Today we went to the Grameen Bank and met with the bank directors to learn how it got started. Grameen means village in Bangladash. 
It was started by Muhammand Yunus as an experiment in making microfinance loans to poor people to start a small business. The Grameen bank in Guatemala was started in 2006 when Whole Foods partnered with them. Whole Foods felt they needed to help the poor people where they were sourcing their coffee and some of their produce. The program in Guatemala has doubled in less than 2 years and already have 2500 women waiting to join. The conditions for the micro loans of $200 are:
It was started by Muhammand Yunus as an experiment in making microfinance loans to poor people to start a small business. The Grameen bank in Guatemala was started in 2006 when Whole Foods partnered with them. Whole Foods felt they needed to help the poor people where they were sourcing their coffee and some of their produce. The program in Guatemala has doubled in less than 2 years and already have 2500 women waiting to join. The conditions for the micro loans of $200 are:- they must be women
- they must be poor
- they must live in the area
- they have to have a group of 5 women (only 1 from each family) to support each other, in case one woman can't make the payment, she has the support of her group.
At this time, the repayment rate is 100%.
We then got to visit a branch in Santa Catarina Palopo and meet the women that have taken out micro loans. 
There were about 20 of them lined up in a circle around the room all wanting to sell their goods. They had scarves, necklaces, purses, etc. These women used the loans to buy these goods to sell in the markets or along the streets. What they can sell in a day depends on if they can buy groceries. I don't think we as Americans can understand that concept. We have credit cards, home equity loans, unemployment, food stamps, and soup kitchens. These women have none of that. It is purely survival, and thanks to the Grameen bank, they have been given a little life line for a chance at a better life.
There were about 20 of them lined up in a circle around the room all wanting to sell their goods. They had scarves, necklaces, purses, etc. These women used the loans to buy these goods to sell in the markets or along the streets. What they can sell in a day depends on if they can buy groceries. I don't think we as Americans can understand that concept. We have credit cards, home equity loans, unemployment, food stamps, and soup kitchens. These women have none of that. It is purely survival, and thanks to the Grameen bank, they have been given a little life line for a chance at a better life.Just as we cannot conceive of their day to day survival, they cannot comprehend "the future". We volunteers were given the opportunity to ask the women questions and one of the volunteers asked what they see for their future, the future of their families and their villages and it drew some blank and confused looks. They didn't really know how to answer that. But we know that these loans mean a lot to their future. That they can feed their families, they can make improvements to their home, and their kids might be able to go to school. If the children can go to school it will improve their chances for a life out of poverty. 
These women are very hard workers but the job situation in Guatemala for women is grim. When asked what their typical day is like, they said they rise at 5 am and go to bed at 10 pm. Some women had 4 or 6 kids, and many did not have husbands to help support them.
These women are very hard workers but the job situation in Guatemala for women is grim. When asked what their typical day is like, they said they rise at 5 am and go to bed at 10 pm. Some women had 4 or 6 kids, and many did not have husbands to help support them.I bought a lot of goods from the women. The Whole Foods Pikes Peak team members donated some money during our last store meeting for me to buy some goods and bring back to use as raffle prizes to raise more money for Whole Planet foundation. It was great to use the money to buy from the women which helps them out today and then for the long run by raising money for Whole Planet Foundation. I'm so glad that we are given the opportunity to donate to Whole Planet through our paychecks, because even just $2 goes such a long way to helping these women lead better lives.
As we were getting a group picture, they were collecting their goods to start their day,
wrapping them in fabric and carrying the bundles on their heads. How do they do it? I tried (with my little bag) but didn't make it very far before it fell off. One little girl said she had been doing that since she was 1 year old. We had a good laugh, and I realized how much respect I had for them. They do their best and don't complain.
wrapping them in fabric and carrying the bundles on their heads. How do they do it? I tried (with my little bag) but didn't make it very far before it fell off. One little girl said she had been doing that since she was 1 year old. We had a good laugh, and I realized how much respect I had for them. They do their best and don't complain.I am so thankful to have this opportunity to see first hand what a difference it makes. It is hard to put it into perspective unless you see it for yourself.
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