Changing Lives - Team Runako Kiva Update

We've done it again - Loans are being repaid and we've been able to sponsor our 13th loan!  Those who know me, also know how excited I am about posting updates about Kiva Loans!  If you'd like to learn more about other loans we've sponsored, please click on the Kiva link to the left of this page to see what all my excitement is about. 

Loan Updates

Team Runako has nine (9) loans repaid in full,  1 repaid 20% and 1 repaid 47%, the 12th loan was from one of our members. Our default percentage has been zero.  Of the last two loans made a few months ago, the group from the Dominican Republic has already repaid 47% back.  These numbers in my opinion say so much for these ambitious entreprenuers...and I'm totally excited about what they've been doing.  One of the great things about Kiva, is they provide lenders with updates on the recipients and how their businesses are coming along, making the total experience so worthwhile and personal.   Next up...

What's New?    

Meet Flordeliza Penserga of the Phillipines

Flordeliza is a 50 year old widow from the Phillipines.  She supports her family with three businesses ventures - fishing, fish vending and manicure and pedicure services.  She wanted something better for her family and has had 4 other loans in the past that have slowly helped her and her family lift themselves out of poverty. By the sweat of her brow, her first loan allowed her to improve the standard of living for her family and this loan will help her to purchase new fishing gear and equipment.   

THAT my friends is what Kiva is all about and THAT is why I lend.  It's not about giving to help with a need, it's about giving to help someone learn to help themselves.  Giving through Kiva enables others to learn a new skill or build their business, allowing them to better themselves and their family and alleviate poverty.  

Another great thing about lending through Kiva is that you can cheer for the success of your entrepreneurs. You can form lending teams and cheer together. Team Runako is one of many teams on Kiva.org that you can join. And I would welcome your partnership in helping alleviate poverty all over the world. If you are already a lender through Kiva, please consider joining up with our team, not only will your lending dollars go towards your individual giving, but it will also go towards our team goal. If you're considering lending with Kiva, also consider joining our team when you sign up for your account. After you join, grab our badge to the right and post it proudly on your site or blog.

Unveiling and lifting others,

Changing Lives...Team Runako Kiva Updates

Lending through Kiva is definitely one thing that still gets me as excited today as when I sponsored my first loan through Runako Designs over a year ago. The thought and ability to help others help themselves is something that really gets my adrenaline racing! Critics...say what you like, but Kiva works!!

Through my business I'm able to help others around the world start or energize their own businesses or go to school. By taking 25% of proceeds from the sell of my Giving Necklaces, my customers and I are able to give again... and again... and again! Tonight, Team Runako is happy to announce that we've sponsored loan number 7 and 8, and will gladly share with you their stories, but first....

Loan Updates
We have four loans that have been 100% repaid!! Our most recent recipient, Carmen, has ALREADY paid back her loan and her business is doing well...they all make me so very proud! Reuon Roun of Cambodia is 70% repaid and the Bushra Group is 68% repaid, and I'm confident they'll both come through. Now on to our most recent recipients...

What's New...

Meet...Silvio Antonio Moreno Arroliga

Silvio has received a number of loans and he is very happy to have had this series of new and different experiences because each loan was unique. His business is the creation and sale of jewelry. He has had this business for more than 17 years. He is the primary provider for his wife and two children, and he is very dedicated to his family. He is seeking this loan to purchase enough raw materials to satisfy the many recent orders he has received from his large client base. Silvio's dream is to improve the conditions of his store – it is very small and he would like to expand it.

Meet Nai Phouk's Group

Mrs. Nai Phouk is a silk weaver. She is 30 years old and the mother of three children, one of whom is attending the local school while the others are too young for school. Her husband, Mr. Horn Sokhy, is a farmer who owns a small piece of land and cultivates rice. He is also a duck breeder. Since her business is going well, she wants to expand it to meet the demands of her customers. Thus, she decided to ask for a loan to buy more raw materials for weaving.

