Little Known Microfinance Groups

While surfing the internet not long ago I began to come across many different sites that use the same peer-to-peer lending model like Vittana and Kiva to serve the growing needs in the world. Over the past five years many organizations have seen the effectiveness of what this platforms have to offer and spawned groups of their own to test the water of financial global change. From educational funding to energy needs these groups are looking to take back control of their dollars to help others in need, instead of leaving it up to government and NGO's to spend our tax dollars to improve conditions for those living under the poverty line.


LEND FOR PEACE
In the Southern California Muslim community a lot of our energy is often focused on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and creating ways to bring attention to the plight of those suffering on both sides. Many people outside of the "balanced" news loop lack vital information about the facts on the ground and rely solely on FOX News and CNN for their coverage which too often paints a one sided portrait of the situation. According to their website "Lend for Peace" was established by two Israeli's students and two Palestinians students to make a tangible different in the conflict, regardless of their faith background. Although their catalog of entrepreneurs is small, the people who created it have good intentions to bring peace and prosperity to those in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Although small, the group does offer the opportunity for individuals and students to get involved through volunteer and internship positions. Using the popular lending platform, people all over the world can lend to Palestinian entrepreneurs to create and expand their business and create opportunities for themselves and their families. From grocery stores to farming, the group reaches a number of people who look to serve others with food and other vital supplies.

Taken from the popular Israeli "Land for Peace" mantras of the past, this organization looks sheds new light on the human aspect of the conflict and not the political aspect. In one short year LFP has recieved grants from foundations such as the Clinton Global Initiative and recruited members such as Craig Newman to their advisory board. Most know Craig Newman as the founder of the popular site Craig's List. Although the International Monetary Fund has showed that economic recovery in the West Bank could come soon, it should be noted that micro-enterprise makes up almost 95% of all business in the West Bank and Gaza according to a 2007 article from MicroCapital. Due to certain boarder issues the numbers possibility of growth can only plateau instead of rise.

The site is worth looking into and should inspire the average person to learn more about what's happening in the Middle East and why such an organization is needed. The old saying is true that knowledge is power.


ENERGY IN COMMON
As the world become more industrialized pollution will only worsen. Many groups are dedicated to saving the environment such as Green Peace, but there are only a few that have attempted to combine microfinance with green technology and energy independence. To some it may not seem like a big deal but if you're in that camp you're unfortunately wrong. Many issues stem from the availability of energy for entrepreneurs to run a "successful" business while keeping the health of mother earth in mind. One should take into account the issues of deforestation in the Amazon and Madagascar where these countries have cut down large swaths of forest for business purposes, often by impoverished individuals selling items like charcoal to meet energy demands. In many other places such as remote areas in Africa the problem of energy poverty and pollution grow as people rely on the use oil, dung or kerosene for their energy needs.

Energy in Common is an organization founded by a young Australian entrepreneur named Hugh Whalan and a New York carbon credit and green energy specialist named Scott Tudman. Their goal to deliver green energy to 15 million people within five years seems hard, but in today's green revolution this might be a venture worth considering. Their site profiles businessmen and women looking to purchase solar panels to light their homes where they run their businesses, but we should look at this in a larger context. It is a real solution which makes things like studying after dark, refrigerating medicine and vaccines and pumping clean water to remote communities a possibilities. Often the little things can make a huge difference in many avenues to improve the lives of millions. You can read more about EIC, their mission and their founders through an interview conducted by the Huffington Post.

Kiva & Sam's Club: Change Made Simple

Kiva is one of four finalist in the Sam's Club "Giving Made Simple" campaign to win a $1 Million grant for their social activism using microfinance. Anyone who is a Sam's Club member can go on their "Giving Made Simple" website and vote as many times as you'd like for companies who's causes you share an interest in. Not only is this a great way to use your Sam's Club membership for more then just shopping, but it also is a way to give back and get more out of your member fee.

For all those who don't know, Kiva is the pioneer of peer-to-peer internet microfinance lending. Connecting the average person with an internet connection to entrepreneurs in 52 countries in an effort bring them out of poverty. Since Kiva was incorporated in 2005 lenders in 196 countries have lent well over $130 Million to over 400,000 entrepreneurs, helping them start or expand their small businesses. They've also created a huge network of volunteers and Fellows who represent Kiva by working directly with their international banking partners to disburse funds lent from people like you and me. I first learned about Kiva while watching a PBS Frontline special about them years ago. Since then I've become an advocate for their work and their goal of poverty alleviation by respecting the needs of those whom they assist in the developing world.

Kiva plans to multiply the impact by 10 by generating approximately $10 Million more in loans from the Internet community, helping approximately 25,000 entrepreneurs in the US and around the world. With the ability to turn around funds and help even more people with a "simple" $1 Million grant, five a few moments of your time and put that Sam's Club membership to good use. Now giving back to the world has been simplificed and all you have to do is click a button. No money given and no funds transfered. Voting ends on May 1, so act fast!

