I hope everyone is having a good Tuesday! Here’s a round-up of some things making me happy this week….
1. Micro-finance in the U.S.A.
Small loans for entrepreneurs aren’t just in Africa. Yesterday, a New York Times article highlighted Grameen America’s program for micro-loans (plus: support groups and training) for small business people here in the US. Loans can be just a few thousand dollars, are low interest, and help people build their credit history. It’s encouraging to see a wider range of financial options for people all over the world, including the US. Read the article here.
2. This quote
“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.” From Marian Wright Edelman
3. Board Games in Malawi
I smiled when I came across this photo from our 2011 trip to Malawi. Alan and Paul are play Bawo (the Malawian name for Mancala) on a huge hand-carved board. I used to play this with my sister when we were kids. Our board was travel-sized though!
4. Missing goats
I laughed when I heard a story about a high school prank where students painted the numbers 1, 2 and 4 on the sides of three goats and turned them loose in the school.
Administrators closed the school while frantically searching for goat #3, not knowing it didn’t exist. Moral of the story? Sometimes the thing we are desperately searching for is an illusion.
5. A chance to share (and learn)
I’m excitedly preparing to speak at Illinois College (Jacksonville, IL) next Monday on the topic of micro-finance. My talk is titled “Doughnuts, Haircuts, and Dried Fish: Entrepreneurs and Micro-Finance in Africa.” I look forward to sharing about the potential of micro-grants and hearing their thoughts about what this generation can do to create a better world.
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