In a group loan, each member of the group receives an individual loan but is part of a group of individuals bound by a group guarantee. Under this arrangement, each member of the group supports one another and is responsible for paying back the loans if one of their member defaults.

Both loan requests have been fully funded as of this post. Congratulations to both recipients and good luck in your ventures!

Thanks Brook Shenson of Shopmollyd for your recent purchase of the Giving Necklace!!

Team Runako
Part of the excitement about lending through Kiva is that you can cheer for the success of your entrepreneurs. Another great part of Kiva is that you can form lending teams and cheer together. Team Runako is one of many teams on Kiva.org that you can join. And I would welcome your partnership in helping alleviate poverty all over the world. If you are already a lender through Kiva, please consider joining up with our team, not only will your lending dollars go towards your individual giving, but it will also go towards our team goal. If you're considering lending with Kiva, also consider joining our team when you sign up for your account. After you join, grab our badge to the left and post it proudly on your site or blog. Trish over at Jewels on a Whim is a member of our team. Trish has sponsored 9 of her own loans through Kiva!! Way to go Trish!! So what are YOU waiting for???

So, join Runako Designs in helping to alleviate poverty by sponsoring a loan through Kiva or through your purchase of the Giving Necklace. Let's make some positive changes in the world together one loan at a time!

To learn about other loans we've sponsored, visit the Positive Changes in the World archive to the right.

Unveiling and Giving,
Dee
When I'm not loaning money, I'm making jewelry. check out my designs on my website at Runako Designs

Loans That Change Lives ..Kiva Update

It's been a minute since I've posted an update on Kiva...long overdue as far as I'm concerned; but, I'm happy to announce that Runako Designs has sponsored loan number six this week! And since we're celebrating milestones this month I may as well add that, August 20th marked one year since we started lending through Kiva! I'll tell you more about our latest loan recipient in a minute, but first let me update you on our other loans and more great news.

Loan Updates
Two of our loans have been repaid in full! I'm so very proud of Paulina and Khady. No update on Khady, as you remember they were dealing with some illnesses, but hopes and prayers are that she is doing well. One group loan is deliquent as of this month, but they have paid well up to this point and is 32% complete. I'm not giving up on them this early in the game. Ana is steadily repaying her loan and is 36% complete and our last recipient, Reuon Roun of Cambodia has already started paying his loan back is at 20% complete. Our recipients ability to keep up with their loan payments, can only mean one thing...things are going well. And because they've done so well, We've been able to sponsor someone else.

Meet Carmen
Carmen is from Peru. She is a 34 year old mom with two children, fourteen and five. She is back and forth between household activities and her handicraft business. She sells products to tourist in Taray. Carmen has requested a $225 loan to purchase more handicrafts to sell. As of my loan, she was still in need of seventy-five more dollars. As of this post, her loan request has been fulfilled! Carmen plans to repay her loan in 4 payments, final payment due February 1st. Lets wish Carmen good luck in her ventures and thanks to all lenders for making it possible.

Team Runako
Part of the excitement about lending through Kiva is that you can cheer for the success of your entrepreneurs. Another great part of Kiva is that you can form lending teams and cheer together. Team Runako is one of many teams on Kiva.org that you can join. And I would welcome your partnership in helping alleviate poverty all over the world. If you are already a lender through Kiva, please consider joining up with our team, not only will your lending dollars go towards your individual giving, but it will also go towards our team goal. If you're considering lending with Kiva, also consider joining our team when you sign up for your account. After you join, grab our badge to the left and post it proudly on your site or blog. Trish over at Jewelry, Money and Saving Lives recently joined up with our team. Trish has sponsored 6 of her own loans already through Kiva!! Way to go Trish!! So what are YOU waiting for???