Here is an excerpt from the Frontline special about Kiva.

The Dreams of A Man

"The most dangerous man in the world is the man with nothing to loose. You don't need ten or twenty such men to change the world. One will do."

-The Honorable Elijah Muhammad


This month marks one years since a major turning point in my life. The point when all my contacts in the entertainment industry dried up and I was left with nothing and little direction. After frantically calling every contact I had, I felt the time had come to make a choice and choose my path. Is there ever a time when it's too late to dream? Is there ever a dream that seems to far out of reach?

The answer of these questions might be different for everyone, but I believe it's never too late to dream. I chose to follow a dream that I'd put off for way too long but no longer. I decided to walk the path of a social entrepreneur and change the world, or at least my little corner of the world. Although it can never be said that my timing isn't great, I still believe that this is my time and I'm not running away from the challenge.

Choosing the worst possible time to do this with the economy failing, I took the label of "social entrepreneur" to heart. I've struggled to find work since this reinvention began, having to take a job that put me in more debt then anything else. I have attempted and failed many times to save and go back to school and it feels as if I've gotten nowhere. I've written eassys for scholarships and tried to study for the GMAT on my own, but I'm thankful that I'm able to stay in Los Angeles where I'm able to reach many communities. With all the ups and downs, hits and misses, ins and outs of reinventing myself I've learned that the struggle of life never ends, but rather changes forms as we age.

Like so many other people, I voted for Barack Obama with much joy. But unlike so many people, I'm never upset or disappointed when he enacts a policy I don't agree with. I voted for him because I believe in the idea of him. Not a black man being President, but rather someone who gave hope to millions of people that they should follow their heart and their dreams. I voted for him, because I AM him. I don't wait for him to change the world, instead I do it myself. This is the reason that I work with youth and strive to give others a chance to go to college. I believe that by doing these things I'll make the world a better place and hopefully get some good karma to make my goals come into view.

I'm hoping that with a new direction of my blog that I can reach even more people to spread the word and bring about the winds of change and hope. Hope comes from the people and not one man in Washington.

The Vittana Challenge: Part II

In March Vittana held its first ever fundraiser called March Microfinance Madness. The goal of the fund drive was to raise $50,000 to fund student loans in countries like Vietnam, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Peru and Mongolia. Little did the people at Vittana know that the public would respond with overwhelming support.

Looking back at the month of madness, people from the United States, Europe and Australia signed up and lent as little as $25 and as much as $500 to help students build a foundation toward their dreams. Like me, these students are paralyzed by a never ending circle of financial uncertainty. While most people watched Northern Iowa shock Kansas in the NCAA tournament, lending groups from businesses, social groups and religious organizations sprang up to lend over $55,000 and fulfill the loan profiles of 105 students.

The two groups I created put Southern California lenders on the map. The Muslim Youth Group of the Islamic Center of Southern California lent $344 and the CommUnity Funders group lent over $100. Although it should be noted that the Muslim Youth has lent over $1,400 to date, being apart of the fundraiser was just another means for the youth to become involved in the wider global community. While tons of emails were sent out to friends all across the country, the CommUnity Funders group attracted many people from all walks of life including a newlywed couple who chose to use their wedding gift money to support educational efforts.

For Vittana and myself this is only the beginning to tackle the greater problem of financing education. The fundraiser is over but the work has just started. In due time Vittana will expand and rightfully so. Twice during the final week of the fund drive it "sold out" of students and worked frantically to post more profiles. It seems that many people around the world have not forgotten the dreams they held while forging toward an educational goal. This is the connection that Vittana was created for and March showed all of us that no dream is too small as long as their are people in the world who are willing to give you a helping hand.

The Vittana Challenge

Not long ago I came in contact with a man named Kushal Chakrabarti who heads a microfinance venture called Vittana. Vittana passes micro-loans from lenders in the US to people all over the world in order for them to pay for their vocational classes, thus lifting them out of poverty. He came to the Islamic Center where I work and presented. Just a few months earlier the youth I work with raised over $1,300 to donate to a worthy cause, so we choose Vittana. I spoke with my youth about it and they seemed very into it, especially since after 18 months the students receiving our loans repay them to us to relend again interest free.

Shortly after that I contacted Vittana to become more involved, since I'm hoping to enter a Masters or MBA program concentrating on microfinance. And within a few weeks I was working to create lending groups and spreading the word about Vittana's mission. I am the first person in their Ambassador's program and I'm happy to set the bar for all those who come after me.

During the month of March, Vittana has put together their March Micro Madness project in order to get more lenders and spread the word about them. While trying to secure speaking engagements in high school and universities, I've create my own lending group to do my part. My challenge is to secure at least 50 new lenders to lend at least $25 each to someone through Vittana. I believe it to be a challenge in these rough economic times, but I'm up to the task.

