Fund for Mark Agwonah's mother: the Mama Mark Fund

[Guest]

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[Diane R]

This fund has been created for the purpose of collecting monetary contributions in the hope of helping the Mother of one of Kiva's entrepreneurs, Mark Agwonah.  We recently learned that Mark, who had been the sole support of his mother and two other family members, was brutally tortured and murdered in Kenya last month.  There are several other threads here and links you may want to visit for more information.

• Mark's initial loan, and the notice of his death:  http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=10175
• The Kivafriends discovery and discussion of Mark's death:  http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,667.0.html
• Discussion of the fund set up to lend in Mark's memory:  http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,682.0.html
• The status of Mark's memorial lending fund:  http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,724.0.html
• The Mark Agwonah Memorial Lending Group lenders page:  http://www.kiva.org/lender/markagwonahmemoria3530

This fund is now open for contributions.  Contributions can be made through Paypal, using any of their approved transfer methods (bank transfer, e-check, or credit card payment; I will absorb any fees charged by Paypal).  The Paypal fund is accessed by directing a payment to:
MamaMarkFund@gmail.com

(The steps are:  (1) log into your Paypal account; (2) select the black Send Money tab (which will then turn blue); (3) enter MamaMarkFund@gmail.com in the To: field; (4) enter your amount and currency and select "Service/Other" as the category to avoid any possible cash advance fees from your bank; (5) click Continue and choose your payment method to finish the transaction.)

You may also use that email address to send me any questions about the fund.  I will accept contributions through AUGUST 20th, 2007, at which time I will make a bank transfer to the bank specified by Irene Kamau, of Action Now: Kenya, the MFI which was administering Mark's loan.  Irene will be responsible for ensuring the funds reach Mama Mark in the appropriate way.  I will then reopen the fund for another month, sending any remaining funds to Irene at that time.

Our creation of this fund is but one expression of our shared sense of solidarity with and empathy for our Kenyan sisters and brothers.  It bespeaks our deep feeling of connection with and caring for the Entrepreneurs appearing on the Kiva website as well as their families and communities.

We deeply believe that we are all related, and that the formation of and contribution to a fund such as this represents the least we would want and hope to do for any other member of our families.



MAY JUSTICE BE DONE.

[wind5001]

Dear Diane,

thank you VERY much! My 2 cents are on their way...

Oli

[Diane R]

Status update:

Just a little over a day after creating this fund, you very generous people have already swelled its total to

$ 385 !

This is such a generous and caring community, and I thank you all with humility.  Mark's mother will surely be touched, and greatly helped.

We will still accept contributions to the fund through August 20th.  Thank you so much for your caring.

--Diane.

[Diane R]

Sunday morning update (Aug. 12, 2007):

The Mama Mark Fund has swelled further, to now contain a total of

$ 510 !!

This is such a generous and caring community; I am touched by all the kind thoughts and gifts to a family in need, whom we have such a thin but oh-so-human connection to.  Thank you again, one and all.

--Diane.

[Laurie]

Diane, thanks for the update (and for ALL THE EFFORT you have put into this).  Can you tell us how many contributions have been made to the fund?  I am very curious about how far our "reach" has been... I picture this as the effort of a fairly small group (the active KF's), but wonder about the accuracy of that perception.

Safe travels,
Laurie

[Diane R]

Sure, Laurie.  The total mentioned this morning includes 11 separate contributions.  While not everyone included a KivaFriend name with their contribution, I believe everyone who contributed has participated in some way on this forum, although some are infrequent posters here.

--Diane.

[Carol]

Diane what a wonderful thing to do.  It proves we can do something from here if we just apply ourselves.

Bravo
Carol

[Ramón]

Hi Diane,

in your correspondence with Irene, have you brought up the topic of forgiving the outstanding loan? I'd be a bit disappointed if the money we collect here is just used to pay off the outstanding Kiva loan...

This is something the MFI should be able to write off-- maybe with the help of some of the Kiva lenders on that loan.

I've just sent in my small contribution.

thanks for all your efforts!

--Ramón

[Robert]

As far as I know, the loan is forgiven. The Kiva Terms of Use say in paragraph 13: "In the event that the Borrower to whom your money was lent or you die before the end of the loan term, you and your estate hereby forgive all outstanding loans."

[wind5001]

But there has been a payment posted at the site, at least when I last checked... 

Thanks for pointing that out, Robert. I thought I'd read it somewhere before, but that makes me sure I did.

Oli