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By Elizabeth Cooney, Globe Correspondent
In the battle against obesity, physical activity is a potent weapon, but just how much daily exercise is needed to win the war has been the subject of debate.
Guidelines range from 30 to 60 minutes per day, five days a week, to avoid weight gain. A new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston leans toward the high end, reporting that women who did at least 60 minutes a day of moderately intense exercise kept extra pounds off, but only if their weight was normal to begin with.
I-Min Lee and her colleagues tracked more than 34,000 healthy women who ate a normal diet while enrolled in the national Women's Health Study. Their average age was 54 when the study began in 1992. Every two to three years they reported their weight and physical activity on questionnaires.
After 13 years, the women gained an average of about 6 pounds, which is typical for middle-aged women as they grow older. Only 13 percent of the women gained fewer than 6 pounds. These women were different in two ways. First, they began with a body mass index below 25 -- the threshold between normal and overweight -- which for a 5-foot, 5-inch woman means weighing no more than 150 pounds. Second, they were physically active at least 60 minutes a day.
The findings are to be published tomorrow in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The researchers divided the women into three groups based on how active they were: fewer than 30 minutes a day, between 30 and 60 minutes a day, and more than 60 minutes a day. Brisk walking and leisurely bicycling were considered moderate exercise, while running, fast bicycling, and swimming laps were called high-intensity activity. The researchers used a formula that equated about 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise to 60 minutes of moderate activity.
Women in both of the less-active groups were equally likely to gain at least five pounds, leading the authors to recommend that people follow recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, an organization of leading medical experts who advise the government and public on health issues, for at least 60 minutes of activity a day. The US Department of Health and Human Services' standard is 30 minutes a day.
But Lee doesn't want people to give up on exercise, even if they can't do an hour a day. "It's the best thing you can do for your health. Even small amounts are helpful," she said in an interview. "Just don't expect small amounts to control your weight unless you [also] restrict
calories."
Physical activity can improve blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and other important contributors to health without necessarily changing the numbers on the scale, she said. And for people who can't devote an hour a day to exercise, "if you're willing to sweat more, do 30 minutes per day" of high intensity exercise, she said.
Exercise alone is a hard way to shed pounds, said Sherry Pagoto, an assistant professor of medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School and a clinical psychologist who counsels people with weight problems. Someone who runs for an hour might burn 600 calories, but to lose one pound, you need to burn 3,500 calories. "What I'll tell people is, 'Don't exercise because you want to lose weight. Exercise because it makes you feel good.' It reduces stress and makes this whole process easier."
Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of nutrition and weight management at Boston Medical Center, was puzzled by how little impact physical activity had on women of higher weight. "It could be that the metabolic ramifications of being at higher BMI are such that at that point the physical activity is good, but it's not going to help you prevent the weight gain. At high BMIs, at all BMIs, I think it just is very important to control caloric intake. You can't abandon dietary factors."
Because the study was observational, it can't prove cause and effect. There may have been other differences besides exercise and body mass index that explain the results. Also, the study was based on the women's own reports of their weight and activity, which may be less reliable than other methods.
Original
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Argan Oil Benefits: Update on our loan to Titilayo Daramola in Nigeria
Cultural Connnections LLC, and Eden Allure 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil is happy to bring the following news from Kiva.org:
Update on our loan to Titilayo Daramola in Nigeria
Titlayo had obtained a loan from Kiva lenders to buy more sarongs to
sell. She owns two stores within Lagos State where she sells these
sarongs and also has two assistants helping her to stay back at the
store, especially when she needs to go and buy some goods or attend to
some personal issues.
Titilayo reckons that the market seems unstable because the sale of
sarongs seems seasonal but she is happy that she could make her
repayments promptly and also cater for her business and personal issues.
She, therefore, thanks all Kiva lenders to helping her all the way and
urges them to never relent in their support to uplift the poor.
Update on our loan to Titilayo Daramola in Nigeria
Titlayo had obtained a loan from Kiva lenders to buy more sarongs to
sell. She owns two stores within Lagos State where she sells these
sarongs and also has two assistants helping her to stay back at the
store, especially when she needs to go and buy some goods or attend to
some personal issues.
Titilayo reckons that the market seems unstable because the sale of
sarongs seems seasonal but she is happy that she could make her
repayments promptly and also cater for her business and personal issues.
She, therefore, thanks all Kiva lenders to helping her all the way and
urges them to never relent in their support to uplift the poor.
