In our July update report, we want to highlight a few of the ways we are investing funds to see lives changed and potential realized for those in difficult places. We’ll share some news and great updates from our support areas including Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, the Congo, and more. As always, we focus on orphans and children at risk and in great need, and on women in difficult circumstances globally, many of whom are refugees, IDPs (individually displaced persons) and in places of great poverty.
Small Loan Fully Repaid
First, some exciting news from Guatemala where we partner through Kiva.org to lend small business investment funds to women trying to make a better life for themselves and their children. Our loan to Los Cerritos de San Pedro group of ladies of $50 to help them grow their business cosmetic inventory has been fully repaid! We are averaging nearly a 99% repayment rate in all of our loans and this is due to the dedicated work of local partners facilitating the loans and providing training and support to the ladies receiving the loans.
We made 14 loans in the 2nd quarter of 2023, ranging from $50 to $150 to join with other investors helping to fulfill loan requests of anywhere from $250-1500. As always, we look for women in difficult locations, some of whom are IDP’s (individually displace persons) and refugees. An IDP, for example, is a loan to a woman in the Congo who has been forced to relocate due to war or unrest in her home area. As well, we have loans to women in Colombia who are refugees from difficulty in Venezuela that forced them to leave for the hope of a better future.
Update from the Congo (DRC)
We received a very good report from our local partner in the Congo about how the funds are helping that I want to share an excerpt from: “She is very happy because with this loan it has provided her goods, she has increased her profits, she has enormously improved the health and quality of life of her family, and she has also paid her children’s school fees. Without this help, she would never have received help for these urgent projects. We would like to thank HEKIMA and its partners who continue to help them, especially during this difficult period of repeated war in eastern DR Congo and the global crisis linked to covid-19.”
Ecuador Update
In Ecuador, we have been supporting orphanages providing safe homes, food, and schooling for children who otherwise have nowhere to go. Through OSSO (Orphanage Support Services Organization) we are able to join with others in providing hope, safety, healing, and a way forward for children at risk.
The Quito, Ecuador orphanage is back open to receive volunteers and supports after being closed to visitors due to Covid restrictions for quite a long time. In fact, later this year in November we hope to make a visit to the location and learn more firsthand how things are going and meet some of the orphans being supported!
Support the Vision
You are invited to join iGive Global as we support women, children, and at-risk orphans around the world who are in difficult places but are simply needing some form of small support and assistance along with local care and training to see their lives improve dramatically. We all can make a difference! As we’ve shared, even a small contribution of $50 can be part of a collaborative loan that helps a single mother grow her small micro-business and provide food, clean water, a home, and school fees for her children! The need is real and the possibilities to change lives is available! Would you consider a donation today?