So today begins the challenge. 50 new lenders by March 31. To be continued....

Mazhab Cinta (The Path of Love)

Have you ever seen once of the really corny videos and for some reason you can't stop watching it? Maybe it's the lyrics, or maybe it's what's going on in the video. I believe in Islam and I consider myself a Sunni, Shi'a and a Sufi, whatever those terms actually mean. I like to read poetry by Rumi, Imam al-Ghazali and Imam al-Mawlud but I'm sure there is one person you've never heard of. His name is Shiekh Fattaah.

I'll give you the short version of this story. He is a Sufi teacher who writes the most beautiful poetry about The Beloved (Allah). He writes poetry in a number of languages including Indonesian, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Chinese, Spanish and English. But that's not the most interesting part. There is a musical group in Indonesia who use his poems as lyrics for their songs. Funny enough, no one in the group consisting of over 15 members is actually Indonesian. They are all Muslims from the many ethnic communities of America.

I'm not writing this post to print his words or give a voice to the group, named DEBU which means dust. But I am here to give you a song that always makes me smile. Maybe I should watch it more often these days.

I am not a person that likes nasheed songs so I don't consider this to be one. Maybe it is, but without the annoying high pitched voices of men. It's a little different, but check it out.

So without further delay, I give you....The Path of Love (Mazhab Cinta).

Shiekh Fattaah even makes a guess cameo at 2:24.

2010! A Change is Gonna Come

A song I remember hearing once as a kid spoke to me. A song by a special young man named Sam Cooke. The song was, "A Change is Gonna Come." The first time I heard it was while watching the movie "Malcolm X" with my parents. "I was born by the river, in a little tent. Oh and just like the river I've been running, ever since"....the song starts out. I seemed to grasp metaphors from a young age, but this lines stands out in my head. Sometimes I feel that it speaks to me, even today.

It's been 11 months since I last worked in television and since then I feel like the old Nathan has floated down stream, but he planted a seed along the banks before he left. Now the new person begins to grow so close to the river. Although the roots are solid, the river could sweep me away. If I were to sit here and tell you that my life has been easy, I'd be joking. If I were to tell you that its been hard, I'd be severely understating. I have a job and I think Allah for it even though sometimes I'd rather die then go into work. But if it's one thing I've learned is that God willing, a change in gonna come.

I'm saying this because I have to believe it. If I didn't my soul would die on a daily basis knowing that nothing better is in sight. In the past I've been running like the river looking for something to fulfill who I was, even though I wasn't even sure of who I was. I'll give you a brief breakdown of the last few years. 2004 & 2005 kicked ass, since I finally got to travel the world. 2005-2008 were great because I moved to LA and fell in love with sunny SoCal. 2009 was the worst since I lost my job and had to take one that...well lets just say I'm counting the days until something better comes along. 2010 has to be the year. The year of Nathan! The year for change!

I'm giving myself a deadline. I have to find a new job by Ramadan or it's back to Iowa. I'm not happy with the situation, but honestly I'd be a fool to stay somewhere that I don't belong. A friends father once told me, "being a man means you have to do a lot of things you don't want to do." Well I'll add to that by saying that being a man means knowing when to stay and knowing when to go. I hope I can stay, but I need to prepare to go and run with the river.

Fragile Humility

I’ve lost my heart
That invincible 17 year old that resides in all of us
Ready to take on the world, swiftly shifting challenges
Equipped to take on all opponents without the slightest apprehension
To seek and conquer all dreams like a Shabazz warrior to leave my mark
Stamping it for generations to follow in my footsteps as I follow those before

I’ve lost that which defined my ambitions
That unwillingness to except only success from future endeavors
Like a low ranking knight perceptive to his place in this world
Once I was a king eager to lead a victorious army
Now a Prince unable to ascend to the throne
Clouded thoughts will one day give way to the path where my heart awaits
Above all, I must stay true

A Tale of Two Communities

Having lived in a multitude of cities across this vast country, I’ve learned there is one problem in the Muslim community that no one speaks of. The differences between the African-American and “Immigrant” Muslim communities have held Muslims in America back for almost 50 years now. It’s it time to get over these differences and move forward? A few moments brought this issue to light for me.

