An interesting KIVA partner: Ni Putu Suwitri supports Hindu pilgrims

[sabrinamari]

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=34470



"Ni Putu Suwitri is a hardworking housewife; she works to help her husband, Kade Wiriyana, who is only a field hand. Suwitri provides materials needed for Hindu prayers."

"In running the business, Suwitri has never joined formal course. She learned it by herself because preparing material for praying is a routine daily home activity. It began when Suwitri was still young, she saw her parents prepared praying materials and started learning to prepare it by herself that finally it could be an income source for her family. Suwitri started her business with Rp.500.000,- as the initial capital. During Hindu holydays, Suwitri got more orders that bring her higher income. She earns Rp 50.000,- a day and uses it to pay her children tuition fee. Her children are studying in grade VI and I of elementary school. Suwitri built their own semi-permanent house on her parents’ land. She wish to improve her business by increasing the capital so that she would be able to pool Hindu prayer materials products in her village and sell it."


The businesses I've partnered with so far:

http://www.kiva.org/lender/sabrina7185

Comments

[eoma-p.livejournal.com]

I'm curious about how you picked this. It's very appealing to me, but I tend not to give because I assume I'll choose wrong.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I picked this businesswoman because she's working hard to help her family and because her business is intriguing to me. I look through the list of folks who are looking for loans and just wait until someone's approach, business, life circumstance or level of need says,"Fund me, fund me!"

Usually I have to decide between two or three folks, but sometimes none of the businesses feel right. On those days, I don't lend.

It never occurred to me that I might make a wrong choice. I'm thinking about that now.

I think that almost any person who is plucky enough to get together a small business in a third world nation with very little capital is worth a good look. I mean, I'm not sure I could do it if it were me. I like the organization and I feel good about what its business partners do, so I think it would be hard to make a wrong choice.

There are some businesses I wouldn't want to fund: selling liquor or cigarettes, for example. And there are some businesses I really like, as in the lady I've funded who focuses on recycling. Also, i must admit that I'm not so hot on projects looking to fund the purchase of chemical fertilizers.

But for the most part, I think KIVA does a good job of offering me the opportunity to choose among many worthy candidates, and I always feel good about what I do through them.

And anyway, the money is not given---it's lent. It will come back to me to use differently if I need to do so, or I can just lend it out again. I love that. It's like 'money recycling'. :)