$25

Back in 2007 saw the documentary by BYU called Small Fortunes about the subject of microcredit. If you ever get the chance to see it I highly recommend watching it. http://www.pbs.org/kbyu/smallfortunes/index.html

I then found out about a microloan/microcredit setup called Kiva.org.

While not perfect, microloans and microcredit are one of the most successful methods tried for helping people get out of poverty. The repayments of microloans and microcredit are very high, considerably higher than that of traditional loans to businesses. They have an advantage over traditional charity in that people are more likely to be lifted up out of poverty rather than getting just a handout that helps them for a short time, but not usually long term.

So I did my research on Kiva. Looking up online articles including news articles, blog posts, and reviews about them to make sure that they were legitimate, reputable, and that I felt comfortable with them.

I was excited about this way in which I could help entrepreneurs in impovrished or third world countries. The idea of helping entrepreneurs is important to me because I have long had my own dreams of starting a business. To help someone else who has the same dream is awesome. Depending on the part of the world you are loaning to, the loan may even be as small as $5 for someone to start their own business. Most women receiving these loans start their businesses because they want to improve the lives of their children, to feed them and clothe them, and help them to receive education.

So in August 2007 I lent the small amount of $25 to a woman in Mexico looking to expand her business, other lenders joined me to complete the rest of the amount she was asking for. I sent invites out to my friends about it and quickly got emails telling me I was probably falling for a scam.

So I just went about my life as usual. Periodically I would get updates telling of her progress and when she had repaid parts of her loan. And in February 2008 I received notice that her loan had been fully repaid. It was great to know I was able to help this woman and her family. I was then given the choice to receive my money back, or to re-loan it.

It's now four years later. Since it's once again August I find it fitting I have just received notice that another loan has been fully repaid. It has come full circle. That same $25 has now helped four women in four different countries to help them and their families out of poverty. Though it's not a lot I have now loaned $100 through Kiva...but always with that same $25.

So now I am about to search for yet another recipient for that $25 and hope that it will help them achieve their dreams as well, just as it has for these five (yes, I'm including me) women.

Follow Your Own Rules!

I think this is so cool! I created my first skateboard design using Zazzle.com today!

Here's the link.
http://www.zazzle.com/my_own_rules_skateboard-186973657444045909

There's a story here...

When I was a teenager I really wanted to learn to skateboard. But I didn't know any girls who rode a skateboard. And I was super shy and not doing *anything* to call attention to myself was my own self imposed taboo. (Well, I occasionally let myself dress a little wild. I remember wearing a military jacket and a pair of tall black boots from the 60s that I'd found at thrift stores. But by then I had convinced myself I was so invisible people wouldn't notice what I wore...just what I did.) And I was too caught up in believing I had to "follow the rules" i.e. what I thought others expected of me...and skateboarding was the last thing people expected of me. Everyone always described me as shy, nice, sweet and reserved...not that crazy girl who does things like ride skateboards. I thought I had to live up to the descriptions everyone gave of me, despite the inner angst that I wanted to live a life of something different, something more.

I'm now 36 and a part of me says... "Even though I know there are some women my age who skateboard, they've been doing it a long time and it's probably a little more acceptable for girls/women to skateboard where they live (i.e. California). I'm too old to take it up for the first time now." But then I am reminded of the quote by George Eliot (the pen name of a woman named Mary Anne Evans who wrote under the pseudonym of a man so she could follow her dreams of being taken seriously as a writer) that says, "It's never too late to be who you might have been."

So, maybe someday I'll take up skateboarding. In the meantime, there are other ways in which I'll follow what it says on that skateboard design I created...I'll follow my own rules. I am a thrift store fashion lover. I'm a fan of anime and kickboxing. I love romantic home decor...if it's pink and has roses on it I'm almost certain to love it. I'm eclectic and paradoxical. I now am also a part-time writer, and dabbler as an artist/designer for t-shirts and other things, and I've got plans in the works to start my own dream business that I envision being quirky and cool at the same time.

I definitely don't fit in a box or template of anyone's making...except God's.

Yeah, I'm starting to follow my own rules of how I want to be living.