The Giving Necklace
Runako Designs makes it all happen through our specially designed necklace we call the Giving Necklace. This necklace was designed to show off your support for the Kiva Project. Twenty-five percent of sales from every necklace goes towards funding a micro-loan to an entrepreneur in an under developed country. Feel good knowing that your one time purchase keeps on giving, again and again. Necklace measures 18 inches, with a Sterling silver clasp.

The Hill Tribe Silver leaf represents the Kiva vision, the green Cubic Zirconia pendant represents money loaned and the green Freshwater Pearl represents good luck for the borrower and the lender.

So, join Runako Designs in helping to alleviate poverty by sponsoring a loan through Kiva or through your purchase of the Giving Necklace. The first person to purchase a Giving Necklace this exciting month will recieve a matched donation by ME to sponsor a loan immediately through Team Runako! Let's make some positive changes in the world together one loan at a time!

Unveiling and feeling good,
Dee

Runako Designs - Positive Change through Kiva

Those who follow my blog, already know that I am a HUGE fan of Kiva.org. For those new to the blog, please take a minute to view my archive of Positive Changes in the World, to see what great things Runako Designs is doing in support of such a wonderful organization.

A month or so ago, I mentioned that was Kiva trying to start a micro loan program in the United States...well they DID IT!! Kiva has launched in the United States! You can now visit Kiva.org and help an entrepreneur right in your own backyard. As of 10:11 pm tonight, there were 64 loans still in the fundraising status. New York and California are the pilot states at this current time. What exciting news!!

And if that doesn't excite you, how about this great news? First Lady Maria Shriver and the Women's Conference (We Invest) have partnered with Kiva to bring micro lending to the US, in their continued efforts to empower women to become financially independent, To find out more about Maria's Kiva Team, and how you can support, visit the Women's conference Website.

Watch First Lady Maria Shriver, talk about Kiva:



Feeling inspired to learn more? Visit the links below for two more recent videos from ABC News and Good Morning America!

Good Morning America
ABC News

Want to wear your support and show everyone you're a lender? Purchase one of my Exclusively Designed Giving Necklaces, where 25% of the proceeds go back to Kiva to fund a micro loan. Runako Designs has funded 5 loans so far, and I couldn't be prouder.

How can you help?

I'm calling upon all of my followers, fans and visitors to help me spread the word about Kiva, and their new US program, by talking about Kiva and linking back to this specific post:

1. If posting on Twitter, tweet the post and RT to me at runakodesigns

2. If posting to Facebook, stumbled upon or a blog or other social network, leave me a comment when you do and tell me where you linked, with the link.

If you have linked through at least two mediums, with Twitter, Facebook, a blog, or any other social network, you're name will be entered for each link in a drawing for a FREE Giving Necklace!...25% proceeds donated by me! For every day you post or tweet, you'll get an extra entry.

If you are only able to make one link, your names will be entered into a separate drawing for a special pair of earrings, I'll make up especially for this. I'll be drawing next Thursday, so lets Rock and Roll!!

It's a good day when together we can change lives.

Unveiling,
Dee

Runako Designs - Loans That Change Lives

Team Runako is changing another life this month! Woohoo, I'm really excited to be telling you that we've sponsored our 5th loan this month through Kiva. I noticed a pattern going as I looked back at my other loans and they had one thing in common, ALL women. Okay, I'll admit, that wasn't exactly a coincidence, but in an effort to make things right, because I would never want anyone to say that I was bias when it came to giving and helping, our fifth loan was to a male ARTIST, and I'll tell you a little bit more about him, after I catch you up on what our other recipients have been doing. Also as a side note, I say five loans total; however, Team Runako has sponsored 4, I personally sponsored 1, all the same, so that's five as far as I'm concerned. Okay, so....

