Kiva lender pages

[Guest]

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[Henry]

Jill, you removing your photo and stateing 'loss of joy' has now created a loss of Joy in me.

PUT your photo back!

[wind5001]

I have watched this thread since its start...and before, when the topic was dicussed elsewhere.

Honestly, it has saddened me more and more. I do not want to say much, because I agree with Richard and Jill and Henry and Queen and Kay and Odette. And they have said it very well.

 It is our choice, what we want to put in as a photo. And I do see this as a two-way street. The whole discussion seemed, sorry, a little "too American" to me. I know, that you WANT to do it right and this is what I love about your culture. But please, don't overdo it! There are things that make sense, and there are things that don't. If you travel there, ok, then try to adapt. That's what I do. BUT: You are all still in your home, so don't bend until you break.

I have posted before, that I do understand the borrowers' consternation, when they see animal pictures. I have written before, that I learned from the Indonesian kid, that we brought through University, that cats and dogs in their culture are dirty animals, that just linger around everywhere and try to get snippets of everything...they even bring diseases. He shared this with us, when I wrote about our cat and sent him pictures and he got to know how much she means to us. After I explained, he understood. Maybe he still thinks it is strange, but he accepted our viewpoint. And I think, that this could also be the case with the offended borrowers. The MFI should decide, whether they can show the pictures or not. And they should explain, when borrowers are angry about that.

Jill, your post broke my heart and I hope that you simply overreacted and I would love to see Jack again! He was the first I saw on loans, because his golden fur in front of the black background shone so much.

Oli

[Wood Fairy Glenda]

Jill - Put Jack back! 

[Odette]

Jill, please put Jack's picture back!

[KEDS]

I wonder if my borrowers really think I look like the photo to the left?

KEDS

[wind5001]

Well, KEDS, I at least thought so... 

[Laurie]

Gosh.  I wonder what any of the African borrowers would think, reading this thread.  Would they wonder about a life where, instead of spending 2 or 3 or 6 hours a day collecting firewood for cooking, or carrying water from a distant well or seep, you could spend 2 or 3 hours a day poking and pondering all the ramifications of whether or not to post your photo, or your pet's photo, or any photo at all on an internet (what that heck is THAT??) page?  Talk about a difference in cultures!

In my life, the pathway to happiness is gratitude.  Kiva is a constant reminder of what I have, a shower of gratitude.  I have running water.  I have switch on/switch off electricity.  I have an incredibly spoiled cat, and a loving husband.  I have more food than I can eat.  I have money to lend, and leisure time to discuss it in excruciating detail with people I have never met in person.

I believe this issue is a small one that is able to gain disproportionate importance for us because of the advantages we enjoy in our lives.  I feel grateful when little problems seem like big ones... because it means we HAVE no big ones.  Thanks for reminding me to keep it all in perspective.

Safe travels, all
Laurie

[Odette]

Very well said, Laurie. You have managed to very succinctly express my exact sentiments. Thank you.

[Kay]

Agreed.

[RichardF]

The wise sage Oli once said, "There are no accidents!"...

My work assignment for today was to attend the College of Education Academic Services Retreat - "Mosaic: Celebrating Our Differences."

The first stop on our whirlwind tour of campus was the royal treatment at the Black Cultural Center.  Our guide for the first half of the tour showed us how the architecture of the building symbolized an African village, the journey into American slavery and the rich cultural heritage of their ancestors and contemporaries.  Before she passed us off to the librarian, she invited a few questions then returned to her office.  As she passed by, I asked her if she might have a few minutes for a question or two I had that were too long for the group to endure.  Of course, she obliged and I slipped out of the periodicals section a few minutes later.

When I found her back in her office, she was busy at her computer and bantering with a colleague across the hall.  She smiled, gave me the be-right-there sign, and then said, "Yes, how can I help you?"

"Have you ever heard of the online lending site to the poor called Kiva?" I asked...

About thirty seconds later, she had the LEND page up and was another clear-cut case of Kiva Addiction (I'm a carrier).  By the time I was done talking with her, and after a different conversation at lunch with our own Diversity Director, I'm guessing at least two more college student lender groups are in the works (but that's another story).

My second question was about this topic and whether she would expect some entrepreneurs from Africa to be "offended" if they saw pictures from lenders, some of which were pets.  She immediately gave an understanding nod and agreed she could see how that might happen.  She shared that some borrowers might interpret a lender "showing" them a pet or some other sign of wealth as a way to convey their financial superiority, an attempt to humiliate them. 

I showed her how to get to this site and she bookmarked the page.  In the not-too-distant future, I hope she will manage to get hooked up/on Kiva/Friends and add her own words here.  We'll be co-conspiring to get some of her students hooked involved with Kiva (like the one who innocently walked into her office while we were talking), so I'm sure she and some of her students soon will find their ways into this vibrant, caring and empowering global village - our own Virtual Microfinance Cultural Center.