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Walking the Walk
It was Friday afternoon and my To Do List was excruciatingly long, filled with boring administrative tasks: produce monthly journal entries, reconcile credit cards, calculate sales tax, order supplies, etc. When I reached “Kiva loan transfers” on my list, I was prepared to tackle it with my signature speed and efficiency. After all, the quicker these things were accomplished, the sooner my weekend would begin!
And in fact, I had already identified thousands of dollars of eligible loans before I grasped the enormity of what I had been assigned to do. Here I was prepared to distribute nearly $14,000 worth of micro-loans as if I were simply paying a bill or moving money between bank accounts. So used to breezing through administrative transactions, I had forgotten what each of these loans signified.
Holstee has made a public commitment to “paying it forward” by loaning 10% of sales revenue to entrepreneurs throughout the world. When customers purchase a Manifesto Poster, Black Wallet, or Alpaca Hat, they trust Holstee to act in good faith to fulfill this promise and help contribute to sustainable social change. For Holstee, these loans are one of the concrete ways that we live our values, put our money where our mouths are, walk the walk, etc. Making these loans isn’t something we have to do to stay in business; it is reason why we want to stay in business.
For the recipients, these loans often mean the creation or expansion of a business, creating an opportunity for self-sufficiency and better lives for their families and communities. Even for those receiving their first loan of only a few hundred dollars, the impact can be significant. Micro-lending is certainly not a panacea, but it can provide tangible improvements in real people’s lives without a lot of red tape and middle men.
Ashamed that I had been so flippant and rushed with this responsibility, I took a deep breath, put away my To Do List, and started over. Once I had given myself the time, the stories I found were truly inspiring:
Seamstresses from Togo, Benin, Senegal, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Lebanon, Colombia, Ecuador, and Honduras:
Emiliana from Bolivia and Sughran from Pakistan, both mothers and shoemakers:
Fayzamad, a cotton processor in Tajikistan:
Women selling textiles and sewing supplies in Costa Rica and Togo:
Used clothing and shoe sellers in Rwanda, Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Paraguay:
And many, many more... Check out Holstee’s Kiva page to see all of our loans http://www.kiva.org/lender/holstee
This week, I added another seemingly innocuous task to my To Do List. However, this time around I will be sure not to get lost in the doing, but instead appreciate the significance of Holstee's committment to "Offset Carbon Emissions for 2011.” J
**Note to Holstee Friends & Family: Although we made loans to entrepreneurs in many different industries, I did try to focus on those working in the apparel, footwear, and accessories supply chain. Next time we disburse loans, are there particular activities or industries in which you would like us to invest? Are there regions or countries you feel passionate about supporting? I would love to hear your feedback!
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