Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Great News From Zambia


--by DotMatrix, posted Nov 15, 2019

We just got this beautiful news.

"This update on our loan to Vitalite Zambia was written by Kiva's Field Partner.

"VITALITE Zambia carried out a door to door...campaign in one of the poorest and densely populated compounds in Lusaka Zambia where cooking stoves were sold. The stoves use 75% less charcoal than the normal local cooking stove.

"The stoves were sold at a discounted price in order to make it more affordable for underserved communities and get people to start using and spend less on non-efficient charcoal.

"Insert, a picture of a happy mother and proud owner of a brand new efficient stove.

"A loan helped to sell pay-as-you-go solar home systems to households across Zambia."

Vitalite Zambia's story
"Problem: 96% of rural Zambians lack access to grid-based electricity and use candles, disposable batteries, paraffin, firewood and charcoal for their primary energy sources. On average, rural Zambian households spend an estimated USD 108 per year on lighting, and on average low-income urban households spend an estimated USD 180 per year on cooking using charcoal. This lack of modern energy is damaging to the environment and health, with 250,000 – 300,000 hectares deforested each year, an accumulation of significant amount of disposable battery waste, and high levels of indoor air pollution. Solution VITALITE Zambia aims to increase the number of solar home systems (SHS) in households and grow the distribution of efficient stoves thereby meeting the energy needs of the Zambian community and reducing CO2 emissions. Loan use VITALITE Zambia plans to use the loan to finance sales of SHS and reach more underserved markets. They have sold over 20,000 solar home systems and efficient cookstoves to households across Zambia and they hope to grow that number by purchasing more inventory. This is Vitalite Zambia's second loan on Kiva. Their first loan was fully repaid."

This is VITALITE Zambia on Twitter
https://twitter.com/VITALITEZambia

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We'll be doing a loan in Joy's honor in December for Running-for-Joy 5k/1-mile. If you want us to carry your loved one's name in memory please don't forget to let me know soon. I'm making up the cards.

Our loan for this month was made today to Iliya in Nigeria. We had already $23 in credit from other loans repaid so it was only $2 to forward this to Ililya and then $3.50 to cover costs of overhead, a voluntary donation. I was really happy to find this loan today because I found out earlier this year I have ancestors from Nigeria when my daughter got her DNA results.

We've made 40 loans over the years since we joined in 2012. I don't know any of these folks personally but I'd love to get to know them. One of our loans was to a young woman in NYC who wanted to refurbish her family's pizza place that has been in the family for generations.  Every so often she sends notes to the 40 or so people who funded the loan, and they are such lovely notes.  She's a real go-getter. 

Another loan was to a young woman in California who opened her own yoga studio. Every one of these people had a dream, and everyone who gave a little bit made it add up to fund these dreams. This is so incredibly inspiring to me. These people are such bright lights in the world and are helping lots of people. I hope someday I'll get to visit just to see these dreams in person.

Meanwhile, I'm creating a folder about every person and their country for my vision board/meditation folder for noon prayers of friends all over.  And learning about their countries more.  And if you'd like to read it, I'd love to share it, one story at a time.

If you'd like to help Iliya too here's the Kiva link:



Mom and baby helped by a Vitalite stove in Zambia.  



999 Reads
  • Posted by DotMatrix
  • Nov 15, 2019
  • 11 Smiles, 4 Comments



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