micro finance

I just heard Rob Rooy give his January Series talk and I'm so amazed and blessed. it was fascinating. It really was not about film very much at all, even though he's had some amazing experiences as first-assistant director and is obviously VERY talented. But he talked all about microfinance - how it works and the stories he's learned through his work filming communities all over the world. check out this website: http://www.kiva.org/
it's a website where individuals can make micro loans, starting at $25 and on up, to families or communities all over the world. amazing! And the main page has a picture of a Peruvian community in the Andes! :)


You can listen to Rooy's talk (and any other January Series lecture) here. I'm really looking forward to the last lecture of the series from International Justice Mission's VP. IJM is one of my favorite organizations, and I did hear Gary Haugen, their President, speak at Willowcreek Leadership Summit this summer. If you've never heard about IJM it is a nonprofit that hires lawyers to represent the most trod-upon people in the world (children forced into prostitution in India, farmers in Nigeria or Nicaragua, etc.) and they do much, much more - like counseling, education, offering safe housing, etc. Check out the New Yorker piece on IJM from this week's edition!