A New Concept
The conception of this idea began about eight years ago. I was watching TV and there was an advertisement about a bank in the US that had set up an organization to lend money, as little as $20.00, to women in India so that they could start their own business. Some of them bought chickens and went into the chicken and egg business; others bought sewing machines and basic supplies and started a tailoring business, while others bought basic needs to start a food vending business. The next step in the development was my pondering on this idea and thinking what a neat idea, and it would be even better if a personal connection could be made with a business woman in the U5 I realized how much could be done with so little. I got so excited and decided that I was going to find the bank and learn everything that I could about what they were doing and I would somehow either get a job with them or volunteer. I found it to be the Grameen Bank. Well, as luck would have it the bank no longer had that program in place; neither did they know anyone who would know anything about it. The thought stayed in my mind. I knew I could not do what a bank could, but I knew I should do something. I started talking to other women about the idea of loaning $50.00 to a woman in India, hearing all about her struggle and what she wanted to accomplish. The women could lend the money and moral support. The problem at this point was that I knew it would be important that the money be paid back so that it could be lent out again. This was indeed the problem. I did not know the first thing about how to go about facilitating that process. So I kept talking to people about my idea and I kept getting commitments of money and no way to make the whole idea happen.
The next step: I have traveled to India and Nepal. The moment that I landed in Nepal, my heart was overwhelmed. I felt like I had come home. I began to meet some people and was even more impressed. I saw the countryside and talked to even more people, mostly women and realized the tremendous load they are under. I knew this was the place for my project, but I still did not have any idea how to get started. I saw the education opportunities for the poor, or should I say that I saw how there was no education for girls past a certain age, a very young age, if they had no money. Again I knew this was my purpose. I knew that part of my purpose was the connection of a woman here and a woman there. It would create the platform for the development of, at best a close relationship, at worst a connection between two women, both of different backgrounds. The beginning of a bridge for peace. I know that sounds a bit Pollyanna, but that could be said of many good ideas. Again I was stumped as to how to go about accomplishing my goal. At the beginning of this year, 2002, after having a very bad year climaxed by losing my father to cancer I knew I was being called to do something. I got on the Internet and started searching. I ran across an organization that was in India, SEWA. Even though it is not exactly what I was thinking of, they had their own bank and were helping poor women both young and old. It started the whole thing stirring again. This time I had a spark of an idea as to where to start. I knew a man in Nepal, his name is Govinda, and he is a tremendous man, and he just might have an idea. I sent out a few e-mails looking for him, I knew who he worked for and they had a web site. He responded and we started the conversation. He suggested that his wife Rekha, and some of her friends would be willing to brainstorm with me. I knew the ball had started rolling, I was on the way. As it turned out we are trying to make a trip to India anyway, and a detour through Nepal was just the thing. We planned our trip for the end of February. Rekha and I began a nonstop email strategy and by the time we were to leave for Nepal we had decided on our first project, saving young girls who were in danger of an early marriage, possibly as young as seven or eight and making a home for them and giving them an education. By the time we arrived in Nepal we had our first four girls selected and awaiting my arrival and approval.
They say 'when the student is ready, the teacher will appear'. I can tell you that when you are in the right place your future will appear, mine did.
And now here we are several years down the road. I would feel good if I could look back and know I had radically changed one life. Reality is that we have changed more lives for the better than I could have ever dreamt.
The next step: I have traveled to India and Nepal. The moment that I landed in Nepal, my heart was overwhelmed. I felt like I had come home. I began to meet some people and was even more impressed. I saw the countryside and talked to even more people, mostly women and realized the tremendous load they are under. I knew this was the place for my project, but I still did not have any idea how to get started. I saw the education opportunities for the poor, or should I say that I saw how there was no education for girls past a certain age, a very young age, if they had no money. Again I knew this was my purpose. I knew that part of my purpose was the connection of a woman here and a woman there. It would create the platform for the development of, at best a close relationship, at worst a connection between two women, both of different backgrounds. The beginning of a bridge for peace. I know that sounds a bit Pollyanna, but that could be said of many good ideas. Again I was stumped as to how to go about accomplishing my goal. At the beginning of this year, 2002, after having a very bad year climaxed by losing my father to cancer I knew I was being called to do something. I got on the Internet and started searching. I ran across an organization that was in India, SEWA. Even though it is not exactly what I was thinking of, they had their own bank and were helping poor women both young and old. It started the whole thing stirring again. This time I had a spark of an idea as to where to start. I knew a man in Nepal, his name is Govinda, and he is a tremendous man, and he just might have an idea. I sent out a few e-mails looking for him, I knew who he worked for and they had a web site. He responded and we started the conversation. He suggested that his wife Rekha, and some of her friends would be willing to brainstorm with me. I knew the ball had started rolling, I was on the way. As it turned out we are trying to make a trip to India anyway, and a detour through Nepal was just the thing. We planned our trip for the end of February. Rekha and I began a nonstop email strategy and by the time we were to leave for Nepal we had decided on our first project, saving young girls who were in danger of an early marriage, possibly as young as seven or eight and making a home for them and giving them an education. By the time we arrived in Nepal we had our first four girls selected and awaiting my arrival and approval.
They say 'when the student is ready, the teacher will appear'. I can tell you that when you are in the right place your future will appear, mine did.
And now here we are several years down the road. I would feel good if I could look back and know I had radically changed one life. Reality is that we have changed more lives for the better than I could have ever dreamt.