Loan #10: Luz Marina Espinoza Becerra -- As of December 2011, Luz Marina has fully paid back her loan!

Luz Marina

Luz Marina is a cook at a local restaurant in Cusco. She is 33-years-old, married, and has two children, ages 7 and 2. She has asked for a loan to start a food stand in a local market (see picture below, which would allow her the opportunity to make some extra money for her family. Like many people in Peru, she is a hard worker, but has little chance to ever save money or make more than she needs for her family's survival/well-being.

a stand in a local Peruvian "mercado" (market)

Lenders to Luz Marina
(loan repayment complete -- 12/2011)

University of Richmond Cusco May Term Students (re-loan)
Burgess, A. and B. (re-loan)
Vincelli, D. (re-loan)
Sager-Gellerman, G. (re-loan)
DeLaine, B. (re-loan)
Tinsley, M. (re-loan)
Marcin, L. (re-loan)
Bagwell, C./Hicks, D. (re-loan)
Trainer, M. (re-loan)
Ward, C. and A. (re-loan)
Broyles, R. (re-loan)
Dickman, E. (re-loan)
South, J. (re-loan)
Parr, S. (re-loan)
Stoker, C. (re-loan)
Fuchs, J. (re-loan)
Mayes, T. (re-loan)
Doan, T. (re-loan)
Adams, K. and S. (re-loan)
Leonard, G. (re-loan)

Total loan to Luz Marina: $1000
amount of loan to Luz Marina collected to date: $1000

LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

Loan #9: Felipa Candia Auccaillo -- As of July 2011, Felipa has fully paid back her loan!

Felipa

One of our best friends in Cusco, Fania, asked us if we would consider giving a loan to her mother, Felipa. We had the chance to meet and talk with Felipa while we were there, and we were very excited to hear about her plans. She and her husband (pictured below) live in a small town called Rondocan about 2 hours drive from Cusco. Felipa would like to open a small store that sells groceries. (This is very common in Peru. The stores tend to be a small room stocked with basic groceries, attached to someone's house, and accessible from the street. See photo below.)

Lenders to Felipa
(loan repayment completed 6/2011):



University of Richmond Cusco May Term Students
Broyles, R. (re-loan)
Adams, K. & S. (re-loan)
Leonard, G. (re-loan)
Meyers, K./ Bissett, S. (re-loan)
Revell, B. & M. (re-loan)
Palhomous, A. (re-loan)
Revell, R. (re-loan)
Mayes, B. & E. (re-loan)
Croak, M. (re-loan)
Manglitz, A. (re-loan)
Rowland, P. & P. (re-loan)
Safran, C. (re-loan)
Birk, S./ Jibaja, I. (re-loan)
The Marsh Family (re-loan)
Pham, M. (re-loan)
Pham, Mel. (re-loan)

Total loan to Felipa: $1000
amount of loan to Felipa collected to date: $1000
amount still needed: $0

LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

Felipa with Fania and her husband, Evaristo

example of a small one-room store

Loan #8: Marleni Huamandalla Huamanccari -- As of July 2011, Marleni has fully paid back her loan!

Marleni

Marleni has requested a loan, with her husband, to purchase a used car to use as a taxi. In Cusco, tourism and taxis are a huge part of the economy and the main source of income for many people. Marleni is the cousin of Yesica, who has just completed paying back her loan (#3 below). She and her husband are extremely grateful for this opportunity to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions.

Lenders to Marleni
(loan repayment completed 6/2011):


DeLaine, B. (re-loan)
South, J. (re-loan)
Stoker, C. (re-loan)
Parr, M. (re-loan)
Richards, S. (re-loan)
Manak, C. (re-loan)
Manak, M. (re-loan)
Cooper, B. (re-loan)
Spangler, C. (re-loan)

Rowland, P. & P. (re-loan)

Mayes, D. & E. (re-loan)

Total loan to Marleni: $1000
amount of loan to Marleni collected to date: $1000
amount still needed: $0

LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

Marleni with her cousin, Yesica, standing behind her

Loan #7: Angela "Milagros" Esquivel Sequeiros-- As of March 2011, Milagros has fully paid back her loan!

