turn off a newbie looking around the site. 

jan

[Turtle]

Evening all 

I know that this wasn't where the thread left off, but I just had to share this journal update - for 2 reasons. A) The original story was just inspiring, and I know it touched a lot of KFs; & B) It's my first ever journal update, lol.

Anyhow, it's on the Kiwamirembe Women's Group (Uganda), whose group leader is a widow caring for 4 biological children + 3 orphans who were abandoned to die by their parents; her greatest dream is to open up an orphanage in her community.

Well, the update just through is awesome....

Namusoke Jalia is blessed in her business because she is able to run her well stocked shop while at the same time servicing her loan with ease. She is quick to mention that the secret to her success is the variety of quality products in her shop but above all proper management of each shilling that she gets hold of hence becoming big in business by the day and being able to pay fees for her children plus other orphans. Jalia says that she has developed a partnership with Pearl Microfinance as a replacement of her late husband and she is not regretting the move because now even her children can go to school just like before when her husband was still alive.


Just had to share 

[Jan & John]

Thanks Michelle - for reminding me to go to the journals...

Today's postings seem unusually good to me... perhaps because we have been gloomy this weekend?

Uganda... "Sarah believes she would have remained a mourning widow with nothing to do that would benefit her children."

Kenya "since we last visited her in May. She has been coming to the office every month to repay her loan and giving us updates of her business performance. We therefore went to visit her to check on how she was really doing. She has been able to overcome obstacles she had after the post election violence that frocked the country earlier in the year."

and ya gotta love this one...

Afghanistan "Ezhar would like to thank from all lenders when they support him in the difficult why and told me I was completed my stock and now his mobiles repair was going will and he was very happy about that because his income was good and now he can support his family and the end he told me thanks again from all lenders."

these are real people...
the pleasure center of my brain rejoices when I know I have helped...
jan

[Diane R]

A wonderful short Journal entry arrived today for Hassiba Nazar Mohammad's language school in Kabul, Afghanistan, teaching English and other languages.



http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=comment&id=37071&ent=88525

Hassibe the talented woman wants to say this loan change absolutely my business because when ever I opened this course it wasn’t like a course so by very hard working I can really change my business i have to say after the loan it is now great I have lots of student and there family expect from me to containing teaching and I want to learn them more and I am ensure that i will do it now this loan really change my business I can help my family and further my business in Kabul I would like to thank lenders around the world specially kiva and AFSG with this success process of loan.

--Diane.

[Jan & John]

Wonderful is correct, Diane. 
When we remember what the lives of women were like in Afghanistan while under the Taliban... 
When with the help of the media, we try to imagine what life today must still be like in Kabul...
It gives such a sense of promise to see this borrower opening the doors to boys and girls like this...

You must have rejoiced as you made this loan, and now to get a journal...
that's a wow moment, thanks for sharing it with us,
jan