Wednesday 19 April 2017

Kiva loans to Tibet and Lesotho

Lala in China 
I've been so busy since we got back from Spain that, for the first time in ages, Kiva Repayments Day completely slipped my mind! Usually I eagerly anticipate it for several days beforehand, but it wasn't until the first 'You have money in your account' email arrived that I realised the 17th of the month had rushed around again already! Despite being unprepared, I did get lucky with my loans for April. I have lent to two new-to-me countries, China and Lesotho, which brings my total for countries lent to up to 70.

Chinese loans are quite rare and loans to Chinese women practically fabled, so I was delighted to spot A Loan To Lala before it was filled. Lala makes traditional warm Tibetan clothing for children. She wanted funds to expand her workshop by employing five more staff.

In Lesotho, innovative business African Clean Energy provide alternative cookstoves to low-income communities. Traditional cookstoves generate severe health and environmental damage like respiratory diseases and black carbon (a severe contributor to climate change). ACE cookstoves are smokeless and ensure near complete combustion of fuel, eliminating black carbon. I lent to the Molungoa Group to buy their cookstoves.

I still have a few more repayments due by the end of this month so hope I will get to make a third loan before May. Would you like to join me on Kiva too?

Molungoa Group in Lesotho 

2 comments:

  1. You do amazing work, Stephanie. Some day, I'd like to give back and help out globally like you do. <3

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