What's Happening

As you know, Khady Dieng from Senegal, repaid their loan last month. The great news is that with the money lent to help grow their business, Khady was able to fix up their home, purchase some furnishings, tile the dirt floor and purchase a fridge. Khady was also able to grow a savings. The downside right now to Kahdy's story is that they are having medical issues and is currently unable to work the business, but with the money saved, they are able to contribute to health care. Since our last post Paulina Amankra of Ghana, has also repaid her loan 100%, one month in advance! The Chouhan Group from Pakistan, has already started repaying their loan ahead of schedule to grow their grocery business. Last but not least Ana from Peru, has already started repaying her loan ahead of schedule, so my guess is that things are going great for her and her knitting business.

Meet Reuon Roun

Reuon is 31 years of age and lives in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia. He sells wood carvings that he carves himself, using wood from the forest. Reuon transports these carvings around to villages in the community to sell. He is currently earning around $3.00 per day. His Wife is a vegetable farmer, and they have two children at home. They have been planning to purchase a motorbike, but their finances have only been enough to support daily needs. Reun would like to purchase a motorbike for his family's transportation. Well, once again, when I started typing this blog, Reun was in need of $50 more dollars, as of this minute his loan request has been fully funded! I'm proud to be a part of helping Reuon and his family, and hope that the extra transportation will allow them to be more mobile in the selling of their carvings and vegetables.

Recent Supporters of this Loan:
Franchon Brown - Chesterfield, Virginia

If you'd like to help support an Entrepreneur in an underdeveloped country, visit Kiva.org to find out more about Micro loans. If you decide to loan, please join Team Runako and lets change the world together. Wear your support proudly by purchasing a Giving Necklace from Runako Designs, where 25% of the proceeds will go towards our next loan.

Unveiling proudly,
Dee

Runako Designs - Loans That Change Lives

Team Runako has funded another Micro-loan this week and we're feeling pretty good about it. Kiva continues to do wonderful things. This week alone, citizens around the world have funded 1 loan every 25 seconds!! Sounds incredible, but I can believe it. The last two loans I've made, had to be completed quickly. While browsing to find 1 or 2 to choose from, I'd come back with a decision and the Loan was complete! Initially disappointed, yet soon happy that folks are so eager to make a change. Now for some updates:

What's Happening

If you'll recall from the last post, we had three outstanding loans. Well, Khady Dieng from Senegal, has paid back 100% of her loan, and is doing well with her fish selling business. Paulina Amankra of Ghana has repaid 71% of her loan to expand her store. Paulina is right on target, with her 9 month goal of repaying. Last but not least the Chouhan Group received their loan in February and is working hard to stock their Grocery Business. If you're interested in reading about each of these recipients, check the Postive Changes in the World archive to the left.

New Loans

I've been trying for months to support someone in the Arts, but they seem to go quickly; however, as they say... the early bird catches the worm! This morning, I was able to grab dibs on a loan for just that and what a story. With $100 more dollars to go, someones dream is about to come true.

Meet Ana

Ana is from Lima, Peru. She is 38 years old, married, and raising two small children. This is her first request for a loan. From the time she was a little girl, she has had to work hard to help her family, and among her jobs to make money, she found that her true vocation is embroidery. She started out making different fabrics, after being recognized at different work places for her talent. She later acquired special machinery for knitting and embroidery, enabling her to work from her home, making clothing brought to her, because only she, with her great creativity, could provide the decoration required. Since then, she's been able to stay home with her children and help her husband support their family and pay bills. Ana is looking to improve her level of service, buy obtaining more specialized machine and instruments that will ease her work. Some days requires her to put out 100 to 300 pieces of clothing. Ana has requested a $950 dollar loan to buy more supplies for her embroidery business and Team Runako is proud to be a supporter! Ha!! just a quick update...since I started posted this entry 15 minutes ago, Ana's loan has been fully funded...how awesome is that!

Recent Supporters of this Loan:

Rena Klingenberg

If you'd like to help support an Entrepreneur in an underdeveloped country, visit Kiva.org to find out more about Micro loans. Join Team Runako and lets change the world together. Wear your support proudly by purchasing a Giving Necklace from Runako Designs, where 25% of the proceeds will go towards our next loan.


Unveiling Proudly,
Dee