Argan Oil Benefits: Update on our loan to Titilayo Daramola in Nigeria
Cultural Connnections LLC, and Eden Allure 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil is happy to bring the following news from Kiva.org:
Titilayo had obtained a loan from Kiva lenders to buy more sarongs to
sell. She owns two stores within Lagos State where she sells these
sarongs and also has two assistants helping her to stay back at the
store, especially when she needs to go and buy some goods or attend to
some personal issues.
Titilayo reckons that the market seems unstable because the sale of
sarongs seems seasonal but she is happy that she could make her
repayments promptly and also cater for her business and personal issues.
She, therefore, thanks all Kiva lenders to helping her all the way and
urges them to never relent in their support to uplift the poor.
Titilayo had obtained a loan from Kiva lenders to buy more sarongs to
sell. She owns two stores within Lagos State where she sells these
sarongs and also has two assistants helping her to stay back at the
store, especially when she needs to go and buy some goods or attend to
some personal issues.
Titilayo reckons that the market seems unstable because the sale of
sarongs seems seasonal but she is happy that she could make her
repayments promptly and also cater for her business and personal issues.
She, therefore, thanks all Kiva lenders to helping her all the way and
urges them to never relent in their support to uplift the poor.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Kiva Field Update - News from Togo
Discussions of Africa seem to inevitably evolve into discussions of
health. Hot button issues such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and infant
mortality suddenly become unavoidable topics of conversation and often
leave us feeling discouraged and overwhelmed. This fact is no less
relevant when it comes to discussions about Togo. This tiny West African
country sandwiched between Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso is home to 6
million people. Thankfully, the HIV/AIDS prevalence hovers around a
relatively low 3% of the population, but bacterial and viral infections
including malaria are widespread. The Togolese face a life expectancy of
just under 60 years and the country rates 42nd in the world for high
infant mortality. It is all too easy to feel enveloped in statistics.
Yet an extraordinary amount of work is being done to keep the Togolese
population healthy. Individuals just like you are taking action, helping
others, and using the profits to support their own families. As a Kiva
Fellow working with Women and Associations for Gain both Economic and
Social (WAGES), I had the opportunity to meet some of these inspiring
individuals. The following journal entry will focus on four
extraordinary women, all of whom work as nurses or midwives in the Lomé
area and received Kiva loans from WAGES.
Akou Damali runs a large prenatal and family planning clinic. Born in
Nigeria, Mrs. Damali now works in the Akodésséwa neighbourhood of
Lomé. With the help of her loan officer acting as a translator, we
conducted our interview in a combination of English, French, and Ewe.
When asked how many hours she worked a day, Mrs. Damali laughed and
said, "Twenty-four hours." In reality, the clinic must always be open to
serve her patients. She used her $1,125 loan to purchase medications,
injections, pills and other products for her clinic. At times, Mrs.
Damali can struggle to deal with sudden declines in her patients'
health. Patients experiencing complications in their pregnancy can fall
ill beyond Mrs. Damali's care and she is forced to send them to a
hospital. Nevertheless, Mrs. Damali maintains that running a clinic is,
in fact, a very profitable business. As a single mother of three, she is
able to use the profits make ends meet at home and support her own
family.
Edjoè Abiassi works as a midwife and pharmacist in the Hédranawoé
neighbourhood just north of Mrs. Damali's clinic. Mrs. Abiassi takes
pride in her work. She enjoys helping the sick and finds joy in saving
the lives of mothers and babies. In addition to a personal sense of
satisfaction, the profits from her business help Mrs. Abiassi support
her four children. She used her $650 loan to purchase medications for
her business, and she has used the profits to help cover school fees and
food costs for her children.
Given the difficult nature of her work, Mrs. Abiassi can face extremely
trying situations. Currently, she is facing a mass expiration of stock
and has been forced to either dispose of some of her medications or send
them back to the manufacturer. Like Mrs. Damali, Mrs. Abiassi must
overcome complications in her patients' pregnancy or during childbirth.
At times, the outcome can be disheartening. As a result, Mrs. Abiassi
plans on building a small clinic in the future. There, she will be able
to better care for her patients and perform deliveries in a clean and
comfortable environment.
Afi Maimounatou Kouloungou and Anoko Lawson run two sister clinics a few
blocks apart in the Hédzranawoé district of Lomé. Both clinics offer
services such as prenatal care and family planning as well as general
services for the ill. These hardworking women must be available
twenty-four hours each day in order to care for their patients. Although
exhausting, Mrs. Kouloungou maintains that it is worth the work for the
sake of "aider l'humanité," helping humanity. Both women used their
individual $625 and $975 loans to purchase medications, beds, and other
supplies needed to better serve their patients' needs.
