In this week’s Kiva Pledge Update I am supporting Tettey, who deals in mobile phones and accessories in Kade, Ghana.

According to his Kiva business page:

Tettey is forty-three. He is married and has four children, all in school. He lives with his wife and children in a rented apartment in a town called Kade in the Eastern Region of Ghana. He works hard to be able to provide for the family. Tettey is a trader. He deals in mobile phones and accessories. He sells in a shop by the roadside in his community. He tells us that he buys the phones from the big cities at affordable prices. Tettey has been in business for three years and wants a loan to procure all kinds of phones in larger quantities in order to expand his business.

Stay tuned for the next Kiva Pledge Update on December 6th.

In this week’s Kiva Pledge Update I am supporting John Lubowa, who currently rides a boda-boda in Lugazi, Uganda.

According to his Kiva business page:

Lubowa John is the leader of his lending group in Lugazi. He is 36 years old, married, and has five children aged 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13. They are all in primary school. John also takes care of seven dependants, including orphans.

John is a hardworking man and has been a boda-boda rider for Lugazi Town Council for the past five years. He shows good customer care towards his clients. His business is seasonal, which affects his cash flow. He is able to make 20,000 UGX a week profit. He has a dream of buying his own bike so that he could earn a larger income and continue to educate his children to the last level. John is requesting a loan to purchase a cow (with a top-up from his savings) so that he could sell milk to diversify his family income.

Stay tuned for the next Kiva Pledge Update on November 22nd.

Indego Africa is an organization that is truly making a difference in the lives of Rwandan women by helping them to sell their local crafts. Why go to this event? Here’s three great reasons to spend part of your Friday night at the fundraiser:

• Rwandan dancing. If you’ve never seen a great intore show, you don’t know what you’re missing. Come see Amariza N’Amasonga, the best Rwandan dance group in the area!
• Good people, good food and good drinks. Indego Africa events attract interesting people from all age groups, united by the common bond of an interest in the world outside our borders. The $45 ticket price will include traditional Rwandan food and an open bar.
• Raffle Drawing. We’ll be drawing for our raffle grand prize: a trip to Rwanda (or $3000). Already have a raffle ticket? Come see if you’re the lucky winner. If not, you can get one at reduced price when you buy your ticket.

Tickets and more info are can be found at http://www.indegoafrica.org/fundraisers

Come join me in supporting Indego Africa this Friday night at the Josephine Butler Parks Center in Washington, DC.

In this week’s Kiva Pledge Update I am supporting Ayub Mupere’s Group, who is currently operating a clothing boutique in Lugazi, Uganda.

According to their Kiva business page:

Mupere Ayub has had a boutique in Bukamunye for one and a half years. He is a married man with nine children between the ages of 1 and 18, as he takes care of his siblings. He is a determined man and he is lucky that he is able to make 80,000/= profit a week. Before having a boutique, Ayub was a fisherman. He does not regret the change, although his business is affected by high competition. He ensures that he treats his customers well and has quality clothes for resale; hence, more sales. In the future, Ayub wants to be a wholesaler so that he can build a house for his family.

Ayub needs a loan to be able to restock his boutique with more clothes for a steady supply of products. He is the leader of his lending group in Lugazi.

Stay tuned for the next Kiva Pledge Update on November 8th.

In this week’s Kiva Pledge Update I am supporting Margaret Nankabirwa’s Group, who is currently operating a secondhand clothing store in Kampala, Uganda.

According to their Kiva business page:

Nankabirwa Margaret is the leader of her lending group in Namasuba. She is a young woman who is obsessed with the desire to succeed through hard work. She is not yet married and has no child.

Margaret has a business selling secondhand clothes and has a shop in central Kampala. She joined her lending group to be able to access more capital for her business since she could not find any other alternative and, sincerely, she has found it worthwhile. She wants to be an independent lady and, even if she gets married, not leave everything to her husband.

Margaret needs a loan to be able to buy more clothes for increased variety, leading to increased sales and hence more income and profits.

Stay tuned for the next Kiva Pledge Update on October 25th.

In this week’s Kiva Pledge Update I am supporting Semugenya James’ Group, who is currently operating a general store in Lugazi, Uganda.

According to their Kiva business page:

Semugenya James is a hardworking woman with a retail shop in Lweru trading centre. She is 45 years old and married. She is responsible for twelve children between the ages of four and 24 years, some her own and some, orphans.

Semugenya used to be a farmer but was affected by the drop in price of produce and so changed to retail sales. From her shop she makes 200,000 UGX in profits, mostly attributable to the use of her loan and the quality of her products.

At the moment, Semugenya is requesting a loan to restock her shop with more goods and to pay for part of her children’s school fees. Semugenya dreams of becoming a wholesaler as well as educating her children to the highest level.

Stay tuned for the next Kiva Pledge Update on October 11th.

My technology exposure is more than the average person, but I am far from a seasoned developer, etc. My skills were in organizing, leading, starting and promoting. I eventually had a realization that while the events were stirring up a lot of press and filled with budding technologists, there was yet to be a supporting organization that encompassed all of these technologists. For every attendee at one of these meet-ups, there were at least 10 technologists who seemed to slip through the cracks, many of them hobbyists or students. That was my inspiration for webstartAfrica. I want to support both the seasoned veteran and the rising star.

While much of the groundwork has been done on the organization, the real work lies ahead. I’m in the process of searching for a Board of Directors, which can be a daunting task. Also important will be the recruitment of willing Sponsors, reliable Partners, and thirsty Members. That task begins today.

Please be sure to visit the website and don’t hesitate to send me comments or recommendations for improvement. I’m here and listening.

In this week’s Kiva Pledge Update I am supporting Dawa Marita, who is currently in the business of selling bread and beans in Gudele, Sudan.

According to his Kiva business page:

Dawa Marita is currently in the business of selling bread and beans and is requesting a loan to stock more beans to sell. Dawa is 39 years old and is Married with a husband that is a teacher. She has 4 children and her children go to school. With the extra profits from her loan, she hopes to be able to open up a shop BRAC’s holistic approach to poverty alleviation and empowerment of the poor encompasses a range of core programs in economic and social development, health, education , and human rights and legal services which are delivered through an extensive network of village organizations. BRAC has become one of the world’s largest NGOs as a measured by the scale and diversity of its interventions. In 2007, BRAC started operations in Southern Sudan. The microfinance program, which is targeted towards returning war refugees, has already formed 418 village organizations with more than 14,000 women members.

Stay tuned for the next Kiva Pledge Update on September 27th.

In case you need a refresher on the benefits the Uganda Skateboard Union is providing to the community and youth of Kitintale, re-read my original blog post.

If you’re interested in helping them out, head on over to their site and contact them for more details.

In this week’s Kiva Pledge Update I am supporting Androa Alfred Bayo, who operates a mobile phone shop in Koboko, Uganda.

According to his Kiva business page:

Bayo Androa Alfred is aged thirty-two year old, married and blessed with one child. He is more so looking after two dependents that are schooling. He owns a rental shop which is known as Chemical tech located along main road in Koboko town. He has been operating his business since the year 2002 so far seven years. He is using the loan to purchase phone accessories that is selling phones, phone housings, batteries and more so repairing phones for his customers and so forth. Bayo is a hardworking business man whose dream is to prosper in life.

Stay tuned for the next Kiva Pledge Update on September 13th.