Milagros with Ben at Promesa, the school where she taught and he attended

Like many people in the Cusco area, Milagros and her family were devastated by the flooding that occurred there in February. Her father, an architect, lost all of his jobs and no longer had an income during that period. Milagros had been planning to attend University, due to start in March, but learned that her parents would not be able to help her financially, as they had planned, and so she could not go. We heard about this and offered her a loan. She was one of Ben's teachers at Promesa, where he and Tim attended school while we lived in Cusco. She was also the greeter at the school, so we had the chance to get to know her as we dropped off and picked up the boys each day from school. She is kind and hard-working and very grateful for this help.

Lenders to Milagros
(loan repayment completed 3/2011):

Leonard, G. (re-loan)
Rowland, P. &. P. (re-loan)
Manglitz, A. (re-loan)
Safran, C. (re-loan)
Sager-Gellerman, G. (re-loan)
Ward, C. & A. (reloan)
Mauney, M. & T. (re-loan)

Parr, M. (re-loan)

Total loan to Milagros: $500
amount of loan to Milagros collected to date: $500
amount still needed: $0

LOAN PAYMENT COMPLETE!

Loan #6: Edilberto Miranda Bellota -- As of February, 2011, Edilberto has fully paid back his loan!

Edilberto

Edilberto works as a taxi driver. His nickname amongst his family and friends is "el alcalde" ("mayor" in Spanish) because he is so popular and well-known in his local community, San Jerónimo, just outside of Cusco. The smile you see in this picture is the one he wears on his face constantly. He has had some health issues with his stomach and had surgery twice over the past two years, which affected his ability to earn a living for a while. He would like a $1000 loan to help pay for health care costs, which he will pay back at $100 a month; he is driving his taxi again. This is our second medical loan (the first was to Marcelino for his little girl, below).

Lenders to Edilberto and his loan repayment (completed 2/2011):

Manak, M. (re-loan)
Manak, C. (re-loan)Stoker, C. (re-loan)
Broyles, R. (re-loan)
Mayes, D. & E. (re-loan)
Mayes, B. & E. (re-loan)
Rowland, P. & P. (re-loan)
Pham, M. (re-loan)
Pham, Mel. (re-loan)
Bustos, S.
Vincelli, D. (re-loan)
Dickman, E. (re-loan)
Trainer, M. (re-loan)
Bobowski, A. (re-loan)
Parr, S. (re-loan)
Fuchs, J. (re-loan)
Mayes, T.
Doan, T.

Total loan to Edilberto: $1000
amount of loan to Edilberto collected to date: $1000
amount still needed: $0

LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

Edilberto with our son, Ben and his wife, Nelly

Loan #5: Guadalupe ("Lupe") Cusi Concha -- As of December, 2010, Lupe has fully paid back her loan!

Lupe

Lupe worked part-time in our home all of last year while we lived in Cusco. She came 2 days a week for 5 hours and helped us with anything and everything, from assisting us in getting acclimated to the new country and culture in the beginning -- and trying to understand our less-than-impressive Spanish! -- to cleaning, washing, and cooking. She is an extremely hard worker and a wonderful person. She would like a $1000 loan to start a jewelry and clothing business.

Lenders to Lupe and her loan repayment:

Dickman, E. (re-loan)
Ward, C. & A. (re-loan)
Fuchs, J. (re-loan)
South, J. (re-loan)
Cooper, B. (re-loan)
Richards, S. (re-loan)
Meyers, K./ Bissett, S. (re-loan)
Adams, K. & S. (re-loan)
Spangler, C.
Revell, B. & M.
Palhomous, A.
Revell, R.
Croak, M. (re-loan)
Birk, S./ Jibaja, I. (re-loan)
Marsh Family (re-loan)
Burgess, A. & B. (re-loan)
Tinsley, M. (re-loan)
Marcin, L. (re-loan)
Bagwell, C./Hicks, D. (re-loan)

Total loan to Lupe: $1000
amount loaned to Lupe to date: $1000
amount still needed: $0


LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

Lupe and her son, Farik, with our family

Loan # 4: Padraza Polomino Marcelino -- As of June, 2010, Marcelino has fully paid back his loan!

Padraza Polomino Marcelino

"Marcelino" works at Jack's cafe' in Cusco (as does his wife), and is our first medical/health loan recipient. He and his wife have a one-year-old little boy who suffers from pediatric hip dysplasia. He requested a loan to pay for immediate medical care for their son. We are loaning him $1000, and they will be paying this off at $100/month.

