At 2 weeks

So our little 5 pitbull survivors are 2 weeks old this weekend. Some of them have started to open their eyes. They are still inmobile and make sounds like baby toys. Hugo has picked out which of the doggies are going to be stronger than the others, by their neck size. Really, though, they are just all so cute. Magnolia seems to have recovered from childbirth and leaves her little ones in the dog house as she roams the rest of the lawn space. The other doggie news is that it turns out that Shakira now is in heat and if Hugo has anything to do with it (which he does) she will give birth in approximately 2-3 months. That means more little pitbulls.

Any buyers?

So much in so little time

Have I ever mentioned that I love my job? Well, I do. Every week is full; new things, new stories, triumphs, and yes, struggles. When I wake up I never know what I am going to experience, hear or learn. And I love that.

Another week is coming to an end. This week our partner Multicredit formed a new bank 'Fighting Women' just in time for Amy Knop-Narbutis arrival. Amy is our new volunteer from the LBJ school in Austin, TX joining DHF on the ground in Cajamarca until August. She witnessed the song start and loan reimbursement for 'Fighting Women' on her first day in high altitudes.

Besides the bank formation this week, we also had sewing classes, an appetizer class and finished making children's sweaters. This afternoon we will finish poncho's in the countryside, have more literacy learning and define the leadership directive of yet another new village bank. So much good stuff in one short little week.

Perks

I enjoy a lot of perks with my job, just like I struggle with many frustrations. One of the perks I got to enjoy today was the sweetest of freshly made truffles and manjar blanco (dulce de leche) cookies. DHF held an appetizer course and by my taste buds, the women did a fabulous job of creating sweet appetizers. There were some extra truffles (after everyone got their fair share) for me to take home and eat as desert later tonight. Yum.

Leadership

A start on leadership this month! Finally! I have been working for the past two months on starting our leadership series and it finally got off the ground. Like last year, I want to work with our new village banks to create a learning space where our bank members can grow into leaders. Give them the tools, ideas and safe space to try out new things and self-evaluate their self-esteem, strengths and vision.

This group is much different than my leadership group last year. During this leadership workshop ( which is a total of 4 workshops) I invited all (27 women) bank members from 3 different village banks. This loan cycle a women may not be President or Secretary, but next loan cycle she might. We want to find the leader in all our women.

Although the majority of women I invited to the workshop know how to read and write, the majority of women that actually came to the workshop didn't know how to read and write. This created some difficulty when it came time to do certain exercises. Furthermore, although we had a childcare provider, many of the women didn't want to leave their toddlers in someone else's care. So we had some little crys from below the table, here and there, throughout the workshop.

However, since I have such great co-workers, they helped facilitate the movement of our first workshop despite the little crys and other problems that came up. And, they were full of ideas of how to improve for the 2nd workshop. My favorite comment from the workshop was from Nancy, "I want to learn how to speak in front of people, like leaders do."

p.s. The Doggie Update - we still have 5 little guys that squeal like baby toys, but have yet to open their eyes. Growing and healthy.

Dreamtime Circus

Besides the Pennsylvania University students that visited us this week, there is another group of gringos in town. The Dreamtime circus (http://www.dreamtimecircus.org/). They are finishng up their 2nd International Tour and Cajamarca happens to be their 2nd to last stop. I have invited all our loan recipients and their kids to attend the free shows this week, as it is a presentation that is unique and rare in these parts. Hugo and I took his little brother yesterday and the result: laughs and future jugglers. Sebastian and Javier couldn't stop juggling all night long after the inspiration from the show.

From Research to Field

This week DiscoverHope Fund hosted a group of University students from Pennslyvania that had collaborated with Maggie on the U.S. side to research information for our Microcredit Toolkit. Since they had read and researched microcredit work they wanted to see firsthand; Is the fieldwork really like what the research says?

They were here a short two days, but made the most of their time. They met our village banking team at the Multicredit office, visited Hope House classes, walked to countryside village banks to hold focus groups, and ended their visit with a business tour (among transportation strikes and street blockage!) They came thirsty for experience and that is what they got, along with a bug or two that dwindled their group down from 6 to 4 people.