It can be difficult to operate a clinic, but Mrs. Lawson has seen the
benefits. She divides the profits from her loan in two, using one part
to reinvest in her business and putting the remainder into savings. She
says that her loan has had a huge positive impact on her family. After
the elections, Mrs. Lawson hopes to receive another WAGES loan to
purchase land and build a house. Mrs. Kouloungou's family has also
benefited from her loan. She says that this loan from WAGES has "changé
la vie." It has changed her life and everyone in her family is very
happy. In the future, Mrs. Kouloungou would also like to take out
another loan with WAGES in order to purchase land and build a house.
The loan officer with whom I was working commented that this seemed to
be a common long term plan among WAGES' female entrepreneurs. Mrs.
Lawson laughed and said that women cannot just wait for their husbands
to provide for them. Instead, they must fend for themselves. She stated
wisely that sometimes, "Il faut être maman et papa au meme temps." You
have to be mother and father at the same time. Evidently, this line of
work has significant challenges. In addition to the difficulties shared
with Mrs. Damali and Mrs. Abiassi, Mrs. Lawson mentioned the hardship of
working such long hours. Mrs. Kouloungou also addressed a specific
situation where patients will require her services, but cannot pay for
her care. This puts her in an extremely difficult position. Despite the
obstacles they face on a daily basis, all four of these women remain
committed to their work and their patients.
All of these dedicated women are thankful for their loans. They ask that
Kiva lenders continue to support WAGES so that they may continue to
benefit from WAGES loans. As an institution, WAGES also does its part to
keep the community healthy. WAGES goes beyond providing financial
services to offer health seminars focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and
malaria treatment. Mrs. Damali, Mrs. Abiassi, Mrs. Lawson, and Mrs.
Kouloungou strive for this goal independently and are collectively
supported by an institution dedicated to the same cause. As a result,
the extended WAGES community is working to ensure the ongoing health of
their fellow citizens. Empowerment is not possible without health and
these four women are lifting themselves out of poverty by helping others
do the same.
On behalf of these four women, WAGES, and Kiva, I would like to thank
you for ongoing commitment to lending, empowerment, and poverty
alleviation.
health. Hot button issues such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and infant
mortality suddenly become unavoidable topics of conversation and often
leave us feeling discouraged and overwhelmed. This fact is no less
relevant when it comes to discussions about Togo. This tiny West African
country sandwiched between Ghana, Benin, and Burkina Faso is home to 6
million people. Thankfully, the HIV/AIDS prevalence hovers around a
relatively low 3% of the population, but bacterial and viral infections
including malaria are widespread. The Togolese face a life expectancy of
just under 60 years and the country rates 42nd in the world for high
infant mortality. It is all too easy to feel enveloped in statistics.
Yet an extraordinary amount of work is being done to keep the Togolese
population healthy. Individuals just like you are taking action, helping
others, and using the profits to support their own families. As a Kiva
Fellow working with Women and Associations for Gain both Economic and
Social (WAGES), I had the opportunity to meet some of these inspiring
individuals. The following journal entry will focus on four
extraordinary women, all of whom work as nurses or midwives in the Lomé
area and received Kiva loans from WAGES.
Akou Damali runs a large prenatal and family planning clinic. Born in
Nigeria, Mrs. Damali now works in the Akodésséwa neighbourhood of
Lomé. With the help of her loan officer acting as a translator, we
conducted our interview in a combination of English, French, and Ewe.
When asked how many hours she worked a day, Mrs. Damali laughed and
said, "Twenty-four hours." In reality, the clinic must always be open to
serve her patients. She used her $1,125 loan to purchase medications,
injections, pills and other products for her clinic. At times, Mrs.
Damali can struggle to deal with sudden declines in her patients'
health. Patients experiencing complications in their pregnancy can fall
ill beyond Mrs. Damali's care and she is forced to send them to a
hospital. Nevertheless, Mrs. Damali maintains that running a clinic is,
in fact, a very profitable business. As a single mother of three, she is
able to use the profits make ends meet at home and support her own
family.
Edjoè Abiassi works as a midwife and pharmacist in the Hédranawoé
neighbourhood just north of Mrs. Damali's clinic. Mrs. Abiassi takes
pride in her work. She enjoys helping the sick and finds joy in saving
the lives of mothers and babies. In addition to a personal sense of
satisfaction, the profits from her business help Mrs. Abiassi support
her four children. She used her $650 loan to purchase medications for
her business, and she has used the profits to help cover school fees and
food costs for her children.