Between 2003-2005 I lived in an African-American Muslim community in North Minneapolis, MN. Although the community was 95% African-America, the leaders of the mosque seemed extremely open to joint participation between the two groups. I never noticed the separation between the groups until 2004 when I joined a group of older men and drove to Chicago for The Mosque Cares Annual Conference sponsored by Imam W.D. Muhammad. Topics included the richness of Muslim Identity in North America with the influx of slaves from Muslim areas of Africa. For me, it showed me that the history and Islamic Identity of Muslims was not lost as most people think. I stood and observed numerous photo displays of old slave churches that had Arabic carved into the back of pews and headstones in cemeteries written in Arabic. African-American Muslims are proud of their continuous presence in a country that has refused to take noticed of them. But on the other side of town ISNA, which is comprised of the immigrant Muslim communities, held their own conference at the same time without recognition. We were encouraged to branch out to our Muslim brothers and sister and attend their conference, although no one felt inclined because no one from their conference wanted to hear what we had to say about life in America and our right to build a larger inclusive Muslim community. One more stated in passing that "I refused to be treated as a red headed stepchild by other Muslims. Haven't white people done that to us enough?"

Now it seems that in the post September 11^th world, the Islamic identity of America has been held hostage instead of shared mainly by the immigrant Muslim population. Just after the World Trade Center attacks Oprah hosted a show made up of Muslim women. Not one of those women was African-American. It was as if we had been overlooked for our sisters who are first generation American Muslims. Not to discount their plight, but I found it highly uneasy that not one African-American women was asked to be on the show, even though African-Americans make up the dominate Muslim population in America. Do we not have a voice when it comes to being singled out for viscous attack and misunderstanding from the American populous? Outside of Native Americans, African-American, Muslim or not have been fighting the stigma of being pariah’s in America for 400 years. African-American Muslims don't want others to bow down to use, but at the same time we don't want others to think that we have to bow down to them or admit to some kind of superiority complex that other groups may have.

In 2002, I took a trip to an African-America mosque in Kansas City, Missouri. It hadn’t been a year since the attacks in New York and DC and as I walked through the men's door I easily felt a tension in the air. A week before my arrival, while everyone was in the middle of jummah prayer, a white man walked in the front door of the mosque with a gun. The men in the room quickly subdued him and called the police. After that the community was never the same. People in America took out their aggression on any Muslims they could find, not just Arabs or anyone who looked Middle Eastern. We all bore the brunt of Americans rage, but it seemed when African-Americans tried to comfort our Muslim neighbors we were largely ignored and marginalized as “not being real Muslims.” Until we find a way to unite, we will only fight like siblings in the front yard for all the neighbors to see.

Why: Words from Jadakiss

Aha
It's dat real
Yo, why is Jadakiss as hard as it gets
Why is the industry designed to keep the artist in debt
And why them dudes ain't ridin' if they part of yo set
And why they never get it poppin' but they party to death
Yea, and why they gon give you life for a murder
Turn around only give you eight months for a burner, it's goin down
Why they sellin' ni**az CD's for under a dime
If it's all love daddy why you come wit your nine
Why my ni**az ain't get that cake
Why is a brother up North better than Jordan
That ain't get that break
Why you ain't stackin' instead of tryin' to be fly
Why is rattin' at an all time high
Why are you even alive
Why they kill Tupac n' Chris
Why at the bar you ain't take straight shots instead of poppin Crist'
Why them bullets have to hit that door
Why did Kobe have to hit that raw
Why he kiss that whore
Why

All that I been givin'
Is this thing that I've been living
They got me in the system
Why they gotta do me like that
Try'd to make it my way
But got sent up on the highway
Why, oh why
Why they gotta do me like that

Why would ni**az push pounds and powder
Why did Bush knock down the towers
Why you around them cowards
Why Aaliyah have to take that flight
Why my ni**a D ain't pull out his Ferrari
Why he take that bike
Why they gotta open your package and read your mail
Why they stop lettin' ni**az get degreez in jail
Why you gotta do eighty-five percent of your time
And why do ni**az lie in eighty-five percent of they rhymes
Why a ni**a always want what he can't have
Why I can't come through in the pecan Jag
Why did crack have to hit so hard
Even though it's almost over
Why ni**az can't get no jobs
Why they come up wit the witness protection
Why they let the terminator win the election
Come on, pay attention
Why sell in the stores what you can sell in the streets
Why I say the hottest shit but we sellin' the least

Uh, yea, yo
Why Halle have to let a white man pop her to get a Oscar
Why Denzel have to be crooked before he took it
Why they didn't make the CL6 wit a clutch
And if you don't smoke why the hell you reachin' for my dutch
Why rap, cause I need air time
Why be on the curb wit a "why lie I need a beer" sign
Why all the young ni**az is dyin'
Cause they moms at work, they pops is gone, they livin' wit iron
Why they ain't give us a cure for aids
Why my diesel have fiends in the spot on the floor for days
Why you screamin' like it's slug, it's only the hawk
Why my buzz in L.A. ain't like it is in New York
Why you forcin' you to be hard
Why ain't you a thug by choice
Why the whole world love my voice
Why try to tell 'em that it's the flow son
And you know why they made the new twenties
Cause I got all my old ones
That's why