Your Contribution Counts Campaign, micro-loan selection criteria

For every 25 conscious-contributions™ shared on the YourContributionCounts page,  YouMeWe Group will invest $25 in a woman seeking a micro-loan for business or education through the Kiva.org program. Kiva provides micro-loans that change lives. By lending as little as $25, we can help women around the world create an opportunity for themselves and their communities.

Through participation, conscious-contributors can double your impact.

Micro-loan selection criteria:

1. A micro-loan is provided to either advance education or expand a business.
2. The country that is selected for investment is based on where the most campaign participants requested investment.
3. Is there a micro-loan opportunity available through the Kiva program to invest in the most requested country at the time of 25 conscious-contributions being logged?
4. YouMeWe will lean toward investing in a woman’s education or business, because:
   • The YouMeWe Foundation supports women in tertiary education, with the hopes of equalizing female representation in entrepreneurial and leadership roles.
   • Women also lead their communities and building strong families.
   • On average, women reinvest 80% of their income in the wellbeing of their children.
   • When investing in education, YouMeWe will seek individuals who are primarily seeking tertiary education – YouMeWe Group believes in investing in leaders. Our interviews with pioneering African women on WisdomExchnageTV.com also suggest the massive impact one woman with a vision and determination can have on an entire community.

6. When investing in a business, YouMeWe Group will lean toward women’s groups requesting the investment.

• When a group of women is working together, they support each other in the success of her business, and in repayment of the loan.
• In rural communities where women often do not have collateral to secure the loan, each borrower guarantees the loan, promoting group empowerment and collaboration – two values of the YouMeWe Group and Movement.
• Focus on groups that are creating a business that will offer opportunities for the community, or for future expansion. Groups that manufacture, or grow have the best growth potential and will possibly employ more people, providing for more families.

7. When a country to invest in is not obvious amongst the contributors to the campaign, YouMeWe Group will highly weight countries where there are challenges receiving loans through traditional methods.
8. Lastly, the on the ground Kiva loan partners will be assessed. So YouMeWe can continue to reinvest in other individuals and communities, the below criteria will be evaluated:
   • Field Partner risk rating: 3 or better 
   • Delinquency rate
   • Loans at risk rate
   • Default rate
   • Repayment schedule

For campaign participants, all you need to do is log your contributions, YouMeWe Group will take care of
the research and the micro-loan.

To learn more about how to make your contributions count – twice, visit the YourContributionCount Campaign page, and log your contribution, so we can collectively weave the world together one conscious-contribution™ at a time.

For more information, contact Suzanne F. Stevens at 416-570-6557 or SuzanneFStevens@youmewe.ca

Until next time, make your contributions count.
#YouMeWeMovement #YourContributionCounts

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