Given the difficult nature of her work, Mrs. Abiassi can face extremely
trying situations. Currently, she is facing a mass expiration of stock
and has been forced to either dispose of some of her medications or send
them back to the manufacturer. Like Mrs. Damali, Mrs. Abiassi must
overcome complications in her patients' pregnancy or during childbirth.
At times, the outcome can be disheartening. As a result, Mrs. Abiassi
plans on building a small clinic in the future. There, she will be able
to better care for her patients and perform deliveries in a clean and
comfortable environment.
Afi Maimounatou Kouloungou and Anoko Lawson run two sister clinics a few
blocks apart in the Hédzranawoé district of Lomé. Both clinics offer
services such as prenatal care and family planning as well as general
services for the ill. These hardworking women must be available
twenty-four hours each day in order to care for their patients. Although
exhausting, Mrs. Kouloungou maintains that it is worth the work for the
sake of "aider l'humanité," helping humanity. Both women used their
individual $625 and $975 loans to purchase medications, beds, and other
supplies needed to better serve their patients' needs.
It can be difficult to operate a clinic, but Mrs. Lawson has seen the
benefits. She divides the profits from her loan in two, using one part
to reinvest in her business and putting the remainder into savings. She
says that her loan has had a huge positive impact on her family. After
the elections, Mrs. Lawson hopes to receive another WAGES loan to
purchase land and build a house. Mrs. Kouloungou's family has also
benefited from her loan. She says that this loan from WAGES has "changé
la vie." It has changed her life and everyone in her family is very
happy. In the future, Mrs. Kouloungou would also like to take out
another loan with WAGES in order to purchase land and build a house.
The loan officer with whom I was working commented that this seemed to
be a common long term plan among WAGES' female entrepreneurs. Mrs.
Lawson laughed and said that women cannot just wait for their husbands
to provide for them. Instead, they must fend for themselves. She stated
wisely that sometimes, "Il faut être maman et papa au meme temps." You
have to be mother and father at the same time. Evidently, this line of
work has significant challenges. In addition to the difficulties shared
with Mrs. Damali and Mrs. Abiassi, Mrs. Lawson mentioned the hardship of
working such long hours. Mrs. Kouloungou also addressed a specific
situation where patients will require her services, but cannot pay for
her care. This puts her in an extremely difficult position. Despite the
obstacles they face on a daily basis, all four of these women remain
committed to their work and their patients.
All of these dedicated women are thankful for their loans. They ask that
Kiva lenders continue to support WAGES so that they may continue to
benefit from WAGES loans. As an institution, WAGES also does its part to
keep the community healthy. WAGES goes beyond providing financial
services to offer health seminars focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention and
malaria treatment. Mrs. Damali, Mrs. Abiassi, Mrs. Lawson, and Mrs.
Kouloungou strive for this goal independently and are collectively
supported by an institution dedicated to the same cause. As a result,
the extended WAGES community is working to ensure the ongoing health of
their fellow citizens. Empowerment is not possible without health and
these four women are lifting themselves out of poverty by helping others
do the same.
On behalf of these four women, WAGES, and Kiva, I would like to thank
you for ongoing commitment to lending, empowerment, and poverty
alleviation.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Argan Oil Benefits: Kiva Field Update - News from Ghana
Cultural Connnections LLC, and Eden Allure 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil is happy to bring the following news from Kiva.org:
Dear Cultural Connections,
Thank you for supporting entrepreneurs in Ghana.
Dear Kiva Lenders,
My name is Maia Pelleg and I'm a Kiva Fellow working with Sinapi Aba
Trust (SAT) in Ghana. I completed my first placement as a Kiva Fellow in
Kenya in January, 2010 and was thrilled to embark on an experience with
Kiva and microfinance in the new context of West Africa. The initial
goals of my posting in Ghana included implementing a repayment reporting
system, facilitating a process that enables SAT to provide journal
updates to lenders, and making necessary changes to increase efficiency.
I arrived in Kumasi and quickly ascertained that Ghana's reputation for
tremendous hospitality stems from reality. The staff of SAT welcomed me
warmly and graciously offered to acquaint me with various aspects of
Ashanti society.
Unfortunately, as I discovered the kindness of SAT staff, I also found
that SAT's existing Kiva system was extremely flawed and lacked proper
management. A close look revealed that many loan amounts and terms
published on the Kiva website were incorrect. Additionally, the presence
of multiple duplicate loan postings was concerning.