On our business tour this morning we visited 7 businesses: Quinoa apple breakfast drink streeet cart (which the group gave 2 thumbs up for service, cleanliness and flavor!), an orange juice stand, a small little store, a house filled with duck-chicken- pig-sheep all being raised for market, a ceviche and frito food stand, a blanket knitter and finally a candlemaker. The group fell in love the kiddos along the way, who wouldn't?

For me the business tour was also an eye opening experience, as I got to visit new loan recipients' businesses in banks that had just formed last month. According to the Penn group, they were surprised at how business savy some of our women are; for example the women who adds spice to her ceviche in order to promote the sale of her soda and our orange juice seller who knows exactly how much oranges (and which kind) she needs to buy and how much juice she needs to sell to make a profit. It filled me with such good energy to listen to our women's stories, celebrate successes and really show-off the good stuff that microcredit does. Imagine, we got to do all this in the midst of a citywide transportation strike that closed off the main streets in town. Goodness prevails!

Dog Day

Today has been an all out dog day. Hugo awoke to the sound of his brother yelling at the top of his lungs, "there are little puppies. Magnolia had her babies." Hugo didn't take long before he was downstairs with the little ones - all 7. Have you ever seen a newborn pitbull? They look like a mix between guinea pigs and piglets. Cute and akward. Since the morning, two of the little guys didn't make it, mom is just too big and squished some of them. So we now only have 5 little pitbulls, which makes a grand total of 8 dogs in this house right now. Wow.

Hugo and Sebastian decided to work on Shakira's house today, a two story mansion. I have never seen a house so big for one single dog. Well, actually the idea is the two story dog house will hold many dogs, including the new arrivals. The new house is practically done, just needs the staircase finishing touches.

Goals and Ponchos

The week end on a good note. DHF held two activities this afternoon. A Poncho class in the countryside, for women that don't have the money to cover transportation costs to come to the Hope House. And, literacy class in the Hope House. Our attendance for literacy went from 1 student last week to 7 students this week. A huge literacy boost, I think partly due to recruit help from Elizabeth doing door to door visits. Also, I went to meet a newly formed village bank "United Women" and during our meeting I invited the women to literacy (and other development classes). As part of our literacy program this year we are creating individual goals for each student. What is it that you want to learn in regards to literacy that will help you in your daily life? And each women knows the answer to that, so we just help frame it. And put in on paper. And then work on that.

Going home today happy and healthy. Resting up for another full week; join me on Monday to start the good stuff again.

Finding a Room

I have been drinking hot limeade and orange juice, which has helped tremedously in the battle against my cold. My energies are almost 100%; which is amazing after I have used a lot of energy to find a room in Banos de Inca.

We are holding our first leadership workshop next Saturday for our rural banks located outside of the small town Banos de Inca. At first I thought we could hold the workshop in one of our loan recipient's houses - she has a great big room that is perfect for this activity. But, after talking with some of our women in another village bank, I found out her house is a good 45 minute walk, and "if we went, what time would we get home to feed our animals?" Good point.

So I started on a search this week to look for a common room that would fit 30 women comfortably in Los Banos. I went to the Municipality and they have this official form that you can fill out to request the auditorium. I filled it out on Monday and returned 2 days later, as indicated. When I returned to the same office to find out if my request had been processed, they sent me across town to another municipality office. There the guy in charge wasn't around and often leaves "whenever on the fly" so I had to return the next day. Today.

Sr. Rosario informed me that they can't honor my request because the Municipality doesn't work on Saturdays. Could someone have told me this when I first filled out the form? Or when I came back two days later? No.

In the meantime, I went to the Parroquia, Catholic Church near the Central Plaza in Los Banos. They have an auditorium that they rent out for a ridiculously large sum of money. I asked to talk to the administrator in charge to see if there was the possiblity of renting a room for a lower fee. Administrator wasn't around, but he would call me. 3 days later, no call.

Oh, and I visited a local restaurant too. I asked about using a room and they just looked at me funny, like I wasn't speaking spanish.

