Francisco Santiago Gordon lives in the village of Xamoxan about a half hour walk above Chel. He is pictured here with his family in front of their home. We met in late 2010. He had heard of our different projects and wanted to ask for personal help to establish some type of business to better provide for his families. Francisco was born with an abnormality that caused his hand to grow extremely large. This disability made it virtually impossible for him to find hired work among his neighbors. We talked about different possibilities to start a business and I told him I would go and look for a sponsor so we could offer a micro loan when I returned in February 2011.
Back in Washington State I mentioned this need to a neighbor who gladly offered the $250 needed to finance this loan. So in February Francisco and I set down and worked out a business plan and loan agreement. T.R.E. does not make very many micro loans but we are grateful when the need and finances are matched up because these loans can truly be life changing. It is quite a process to develop a business plan and explain the good and bad points of taking out a loan to someone who has never done either. When we offer loans there are without interest and although we want the payment plan not to be burdensome we want to see the debt cancelled as soon as possible.
Pictured here is the plan Francisco decided to do. He barrowed 4 cuerdas of land from his brother and planted them in a crop called cardamom which is a spice that originated in India. On another 3 cuerdas of land he owns he planted both cardamom and coffee plants. His reasoning was that the barrowed land would be used for three to four years when the cardamom would finally stop producing but his personal property which also was planted in coffee would continue to produce for 10 years. These 7 cuerdas that he planted are roughly equal to one acre.
He bought first year cardamom starts and planted 72 plants per cuerda on the four barrowed acres. They will have a small harvest this year. Next year’s harvest should produce about 500 pounds of seeds which will sell for around 40 cents a pound. For a total estimated harvest of $200
On his own property he planted 250 coffee starts and 72 cardamom starts per cuerda. The coffee will start producing well its fourth year and the expected yearly harvest will be about 100 pounds per cuerda. Prices always very but it normally sells for a dollar to dollar fifty per pound. This harvest will net Francisco $300-$450. ( the long leafed plants are cardamom, the darker leafed bush is coffee and the white trunked tree in the background offers shade for the coffee and firewood for the family.
Francisco has done an excellent job investing this money
Francisco here is holding some cardamom seeds, seeds of hope.
There is always a risk with offering a loan. $250 is a huge sum to Francisco and it is a notable amount to my neighbor. But when I think of what it take for me to earn $250 and how much it can benefit someone like Francisco who earns $3 a day it is worth the risk.
Francisco has already paid ½ of the loan back and will pay the other half next spring. The gift my neighbor gave is being reinvested in the lives of others and Francisco will reap the benefits for many years. Our small acts of kindness can produce long lasting results for those who will add their labor to those gifts. T.R.E. is not a large organization but a personal one. Last spring your gifts helped us distribute $10,000 worth of animals to needy farmers in this area. This fall we want to once again bring a blessing of relief to share with these friends. I like to think that our help is like giving tools that the villagers can add their labor and efforts to bring about a better future. 100% of all donations go directly into these projects. They are than multiplied by the effort of people like Francisco and the whole family benefits. Please consider donating either through our web site or by snail mail. It will make a difference.
Thank-you Michael
The Ripple Effect inc
9712 Kopachuck Dr NW
Gig Harbor Wa. 98335