Kiva took immediate action and paused SAT for fundraising on Kiva.org.
We have evaluated many aspects of the SAT partnership, and I am
confident that operational weaknesses can be corrected and adequate
management information systems can be utilized.
I have spent the last few weeks designing a new decentralized Kiva
system and have already begun implementing changes. Including loan
officers from around the country in Kiva processes serves as an
additional check as well as enables SAT to provide journal updates and
scale in the future. Central to the new Kiva platform is an internal
data system that will verify loan details and automate frequent and
accurate repayment reports. Additionally, a senior regional manager will
be stepping in as Kiva Coordinator at the end of this month.
I am working directly with SAT leadership and staff to execute
identified changes. Just this week I trained two branches and several
loan officers in how to collect borrower information and photographs for
Kiva's site. I can attest to SAT's commitment to a strong Kiva
partnership based on integrity and honesty. I am confident that we are
able to bridge any gaps that existed in SAT's process of raising funds
on Kiva.
This experience serves as a reminder of how seriously Kiva takes
transparency and accountability. I hope you will share my ongoing
confidence in SAT and more generally in microfinance. Sinapi Aba Trust
makes a real difference in the lives of low-income entrepreneurs and I
am excited to be a part of enabling them to continue their lending
footprint.
Sincerely,
Maia Pelleg
Kiva very much appreciates your responses online. You can read and
respond to this journal online at:
Agnes:
http://www.kiva.org/lend/125151/comment?ent=241959&_te=j
Asomdwehene 2 Group:
http://www.kiva.org/lend/125761/comment?ent=241959&_te=j
Mary:
http://www.kiva.org/lend/142970/comment?ent=241959&_te=j
Dear Cultural Connections,
Thank you for supporting entrepreneurs in Ghana.
Dear Kiva Lenders,
My name is Maia Pelleg and I'm a Kiva Fellow working with Sinapi Aba
Trust (SAT) in Ghana. I completed my first placement as a Kiva Fellow in
Kenya in January, 2010 and was thrilled to embark on an experience with
Kiva and microfinance in the new context of West Africa. The initial
goals of my posting in Ghana included implementing a repayment reporting
system, facilitating a process that enables SAT to provide journal
updates to lenders, and making necessary changes to increase efficiency.
I arrived in Kumasi and quickly ascertained that Ghana's reputation for
tremendous hospitality stems from reality. The staff of SAT welcomed me
warmly and graciously offered to acquaint me with various aspects of
Ashanti society.
Unfortunately, as I discovered the kindness of SAT staff, I also found
that SAT's existing Kiva system was extremely flawed and lacked proper
management. A close look revealed that many loan amounts and terms
published on the Kiva website were incorrect. Additionally, the presence
of multiple duplicate loan postings was concerning.
Kiva took immediate action and paused SAT for fundraising on Kiva.org.
We have evaluated many aspects of the SAT partnership, and I am
confident that operational weaknesses can be corrected and adequate
management information systems can be utilized.
I have spent the last few weeks designing a new decentralized Kiva
system and have already begun implementing changes. Including loan
officers from around the country in Kiva processes serves as an
additional check as well as enables SAT to provide journal updates and
scale in the future. Central to the new Kiva platform is an internal
data system that will verify loan details and automate frequent and
accurate repayment reports. Additionally, a senior regional manager will
be stepping in as Kiva Coordinator at the end of this month.
I am working directly with SAT leadership and staff to execute
identified changes. Just this week I trained two branches and several
loan officers in how to collect borrower information and photographs for
Kiva's site. I can attest to SAT's commitment to a strong Kiva
partnership based on integrity and honesty. I am confident that we are
able to bridge any gaps that existed in SAT's process of raising funds
on Kiva.
This experience serves as a reminder of how seriously Kiva takes
transparency and accountability. I hope you will share my ongoing
confidence in SAT and more generally in microfinance. Sinapi Aba Trust
makes a real difference in the lives of low-income entrepreneurs and I
am excited to be a part of enabling them to continue their lending
footprint.
Sincerely,
Maia Pelleg
Kiva very much appreciates your responses online. You can read and
respond to this journal online at:
Agnes:
http://www.kiva.org/lend/125151/comment?ent=241959&_te=j
Asomdwehene 2 Group:
http://www.kiva.org/lend/125761/comment?ent=241959&_te=j
Mary:
http://www.kiva.org/lend/142970/comment?ent=241959&_te=j
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Argan Oil Benefits: Update on your loan to Galina Vovk in Ukraine
Cultural Connnections LLC, and Eden Allure 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil is happy to bring the following news from Kiva.org:
This is an update on our loan to Galina Vovk in Ukraine.