So I went back to the Parroquia 3 days later to encounter - who else? - the administrator. He showed me another room, for a lower fee, that was perfect. Only took 3 visits to Los Banos and some mean negociating skills to get our Leadership Workshop Room!

Meet Bertha (Elizabeth)

This is a little overdue, please forgive me. After months of good health, the cold/flu bug has attacked and much of my recent energy has been going towards the cold fight.

Last week DiscoverHope Fund welcomed a new member to our village banking project. Elizabeth Bertha, but we'll just call her Bertha, otherwise you'll confuse her with our village bank officer Elizabeth. She is our new business advisor and will dedicate her time to listening to women's business difficulties, providing simple business solutions and do individual follow-up with business progress. She brings a wealth of experience working with women in poverty and her professional background is accounting. I love having her as part of our team as she is a strong woman filled with ideas and totally committed to our work. Since she started she has been meeting the various village banks and visiting women in their respective business. We threw her into the fire and this past Saturday she did a pre-programmed business session with our bank Las Progresistas. Since it was on the eve of Mother's Day, the village banking meeting was filled not only with loan re-payment and business tips, but a small lunch and cake. A nice way to start out on the job.

Takes Time

Everything takes time. Some things take more time than planned. Others, less. Pictured here is what I like to call the "Pineapple" Flower. We bought these flowers back in October, specifically because I was told they would bloom for January and we would have pineapple flowers everywhere for our wedding ceremony. They finally bloomed in May, when I returned home from a week long Lima trip. 5 months off.

As some of you know, I went to Lima at the end of April to receive my International Residency Card. Yes, I am a legal Peruvian resident now. That meant I could officially petition for Hugo's visa at the embassy, which I did only 2 days after receiving my residency. Yesterday we received two big manila envelopes. The embassy accepted my petition and already set a date to interview Hugo. Next month. This part of the process is indeedmoving much faster than anticipated. This process is a long time coming, ever since the marriage paperwork back in May. It is taking time, but it is moving. And really, at this point, the amount of time left (considering what we have already put in) may not be all that much time, before Hugo and I are in Minnesota together for the first time.

Sales for Mom

Finally!

I am so happy. Finally 6 of our loan recipients organized themselves to sell their jewelry and other crafts for Mother's Day. I had been encouraging the women since our first Buy Day this year to sell to locals, now that we have a prime traffic space. Our office and Hope House learning space is on the 2nd floor of the community complex that is only 2 blocks from the Central Plaza. 1,000's People walk past our office every day and don't even know it. The loan recipients that motivated to sell for Mother's Day approached the Head Nun earlier this week to ask permission to sell on the 1st floor, right in front of the main doorway. They said, Yes. BINGO!

So far, sales have been steady. Not over the roof, but the women are making just a little bit more money compared to their normal sales.

May Start

This month has started out with a bang. I usually wait the first couple days of the month to get started with classes, because I use the first days of the month to purchase materials, 'pass the word' and get everything in order. But, since I traveled to Lima last week (to become a legal Peruvian resident with the immigration office!) I handed out May class calendars to loan recipients the last week of April. And, I had women sign up early for classes, which in and of itself is a miracle.

This week so far women have made jewelry, organized themselves for jewelry sales, started computer classes and our sewing class is finishing their skirts for Mother's Day. All of that in only a couple of days. We still have a whole month ahead of us to do so much more.

Our sewing class is moving along and sewing their first project. They are making skirts. Just in time for Mother's Day. So, we will have a lot of happy moms that will be wearing new skirts on Sunday.

It has been such a joy to witness women learning how to use the computer for the first time. Two of our computer students today mentioned, "WOW, now I know how to turn on the computer and write something."

Biz Prep for Mother's Day

This week was filled with classes to prepare our loan recipients for Mother's Day business. Mother's Day is just around the corner, a week away. Many of our contract teachers know this week and have been preparing for weeks for big sales this coming week. However, many of our loan recipients haven't been doing the same thing, either because they have never made Mother's Day crafts or haven't targeted their businesses in this holiday. The women learned how to decorate chocolates during one of the classes this week, which can be used either as a personal gift (thus saving money) or making more and selling them (making money)! This week will be the test to see if women are able to implement their new skills into new business.