A Loan On Life

In Kenya, HIV drugs are free, but they don't work unless one has food to go with this medicine. Most HIV positive women in Kenya have no money for food... so many die despite having daily access to a drug that could very effectively keep them alive.

Six weeks ago, HUB decided to give a small group of women their first "MicroLoan" to see if we could help stop the problem by assiting women to create a sustainable living for themselves. We wondered if MicroLoans really could release them from this vicious cycle of death (and orphaned children). It was an idea, a theory -- to loan them money so they could start a business that would sustain them. We wanted them to earn money so they could support themselves and not rely on others to feed their families.

We picked women in one of the toughest slums (Korogocho) to start the microloan process. Most of these women facing imminent death. I was not there, but I saw the footage of the day they received their loan. Many of the women were laying still on the ground (barely able to move) and dying. Their spirit was down and they "had nothing to live for".

They received a small loan for materials and they were trained to make beaded bracelets. Today, only 6 weeks later, I got to meeet them. They were eating, taking medicine, and alive with spirit. The loan they received gave them more than we ever thought it would. They talked of the hope they now have for their future, they talked of the joy in their hearts, the positive thoughts in their minds, the food in their stomachs, and the roaring will to live. And most of all, they had pride… pride that they were saving themselves and not just receiving handouts. Their self esteem was alive and growing. It radiated from their hearts.

HUB will be selling these bracelets on the corporate website to generate worldwide distribution for these women. I love thinking about what a huge difference this can make if we actually create major sales!

Here's a picture of me with two of the women. They tell me the woman on my left was near her death 6 weeks ago. She danced for me on this day and told me of her hopes and dreams. Small things really can change lives.

FYI - MicroLoans are paid back by the women after their businesses start. Then additional loans are given to more women in similar situations. There is no "collateral", just their “word” and “honor”. And in African slums, 95% of these loans are paid back. And most of the 5% that aren’t paid back are "not paid" because the borrower did not survive to pay the loan.

Also, I'm falling in love with many of the kids here in Kenya. I snapped a few pictures of kids along the street. I always ask their permission to take a picture and then show them their photo. They smile so big when they see their own faces! I don't think they get to see themselves on a normal day. When I come back to Africa, I want to bring a Polaroid camera so I can leave them pictures of themselves and their families. I’m really excited about the thought of that. Again, they have nothing... yet look at the spirit in their eyes.