Galina has a kiosk where she sells children's games and toys in
Zaporozhye's largest outdoor market, Angolenko Market. She is currently
repaying her 12,100 grivna loan on time. She has used the loan to
purchase additional inventory at her shop.
Galina is a longtime client of HOPE Ukraine. She first took out a loan
because she experienced difficulties in her personal life rather than
her business. Her parents became ill and she needed to pay their hefty
medical bills, so she took out a loan from HOPE Ukraine to help
supplement her income.
Since then, Galina's worked with HOPE Ukraine consistently as a repeat
borrower. (She's also a repeat borrower on Kiva! Galina was funded by
Kiva lenders in 2007.) Since she began working with HOPE, she's never
fallen behind on repaying her loans. Galina says she likes working with
HOPE, the people who work there are very nice and helpful. Her daughter
also owns a kiosk in Angolenko Market selling children's clothes and has
also worked with HOPE Ukraine in the past, though she doesn't currently
have a loan.
Galina started her business over 10 years ago when Angolenko Market
first opened. Before that she worked as a controller in a factory. When
I asked her about future plans for her business, she responded that if
she were younger she might make plans, but now that she is "retired" she
has no plans to make big changes in her business. Retired – and yet
she still goes to work at her shop every day!
Business is generally going well for Galina and her shop. She is clearly
a diligent worker and good business woman. During our conversation, we
were interrupted several times by shoppers at Galina's kiosk. The
financial crisis has hurt her business some, but in general it's ok.
"Some days," she said, "I stand here all day and make 20 grivnas; other
days, I make 300." 8 grivnas is equivalent to about 1 US Dollar.
As for the future, Galina's biggest dream is to use her profits from her
business to visit Italy. Two of her sisters live there now with her
three nephews and their children. Her sisters often beg her to visit;
"Maybe one day!" she says.
[There is a correction to her Borrower Profile. Galina only has one
location in the market where she sells toys, but presumably the other
location refers to her daughter's shop in the same market.]
Help support other HOPE Ukraine borrowers by joining the HOPE Ukraine
lending team! http://www.kiva.org/team/fans_of_hope_ukrainenadiya.
This is an update on our loan to Galina Vovk in Ukraine.
Galina has a kiosk where she sells children's games and toys in
Zaporozhye's largest outdoor market, Angolenko Market. She is currently
repaying her 12,100 grivna loan on time. She has used the loan to
purchase additional inventory at her shop.
Galina is a longtime client of HOPE Ukraine. She first took out a loan
because she experienced difficulties in her personal life rather than
her business. Her parents became ill and she needed to pay their hefty
medical bills, so she took out a loan from HOPE Ukraine to help
supplement her income.
Since then, Galina's worked with HOPE Ukraine consistently as a repeat
borrower. (She's also a repeat borrower on Kiva! Galina was funded by
Kiva lenders in 2007.) Since she began working with HOPE, she's never
fallen behind on repaying her loans. Galina says she likes working with
HOPE, the people who work there are very nice and helpful. Her daughter
also owns a kiosk in Angolenko Market selling children's clothes and has
also worked with HOPE Ukraine in the past, though she doesn't currently
have a loan.
Galina started her business over 10 years ago when Angolenko Market
first opened. Before that she worked as a controller in a factory. When
I asked her about future plans for her business, she responded that if
she were younger she might make plans, but now that she is "retired" she
has no plans to make big changes in her business. Retired – and yet
she still goes to work at her shop every day!
Business is generally going well for Galina and her shop. She is clearly
a diligent worker and good business woman. During our conversation, we
were interrupted several times by shoppers at Galina's kiosk. The
financial crisis has hurt her business some, but in general it's ok.
"Some days," she said, "I stand here all day and make 20 grivnas; other
days, I make 300." 8 grivnas is equivalent to about 1 US Dollar.
As for the future, Galina's biggest dream is to use her profits from her
business to visit Italy. Two of her sisters live there now with her
three nephews and their children. Her sisters often beg her to visit;
"Maybe one day!" she says.
[There is a correction to her Borrower Profile. Galina only has one
location in the market where she sells toys, but presumably the other
location refers to her daughter's shop in the same market.]
Help support other HOPE Ukraine borrowers by joining the HOPE Ukraine
lending team! http://www.kiva.org/team/fans_of_hope_ukrainenadiya.
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