Subject: Join TeamFreecell at kiva.org
Date: Wed May 27 03:07:19 2009
User: malr
Message:And now for something completely different - went to look up Kiva on Wikipedia, and this is where I ended up...
Link: A true image from a false kiva
Date: Wed May 27 03:08:58 2009
User: damgud
Message:hey, mabb??? i THINK you welcomed me twice.....as my real name is denise........
thanx for the double shot!
damgud
Date: Wed May 27 07:09:15 2009
User: malr
Message:Oh, and - welcome aboard all newbies! Glad to have you.
Helen
Date: Wed May 27 08:49:19 2009
User: Ponychick
Message:.e waves to damgud
.hug damgud
hang in there lady!
Date: Wed May 27 19:53:38 2009
User: mabb
Message:ooops!
double welcome, double hugs, denise!
Date: Sat May 30 00:22:59 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:We just need one more Freeceller to join our TeamFreecell, to make an even 10 team members in May. Just one more.
Here's Team Freecell as of now.
Date: Mon Jun 1 09:58:59 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:On May 16 I posted:
"I would like to see our group double in the next two weeks. Six people."
Later, I hoped we could get to ten. Unfortunately, we stagnated at nine for about the last week, so while the increase from three to six was fulfilled 200%, we never quite got over that last little hurdle.
:(
Perhaps we can build the team more in June and July. Kiva is really so worthwhile. It builds small businesses and supports families. Capitalism in its purest form.
Regards!
Snowy
Date: Mon Jun 1 17:27:53 2009
User: chrissie8madrid
Message:Are we all going to agree on an investment strategy or do we just keep doing our own thing? I have now been paid back and need to take some positive action.
Date: Mon Jun 1 22:50:51 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:I don't know, chrissie. We really haven't developed a joint strategy yet. Perhaps we should all be doing our own thing under the umbrella of TeamFreecell for the time being.
Glad to see you've been repaid. That was fast! Most of mine have repayment schedules that run 7-11 months, although I do have one that will be repaid in three months beginning August.
My emphasis so far has been sub-Saharan Africa, and I noticed others seem to be concentrating in some other areas. (By the way, I see one of our Team members made her first loan today. Way to go, Pony!)
(Do you have any ideas how we can round up some more Team members?) I mean, considering the millions that love Freecell and the hundreds or thousands that frequent this site, we really should have more than nine.
Good news about your repayment. Roll it into another great loan!
Snowy
Link: TeamFreecell
Date: Mon Jun 1 23:36:18 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:I also see bil lent money to one of the same groups I supported, Grace Tushabe's Group. (18 people in the business of shoe selling in Uganda.) This is Grace's fourth loan, to continue to expand her group's business.
TeamFreecell is listed as one of the Top Lending Teams for this group.
Hmmmmm... chrissie?
Link: Grace Tushabe's Group
Date: Tue Jun 2 09:03:42 2009
User: hotnurse
Message:Ok, I've read about it and I will join. KMc
Date: Tue Jun 2 09:17:10 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
.hug hottie
.fondle hottie
.smile
Date: Tue Jun 2 09:39:46 2009
User: hotnurse
Message:Joe, we may need to take this to another room. ;) KMc
Date: Tue Jun 2 10:31:26 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:Yeah. I just realized I didn't give anybody else that kind of welcome.
(Certainly not bil!)
Date: Sat Jun 6 13:01:27 2009
User: mabb
Message:Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Welcome Hotnurse! I had a feeling you couldn't hold off forever...
Date: Sat Jun 6 14:52:08 2009
User: malr
Message:Snowguy, in the interests of sexual equality, and to reflect our joint Captainhood, I feel you should hand over Hottie to be fondled by me & mabb...
You just get to watch.
Helen
Date: Sat Jun 6 15:13:21 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:She's yours for.... oh, let's say ten minutes.
Okay a couple days. Have fun!
(See what the fun stuff that can happen when you join TeamFreecell?)
(Remember, you need not become lender when you join. But some day, down the road, we think you will do so. It could be a week or months from now.
The sign-up table is now open.
Link: Team Freecell
Date: Sat Jun 6 21:56:23 2009
User: mabb
Message:This just in! PBO approves micro-financing (like what KIVA does).
From the Cairo speech...
"That is why the United States will partner with any Muslim- majority country to support expanded literacy for girls and to help young women pursue employment through *micro-financing* that helps people live their dreams."
Get on board, friends....it's what PBO would want!
Date: Mon Jun 8 14:55:53 2009
User: hotnurse
Message:Wow, there are tons of causes to donate. I am really busy these days. Does anyone have a specific one that they recommend at this time??? I'm willing to donate but don't have time to be choosy.
