Haiti Investments: We recently were able to make loans in Haiti. We invested in 4 loans to groups engaged in retail and livestock. Since Hurricane Sandy hit, we pray that our loan applicants will be able to carry out their plans successfully.
Our next meeting is Thursday, November 15 at 12:00 pm. Bring a brown bag lunch. All are welcome. If you need help with your account or would like to set one up, we will be able to help you at this meeting.
The results for October: We added two new members in October. We also made 18 more microloans worth $450. Our current totals are 40 members and 249 loans worth $6650 in 48 countries.
If you can't join us for our meeting, be sure to stop to see us at the Alternative Christmas Market on Sunday, November 18. We will have Kiva gift cards available for purchase @$25 each.
Wellshire Church partners with KIVA, an international program committed to alleviating poverty and creating opportunity through interpersonal lending. Wellshire Microfinance is open to all, so please feel free to join and contribute! "... what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" -- Micah 6:8
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Happy Anniversary, Wellshire Microfinance!
September 28, 2012
“But these three things remain: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
One year after:
Wellshire Microfinance began in faith, with the hope -- in the unknown -- to change lives, and… we received an outpouring of love from you all!
On September 28, 2011, Wellshire Microfinance (WMF) began with the inspiration to spread the Light to lend a hand, not a hand-out, for the greater good. The initial mustard seed amount for this effort was $500. The total impact to our global community has been $7,400.
Another year over and what have we done? We’ve:
WMF has attracted 39 members in its 12 short months since inception. Some members are groups within Wellshire (such as Pioneers, Club 45, Christian Women's Crossing, etc.). These 39 members have lent $6,150 around the world – from Armenia to Mali to Zimbabwe – 48 nations in all! Groups have been the recipients of 11% of these member loans, with individual men at 39% and women at 50% of member loans. Members have made 43 loans in the past 30 days alone! Of the 231 member loans made, 26 have already been repaid.
The WMF committee has disbursed 50 loans totaling $1,250. The WMF loans break down as groups at 24%, individual women at 42% and individual men at 34%. WMF has lost zero per cent of WMF committee loans made since inception. After a WMF committee loan is repaid the proceeds are reinvested with a new entrepreneur.
To learn more about how you may engage in this community-global outreach, contact the Rev. Dr. Pattie Kitchen or Wes Smits, or visit us online here.
Yours in faith, Wellshire Microfinance
“But these three things remain: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
One year after:
Wellshire Microfinance began in faith, with the hope -- in the unknown -- to change lives, and… we received an outpouring of love from you all!
On September 28, 2011, Wellshire Microfinance (WMF) began with the inspiration to spread the Light to lend a hand, not a hand-out, for the greater good. The initial mustard seed amount for this effort was $500. The total impact to our global community has been $7,400.
Another year over and what have we done? We’ve:
- collectively lent out $7,400
- initiated 281 loans
- engaged 10 WPC youth
- received 26 loan repayments
- added 39 contributing members to WMF, and
- directly impacted over 600 lives.
WMF has attracted 39 members in its 12 short months since inception. Some members are groups within Wellshire (such as Pioneers, Club 45, Christian Women's Crossing, etc.). These 39 members have lent $6,150 around the world – from Armenia to Mali to Zimbabwe – 48 nations in all! Groups have been the recipients of 11% of these member loans, with individual men at 39% and women at 50% of member loans. Members have made 43 loans in the past 30 days alone! Of the 231 member loans made, 26 have already been repaid.
The WMF committee has disbursed 50 loans totaling $1,250. The WMF loans break down as groups at 24%, individual women at 42% and individual men at 34%. WMF has lost zero per cent of WMF committee loans made since inception. After a WMF committee loan is repaid the proceeds are reinvested with a new entrepreneur.
To learn more about how you may engage in this community-global outreach, contact the Rev. Dr. Pattie Kitchen or Wes Smits, or visit us online here.
Yours in faith, Wellshire Microfinance
Monday, September 10, 2012
September 9, 2012: A Very Special Day for Wellshire Microfinance
Sunday, September 9 was a very special day for Wellshire Microfinance. Due to the generosity of some of our team members, our team surpassed 200 microloans. Amazing! Incredible! Totally awesome! A marvelous reason to give thanks!
Back on May 10, when we recorded our 100th loan, I wrote in this blog that it would be wonderful if in the next seven months we could make another 100 loans. We did it in four months! What a team! We won't hit our first anniversary until September 28.
Heartfelt thanks to all of you for your interest, enthusiasm, and dedication to WMF!
Blessings to all of you.
Wes Smits
The Future of Wellshire Microfinance
Because our results are dependent on our team members, we would like to increase the size of our team. Our current team members are willing to help you set up an account online, or you can donate to Wellshire Microfinance. Either way your money will be invested in poor people all over the world. Not only does your investment help one person or family, but the money can be reinvested over and over as loans are paid off. That's the beautiful part of this partnership with Kiva.
The Numbers Year to Date
After 11 months of activity, here are the totals: 37 team members, 195 microloans worth $5275 in 45 countries. These results are reasons for thanks and praise to God. Our initial seed money of $500 has increased 10 fold through the generosity of our team members. When you analyze the numbers, the most important number is 37 team members. Their interest and generous support made this possible.
A Record Month
When we first began Wellshire Microfinance, the possibility that microfinance might be a fad that would soon fade away was in the back of some peoples' minds. However, our August results would seem to allay those doubts. On August 23, our team made 18 microloans at our meeting. We had four new people present who were interested in microfinance. The 18 loans were the most we have ever made at one meeting. In the two days after the meeting, 3 more loans came through that were related to our meeting. Even more encouraging, during the month of August, an equal number of loans were made by team members on their own without any prompting from the team. Our total for August is 41 loans worth $1025. We want to thank all our dedicated, enthusiastic, generous team members for making this possible. These results convince me that Wellshire Microfinance is not a fad.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Wellshire Microfinance Meeting TOMORROW!
On Thursday, August 23 at 12:00 pm, bring a brown-bag lunch and meet in Room 208 to find out what Wellshire Microlending through Kiva is all about. All are welcome to attend and help us invest monies on hand from loan repayments and generous donations. We welcome everyone's input in selecting new borrowers. If you are unable to attend, please email Wes Smits with the names of people from Kiva who you feel would be worthy candidates. You can email your choices up through tonight.
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