In January, the Lay Life and Mission Committee applied for and received a Special Project Grant from Penn West Conference.  The purpose of the grant is to lend money to people in developing nations.  The money received from the grant was loaned through Kiva.org

Kiva.org is a San Francisco based micro finance nonprofit organization.  Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.  Kiva empowers individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.

Loans were made to the following individuals and/or groups.  Most loan requests were for buying materials and supplies:

• Son of Man Group in Ghana for used clothing sales
• Bisa Nyame Group in Ghana for purchasing cereal grains to sell
• Mujeres Solidarias Group 4 in Dominican Republic for clothing sales
• Diana Aimee Ramiez Elias in El Salvador to purchase materials for crafts
• Gennadyi Medvedev in Ukraine for office supplies
• Mahbuba Karimova in Tajikistan for food market
• Chime Ezinwanne in Togo for shoe sales
• Sammy Kimuli in Kenya for manufacturing
• Aidah Kyambadde in Uganda for charcoal sales
• Teodosia in Peru for fuel/firewood sales
• Godfrey Siima in Uganda for farm supplies
• Ali in Lebanon for auto repair shop
• Cecilia in Ghana for fruit and vegetable sales
• Armando in Peru for general store
• San Antonio Group in Bolivia for services
• Yeth Yung in Cambodia for animal sales
• Mouhamad in Lebanon for auto repair shop
• Reynelda Aguirre Vda De Guerrero in El Salvador for general store
• Evans Ogeto in Keyna

As the loans are repaid, we will re-lend that money to other applicants.  The grant amount will continue to help many others for many years.

For more information about contributing to this cause, please visit http://www.kiva.org or speak with Stephanie Albaugh.

Pastor Sautter