KMc
Date: Mon Jun 8 16:38:48 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:How about this one, hottie?
The Prodige Plus Group has 32 member entrepreneurs, is a group of 32 retail entrepreneurs, and they need #125 per member. Here's their synopsis (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. They still have a lot of funding to gather. (So far they have only nine lenders. My guess is by the time their needs are fulfilled, they might have 150 or more lenders on board.)
------------------------------------------------
Isabelle is a lady who is best known, in her neighborhood situated in the east of Kinshasa, for her love of work and for the good quality of the salted fish and flip-flops she sells. She is also characterized by particular courage and determination. She is always ready to serve her customers. When she gets a new shipment in, she goes around the neighborhood to let folks know.
Isabelle began this business in 1990, selling smoked fish, with an initial capital of US$ 75. After having acquired a solid experience, she worked hard and managed her business well, and the profit she put aside amounted to a capital of more than US$ 400 in 2004.
----------------------------------------------
Here's their repayment schedule: (The columns will collapse when this is posted, but you will get the idea.)
August 2009 $750.93 Available Aug 1
September 2009 $1,001.24 Available Sep 1
October 2009 $1,001.24 Available Oct 1
November 2009 $1,271.59 Available Nov 1
(I think I will get on board with this group too, hotstuff.)
Hey! How did it go with mabb and helen?
From 2004-2007 the currency depreciation and price hikes perturbed her business and caused it to decrease. In August 2008, Isabelle decided to join one of the groups of Hope RDC called "Prodigy", intending to increase her capital and find permanent financial support. She is a faithful client who has received several loans from Hope RDC and has reimbursed them on time. The loan she has received this month of June allowed her to buy salted fish and flip-flops to resell so as to increase her revenue. Presently, her personal capital stands at US$ 150. Her dream is to open a general store.
Link: Prodige Plus Group
Date: Mon Jun 8 17:04:58 2009
User: hotnurse
Message:Snowy, videos with Helen and mabb not available to the public. Those two girls plus moi are just too much to expose at this time. You guys couldn't handle it. Or maybe you could........ ;)
Thanks for the info I will get to this tomorrow when I am not on company time.
KMc
Date: Mon Jun 8 17:44:53 2009
User: dede
Message:okay guys I ill come home tonight and read up and join But I am on my way to work ...De
Date: Mon Jun 8 18:20:35 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:Way to go, dede! (And you too, hottie.)
What's this I hear about you three setting off all the fire alarms?
BTW, this group now has twelve investors, representing at least four countries. Still quite a way to go, though.
Date: Tue Jun 9 01:35:57 2009
User: malr
Message:I have non-time specific advice for newbies. Based on what I did when I was a nervous newbie. And still tend to do.
On the opening 'lend' page, sort by repayment term, rather than popularity, which is the default.
Then open the first few to check if they pay back a bit each month (the norm) or the whole lot at the end (happens occasionally).
Open by pressing 'more' over at the right hand side. The loan repayment schedule is usually at the bottom.
I would suggest that the first several times you loan, you also check the delinquency rate & default rate for the field partner - on the right hand side towards the bottom.
The sooner you see money back, the more likely you are to grow to love Kiva as we do.
If you love Kiva, like we love Kiva, Oh, Oh, Oh what an url...
Helen
Link: Susie - just for fun
Date: Tue Jun 9 01:44:07 2009
User: malr
Message:Oh, and, just wanted to say - you can join more than one group - and then each time you lend, you can choose to flag that loan to your default group, or another group.
So if some of you also want to join work-related or geographic groups, go ahead. Sure we want TeamFreecell to rule supreme - but only if it's a fair competition.
Right co-captains & founder members?
Helen
Link: team-nurses &other health professionals
Date: Tue Jun 9 09:22:14 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:Righto! And, thanks for the delightful link, Helen!
(By the way, that may have been the first time I saw you capitalize the "H" in Helen!)
Snowy
Date: Tue Jun 9 09:43:54 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:Just as an aside, before I discuss repayments, I noticed the Prodige Plus Group, which had nine lenders yesterday, already had 56 investors as of now. They still need slightly over half their funds, though.
Okay. Repayment schedules. They can be short-term like Prodiges, or spread over 10 or 11 months. My guess is a financial projection was done by the local micro finance agency that showed a reasonable, yet ambitious repayment projection.
One thing that impressed me is many of the local agencies, even after lending over a million dollars in small loans, maintain a 0% default rate, and in many cases a 0% delinquency rate.
The developed world should do so well!
Date: Tue Jun 9 19:18:10 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:TeamFreecell is now shown as "One of the Top Lending Teams for this Group."
