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For any of you that do not know how a micro-loan program works, in general it provides for the lending of small amounts of money, generally between $50 to $150, to persons who have an idea for a small business that might enable them to be self-sufficient in providing for their needs. The term of these loans is short, usually around eight to twelve weeks, and must be repaid plus interest at the end of that time period. If the loan is successfully paid back, the person can apply for another loan to continue their business. The payment of interest, over the long term, is designed to enable the program itself to become self-sufficient and to even grow to enable more loans to be given in the future.
Before we left for our trip, we planned and developed documentation for the program's functioning and administration by the SCPEDT board. When we arrived at VA, we presented the program to the SCPEDT Board, and it was their decision whether and how to move forward with the program. SCPEDT has committees which work on different projects, so a new micro finance committee was formed soon after our arrival. I would like to present this board as they appear in the group picture above.
The SCPEDT Micro Finance Board are all believers and hard working professionals. They work full time and their work on the committee is volunteer work. From left to right the people in the picture are: Ndotar, Nathaniel, Beth Rodgers (of MC), Pastor Bako, Vivi Wickberg (of MC), Abila, Jeremie, and Bernadette.
The President of the committee is Abila. Abila is a widow. Her husband and two of her children died in a car accident four years ago. She has two married daughters and a son, in college in N'djamena. She is the government Treasurer of the region Logon (the region around Moundou where Village Altonodji is).
The Secretary of the committee is Ndotar. The Treasurer is Bernadette, who is married to Joe (SCPEDT's accountant since 2002). They have eight children. The Counselor is Pastor Abel (pictured on right of page), who is the regional president of EET (the Alliance of Evangelical Churches) in Moundou. Another Counselor is Jeremie, SCPEDT's accountant. Jeremie is married with three sons and a beautiful 24 year old wife. Nathaniel is the Loan Officer for the program. He is a non-voting member of the committee. He is the only person who will be paid a salary of $300/month. He worked with World Vision.
We presented the program to the committee and discussed each one's function in the program. After hearing our presentation, the committee decided to go ahead and learn the micro finance methodology, which is the basis of the program. They made the decision to go ahead with the program and presented us with their schedule for the program's implementation. We praise God for their quick response and good understanding of the methodology as they planned for its start.
They decided to start the orientation training of the prospective clients on June 1st . The orientation program will go for eight weeks. In the sixth week of the orientation period, loan applications will be received and quickly processed so that the loan can be disbursed in time for an August start of the actual loan program. At the end of the orientation period, the loans will be disbursed for a term of twelve weeks. In the first week of November, this pilot program will be evaluated.
Please pray for each board member as they develop this program for the first time. Pray that their efforts are multiplied as they need to work and support their families. Pray that they will be open to learn from other people who developed this program in other countries, and some even in Chad. Pray that they will make good decisions in creating their policies and rules. Pray that they will make a good selection of the first 15 to 20 clients for the pilot program. Pray that those chosen people to receive loans will be working hard to keep the rules of the program and that the weekly training (professional and spiritual) will enrich their lives, and will contribute to good relations between the committee, loan officer and clients themselves. Pray that those who do not know God will know Him through the learning in the weekly meetings about God's plan for a God oriented business based on Biblical principles.
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