Lenders to Marcelino: 

(loan repayment complete as of June 2010)

Rowland, P. & P. (also part of the loan to Yesica)
Bobowski, A. (re-loan)
Vincelli, D. (re-loan)
Parr, S. (re-loan)
Parr, M.
DeLaine, B.
Cooper, J. & Cole, L.

Total loan to Marcelino: $1000
amount Marcelino has paid back to lenders: $1000


LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

Loan # 3: Yesica Huamanccari Atan -- As of June, 2010, Yesica has fully paid back her loan!

Yesica Huamanccari Atan

Yesica works at Jack's, our favorite restaurant in Cusco, and is a cheerful, hard-working person. We got to know her during our time there. She requested a loan in order to start a small business on the side, using her sewing skills to make clothing. We have loaned her $1000, and she will be paying this off at $100/month.

Lenders to Yesica:

(loan repayment complete as of June 2010)


South, J.
Cooper, B.
Hester, B. & M.K. (re-loan)
Rowland, P. & P.

Total loan to Yesica: $1000
amount Yesica has paid back to lenders: $1000


LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

Loan #2: Abrahan Teran Gutierrez -- as of May, 2010, Abrahan has fully paid back his loan!

Abrahan Teran Gutierrez

Abrahan is the husband of Lupe, who worked in our home 2 days-a-week last year while we lived in Cusco. Their son, Farik, was one of our boys, Tim and Ben's, best friends, so we had the chance to get to know them well. They work very hard, but like so many people in Cusco, they do not have opportunities to earn much money. As a result, Abrahan, a taxi driver, drives an old car that is run-down and has had a lot of issues. He spends 10+ hours a day in it, working, so you can imagine how excited he is to receive this interest-free loan to buy a new (to him -- it will be used) car.

Lenders to Abrahan:

(loan repayment complete as of May 2010)

Hester, B. & M.K.
Meyers, K./ Bissett, S.
Birk, S./ Jibaja, I.
Fuchs, J.
Marsh Family (re-loan)
Croak, M. (re-loan)
Tinsley, M. (re-loan)
Marcin, L. (re-loan)
Bagwell, C./Hicks, D. (re-loan)
Broyles, R.
Leonard, G. (re-loan)
Mayes, B. & E. (re-loan)
Anonymous

Total loan to Abrahan: $1500
amount Abrahan has paid back to lenders: $1500


LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

(Abrahan introducing himself and thanking those people willing to support his loan)

Loan #1: Marco Antonio Espinoza Huamani -- As of April, 2010, Marco has fully paid back his loan!

Marco Antonio Espinoza Huamani
 

Marco is a taxi driver and drove our boys to and from school each day while we lived in Cusco last year. At the time at which we offered him this loan, he was working 13 hours a day, 7 days a week, earning up to 80 Soles a day (equivalent to about $25 -- on a good day). He was unable to keep up with the loan payments that he owed the bank, which was collecting interest at a high rate. This loan from lenders to CuscoGracias allowed him to pay this money back to the bank immediately and he has now paid back his lenders (below) at no interest and a much more manageable pace. He tells us that his life was MUCH less stressful as a result.

He and his wife have a 1-year-old daughter and they all live with his mother and 4 younger siblings, for whom he has become their surrogate father. His/their father died 3 years ago. He gives a large portion of his salary to his mother and siblings.

Thank you to all of you who were part of this loan to Marco!

Lenders to Marco:

(loan repayment complete as of April 2010)

Tinsley, M.
Marcin, L.
Bagwell, C./Hicks, D.
Marsh Family
Safran, C.
Croak, M.
Leonard, G.
Mayes, B.&E.

Bobowski, A.
Vincelli, D.
Parr, S.
Richards, S.
Dickman, E.
Adams, K.&S.
Ward, C.&A.
Burgess, B.&A.
Manak, M.
Manak, C.

Stoker, C.
Mayes, D.&E.
Pham, M.
Pham, Mel.

Manglitz, A.
Trainer, M.
Sager-Gellerman, G.
Mauney, M. & T.


Total loan to Marco: $1500
amount Marco has paid back to lenders: $1500


LOAN REPAYMENT COMPLETE!

Marco with his wife and daughter

Marco with his daughter, Tim, and Ben