By the way, Prodige Plus now has over 100 lenders. As of this minute they need another $500, or 20 typical $25 loans. They should be funded before tomorrow.
But here are some others!
Link: They could use some capital
Date: Tue Jun 9 19:45:28 2009
User: hotnurse
Message:Wow, I donated to them this morning and they still needed $2,100.00 at that time.
Thanks for the suggestion. KMc
Date: Wed Jun 10 09:09:42 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:Prodige Plus is now fully funded. Here are their top lending teams:
Team Obama
Common Interest
2570 Members
----
TeamFreecell
Common Interest
10 Members
----
GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Kivans & Friends
Common Interest
1022 Members
----
Julia & Russell's Wedding
Events
33 Members
----
Kiva Team Germany
Local Area
393 Members
Prodige Plus's first repayment is scheduled for August, with the entire loan to be repaid in November! Their lenders represent 14 countries, which include numerous states and provinces in the USA and Canada.
Date: Wed Jun 10 09:39:49 2009
User: dede
Message:Okay guys I have registered is the only way to loan through a credit card..My card has in excess of over $20,000 that could be used if it was scammed on the net ....can you B Pay or is it a secure site.....And do i need to put it in US dollars... OKay thanks.. Denise
Date: Wed Jun 10 09:41:55 2009
User: dede
Message:Okay guys i just worked it out I will open a Pay pal account all is good...
Date: Wed Jun 10 09:45:11 2009
User: hotnurse
Message:Now dede you are member number 11, the same number as the World War that your papa fought in, lol. ;) KMc
Date: Wed Jun 10 10:03:38 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:I love PayPal for all on-line transactions where it can be used. It insulates your financial resource (your credit card) from all vendors. To make a purchase or pay a payment you are directed to PayPal's site, where uou authorize the payment using your own PayPal password. It takes several steps to do so. You then get an immediate email from PayPal confirming your payment.
EBay is an excellent place to use PayPal. Also, Kiva.
Welcome, dede! You, hotnurse, CJ (The Missus) and I are united again!
Date: Wed Jun 10 10:04:24 2009
User: dede
Message:lol excuse me are you making fun of me and i am on msn screaming for you... lol you must be here somewhere .......
Date: Wed Jun 10 10:16:26 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:I'm not on MSN, dede. I was, years ago... But I check into Yahoo! Messenger every now and then. (I mean, not at all frequently.)
Date: Wed Jun 10 10:22:08 2009
User: dede
Message:lol no hottie lol... and she saw me ..
.kiss snow
Date: Wed Jun 10 10:22:35 2009
User: hotnurse
Message:Joe, she was talking about me. Butt out of our girlie stuff..........but you can still watch as always. ;) KMc
Date: Wed Jun 10 10:27:00 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:I loved the WW11 thing. I should have looked up and noticed that!
(And I'm still waiting for the mabb, helen and hottie DVD. It didn't immolate in transit, did it?)
Date: Wed Jun 10 14:40:18 2009
User: malr
Message:Denises, can I ask a favour? You know what's coming, right? Can you fight it out between you and decide if one or both of you should be Denise followed by initial of last name, or 'Denise - Damgud' and 'Denise - Dede' (hope I got that right...)?
I'm not going to even suggest 'Denise1' & 'Denise2'...
I know you have different pictures up, but there are places where all that shows is your name.
your slightly befuddled captain -
Helen
Date: Wed Jun 10 19:42:17 2009
User: dede
Message:thats all cool mabb I will make mine a new name when i get home from work i will change it (dede thinks what can it be).....
Date: Thu Jun 11 02:02:45 2009
User: malr
Message:That's really cool, firenze - I just found out that Kiva is the first organisation that Paypal has chosen to support by foregoing transaction fees.
Pretty big endorsement, there -
h.
Date: Fri Jun 12 07:28:02 2009
User: dede
Message:helen I am still at work But I am free at weekend I will fix up name and put my money in I have not forgotten Just so busy But have weekend off .... :) denise
Date: Fri Jun 12 08:27:34 2009
User: malr
Message:No problem! It's nice to have you anyway - I wonder how many Denises we can collect if we really put our mind to it...?
I was buying a book yesterday ('How to get a job you'll love', by John Lees), and I asked if there were any books available on Kiva. None so far. There's still a bunch of stuff online I haven't looked at, but there's something about having a book to cuddle that I really like.
Enjoy your weekend -
Helen
Date: Fri Jun 12 10:15:11 2009
User: Snowguy
Message:I like Denise, a lot. But Nenephew can be lots of fun, too.
But back to Kiva. Here's an email I just got from Pearl Microfinance.
