This week I had the opportunity to encourage a group of complete strangers to move mountains. It comes from an African proverb: when sleeping woman wakes, mountains move. How very appropriate considering our backdrop was Mount Elgon, one of the largest peaks on the continent (and absolutely breathtaking).

Visiting an African country has always been a dream of mine. However, I usually imagined it as an animal-viewing safari kind of adventure; never could I have envisioned the powerful and utterly human moments I’ve experienced in the last few days.   And yet here I am in Uganda, with women and children calling me a sister and an auntie — we’ve only just met and I’m already welcomed as a part of their family. It seems like an understatement to say the feeling is mutual.

Ever since joining The Greater Contribution a few years ago, I’ve wanted to meet the women who receive our loans. It’s important to me to share their stories and let others know how great of an impact a small loan can make. From making necklaces out of magazines (which I wear all the time!) to selling beans to opening a salon, the lowest common denominator is having a small amount of capital to realize their vision. Now they can send their children to school consistently, take care of basic medical needs, buy a pig or goat to supplement their income (or their nutrition), and ultimately fight against an unfair lot in life that was handed to them. I think one of the things that gets me the most is how random this all seems – what if I was the one born here? I can’t seem to shake that thought.

Since I’ve been here, I’ve experienced two major events in two very different villages: the repayment day that marks the end of a 6-month loan cycle, and the loan distribution to two brand new groups of natural entrepreneurs. For those who have repaid their loans, they will be eligible for a second loan to continue to grow their business. And for the new groups of loan borrowers, they have been equipped with training and support to set them up for success. Both events signify growth and change, empowerment, and pride. They are celebrations of the human spirit and I couldn’t be more touched by these women who call me their sister.

Move mountains, we said. And they will.

From Mbale, Uganda,

Page Patten

TGC Board Member

Imagine living in a place where credit is not available, where you cannot get a scholarship to go to school; the only food, clothes or education you can afford is what you have the money for RIGHT NOW. This is the setting for the amazing experience that I had at loan distribution day. Today we handed out loans to 34 eager women in the remote village of Bumasheti. The women greeted us with beautiful song and dance that included loud pitch screams, clapping and love. After introductions, we had the pleasure of handing out their loans. As each women came up, they each responded in their own unique way: some simply smiled and thanked us, while others came up dancing and gave us each humongous hugs. Imagine if every time we used a credit card in the US we broke out in song and dance. What if, when we received a loan for college we gave everyone around us a huge hug. A micro loan is simply access to financial capital. It is nothing new to the world, but it is something new to these women.

With their loan and three days of business training they have received, these women have changed. They are now business women. After spending five days in this amazing country, I have learned many things and continue to be confounded by what I see. They are strong and hard working, but they have no safety nets to fall back on (none at all). All they need is a little help (help that honestly we were granted at birth in the US). I am excited to see what these women can do and I know that their resourcefulness will allow them to make the changes that they wish to see in their own lives.

TGC volunteer,

Jordan Anderson