Hello!

This is the first post for Bad Dog Pip, the blog that Susan and I set up to share news and stories with friends and family while we're away traveling. We're not really 'blogging' sort of people, but may occasionally post some pictures of our other non-travel projects and adventures.

On the right side of the screen is a banner for Kiva, which is a way for regular people to be involved in microlending. I first heard of Kiva from a story on NPR and I immediately checked it out and signed up. They were recently featured on Frontline, which you can view here. I can't encourage you enough to just watch the segment and see what you think.

I'm so proud to have been one of the lenders to Grace Ayaa, who is featured in the video. When I read about Grace's situation and reason for requesting a loan, I realized that this was the reason I wanted to be involved in microlending: Here is someone with the initiative and drive to support themselves...not someone looking for a handout. Her original loan request is on the Kiva page here. At the bottom of the page is her payment history, showing that her loan was paid off in six months, right on time.


While we're in Ecuador, we hope to visit two more people that we helped fund and have already repaid their loans, Big Pollo 306 and Mrs. Pollo. We're going to have to have lunch at Comedor Bellita, Picantería Tres Hemanos and Picantería Don Juan while we're in Guayaquil, to see how their businesses are faring. It's a good thing they serve seafood and not just pollo. We can't wait to try the ceviche and the encebollado!