Dear my name):
Thank you for supporting entrepreneurs in Uganda.
Dear Kiva Lender,
I am a Kiva Fellow and I'm finishing my Kiva Fellowship with Pearl
Microfinance. I have been working in Kampala, Uganda with Pearl since
February 2009. My daily tasks have mainly involved visiting the Kiva
entrepreneurs and helping Grace, the Kiva Coordinator at Pearl, to
improve the system that is used to post loans from Pearl on Kiva’s Web
site.
First, I want to say - thank you for all your support for the
entrepreneurs at Pearl Microfinance Limited!
Pearl has been working with Kiva for about 20 months. In that time, Kiva
lenders have funded over 5,000 entrepreneurs and lent more than $1.5
million! You are receiving this message because you were one of those
lenders.
Pearl is an interesting microfinance institution. Unlike many other
microfinance institutions on Kiva, Pearl is a for-profit organization.
Although this may make some people cringe, during my time here, I have
come to see it as a tremendously positive thing. Pearl is constantly
trying to make its processes as efficient and effective as possible.
They are concerned about retention of clients and having a good
reputation. I think this forces them to create loan products that are
appealing to the clients.
Uganda’s microfinance market is very large. There are many clients and
many providers. Although there are a large number of providers, the
providers are not necessarily in multiple locations in Uganda. Pearl is
one of the most widespread microfinance institutions in Uganda. It has
offices in many different locations, and the credit officers are
committed to using public transport or riding their motorcycles for
hours to meet clients which makes the range even larger!
Until a few weeks ago, Pearl was not able to post loans from this huge
geographical area on Kiva’s Web site. They could post only from their
central location. While I was serving there as a Kiva Fellow, Grace and
I were able to change the process so the Pearl employees can post from
several locations in Uganda.
Pearls’ clients have been incredibly inspiring! I loved meeting them,
hearing the ways that their lives have changed because of their loans,
and meeting their children, who will grow up more comfortable because of
the investments that their parents are making.
• Read about a hairdresser whose loans really changed her life:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=62179&_te=mj
• Read about a Ugandan florist with many dreams:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=94810&_te=mj
• Read about a woman who just went into the business of raising pigs!
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=96144&_te=mj
Although there are many wonderful stories that you hear, there are also
stories of clients who fall sick or lose family members and cannot repay
their loans. These stories are rarely reported on the Kiva Web site,
because the Pearl entrepreneurs who cannot repay are members of loan
groups, and when a group member cannot repay, the group covers for the
individual.
Listen to one young lady speak about her mother, who fell sick and will
be unable to repay her part of the group loan. Her mother has since
passed on and the group has repaid Maritta’s portion of the loan. http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=68212&_te=mj
During my time here, Grace, the Kiva Coordinator, became very interested
in getting involved in the lending team for Pearl. I hope that you will
join this team to continue to get updates about Pearl from Grace and get
the chance to communicate with other supporters of Pearl!
http://www.kiva.org/community/viewTeam?team_id=4661&_te=mj
Thanks again for all your support for Pearl!
Sincerely,
Stephanie K(I omitted her last name; Snowy)
KF7 Uganda
Kiva very much appreciates your responses online. You can read and
respond to this journal online at:
Akwata Empola Group:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=comment&id=108348&ent=144473&_te=j
Teopista Kabaganda's Group:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=comment&id=108720&ent=144473&_te=j
Grace Tushabe's Group:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=comment&id=111312&ent=144473&_te=j
(My note: Every time you lend to Kiva, you have the *opportunity* to donate an extra 15% to help fund Kiva's operations. But it is in no way necessary. Snowy)
Link: The woman who fell died. Her Group paid her loan share
Date: Fri Jun 12 18:59:10 2009
User: malr
Message:Hello - I've just been indulging my number one hobby of browsing the Kiva website (can you tell I don't get out much?), and I noticed there are teams that are a year old that haven't lent anything yet. Still waiting to hear that it's a scam, I guess...
So, guys, I know this is one of the nicest things in the world to get carried away with (Snowy? Suggestions for others of the nicest...?) but in these troubled times, if anyone is mildly uneasy about the amount they've already loaned, we are more than entitled to rest on our laurels for a wee while.
If anyone's scouting around for something to do that won't cost anything more than time, there are lots of journals on the site that are crying out for encouraging comments.
Go nuts!
Also, since I have family members on here (blood family as well as the other kind) - I hereby strongly suggest that after I die, you get me a memorial fund. And this fund is not allowed to donate to Kiva - large, small or middle-sized, I want that sucker to go around and come around for eternity or longer!
Helen
Link: journals
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