Wednesday, 27 June 2018

I decided I better get this done early, my body is already heading into the go-to-bed-early stage...  :-)  Life is so much fun.

I got the book I ordered :: Banker to the Poor, by Muhammad Yunus, who is stated to be the founder of the Grameen Bank, which I think the book is about.  I decided to buy it because I saw a video of a young woman who discovered it as a teen and it inspired her future in the same direction... financing people who would never be approved for help by a regular bank.

My copy is Copyrighted in 1999 and 2003... the notes say it was originally published in 1997 by another person, JC Lattes... I could make a joke here,  but it probably would not go over here.  :-)

Money options and poverty have been a quest of mine since I went into the welfare system and couldn't find any way out that worked for me.  I discovered classes for something in the business cycle... in the Los Angeles area so many years ago.  I have talked about this before... it is my example of what exists... or, what did exist.  Crowdfunding has changed a lot, but there still are problems for those who don't have the ability to access crowdfunding.

In that experience I decided that there had to be real money at the end of the class.  What levels, I am not sure.  I think anything would have helped back then.  The classes were about formulating a plan for your business.  Then you had to go find funding from somewhere with your plan as part of the process.  Poor people, the kind of poor people who don't have anything, would never have that option, to be approved anywhere.

I should say that the video I watched said the company they operate puts people through a process before they can be approved for any money, including creating minimum partnerships in the lending group... three people was the minimum.  I'm not sure right now all the details of their loan process, but it wasn't easy... like ask and receive.  There was a process and they had to be approved.  The examples they showed were mostly women, which is the group most in need of financial help everywhere, but they also grew their businesses over time and didn't need the special financing anymore.

I guess it is dangerous to succeed in some countries because the good loan people were damaging the loan shark's business... the lenders were actually threatened by them.  I think that would be a hard reality to deal with.  I discovered that loan sharks require 10-40% interest PER day or month, I don't remember.  I think it was day, but I'm not sure.  No wonder people are running from loan sharks.

I guess my desire through Working Together was to create some kind of options for surviving, too... but at an individual level... for families, for communities, for churches, for anyone.  I decided membership was the only way to apply this equally, and then decided larger loans can be handled with a program that would be for members, either Christian or Public members.

Poverty is a long-term problem that doesn't go away in one government budget cycle.

Well, the author (Yunus) wrote other books since, and it says he won the Nobel Peace Prize, so it must be doing good work still.  One of these days I will check on it, but I have other things to do right now.  I hope to browse the book over the weekend.

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I have been trying to remember all the things I did today, in case there was something more to share, and I couldn't get past the normal everyday life things.  I did watch a webinar replay that took over an hour, on creating courses to sell or provide for free viewing online.  It was a beginning look at the process.  The site is called  TEACHABLE (.com) and it offers a structure to learn the process. I took notes, but I wish I knew how to do screenshots... that would have helped a lot.  :-)

Once you see these webinars, you notice how other people are approaching you, and seeing they must have watched this too... or be one of their customers!  haha  I guess that is how it will be...

I liked some of their "lists" of how to go about this outreach, but I didn't agree with everything.  Some of the pricing is affordable for the future, but I'm not sure how I want to proceed in the video and teaching and course opportunities... I have to decide between YouTube or another site that does video access... and other places I already know about.  Each option offers different benefits, and you have to find the ones you can afford and handle.  I hope to make a decision when I am clearer on how I want to proceed with Working Together or my personal goals.


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I guess, right now, I am still trying to find my "start-up funding" for Working Together, trying to find added income for my retirement needs (less than $400 doesn't go far), and have to get my legal issues for my senior years figured out.  That takes all my time...and prayers... and energy.

I know GOD has a plan for all this, I just wish I had a better idea what it was.  :-)

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD bless the good people and help them to see the needs all around them.
May GOD help me to do more of the things He has put in my heart to do.
May GOD reach out into this world and comfort those who are suffering.
May GOD find a way to make His Presence known to those who are searching for answers that only He can provide.

Help us to be the ONE BODY that will provide for all of us. Amen.