Goma Ventures

People Magazine and Major League Baseball are running a nationwide competition for various community leaders that were nominated by People Magazine readers.  As fate would have it, I was nominated for my work starting GomaVentures.  As some of you know, when I traveled to the Congo last summer, I witnessed the harsh life of endemic poverty, political instability and failed social infrastructure that Congolese men, women and their children only know.   Traveling with my friends, Julia, Maria and Tom, we often discussed how the common Congolese man, woman and child met their hardships with rare dignity and unyielding strength.  For instance, getting into an SUV to leave town to go to a village 15 miles away along a rocky volcanic road, we would see women carrying thirty to fifty pounds of wood, coal or produce on their backs.  Bent over, taking every step carefully so as not to fall off balance, these women would push on.  And many hours later, after we had arrived in the village and then turned back home, they were just completing their hike.

I remember telling myself never will I feel sorry about carrying the groceries into my house, carrying a backpack on a long trek or lugging a couple carry-ons through the airport terminal again.  We can become so weak when we fail to see how the rest of the world lives. 

So near the end of our trip, we brainstormed to see how we could help, even if it's just has a modest impact, to support some of these families.  Fortunately, Maria who has dedicated so much of her professional career to working for NGO's in developing countries, introduced us to a local NGO named Apromev.  Apromev takes in women and trains them how to sew by hand, and then by machine.  And if they are not literate, then reading and writing classes are first.  All the clothes that are made by these women are then sold into the markets and the funds are split to keep Apromev going and to allow the women to earn a modest income.  But not only does Apromev, again completely locally funded, help these women by teaching them useful skills, there is also an onsite classroom for the women's children.  

After visiting Apromev, it became clear that if we were to create a micro-finance loan program and partner with Apromev, then some of the change that we sought could be realized.  The start of GomaVentures began with seeing how much Apromev did with so few resources, and knowing that if they were to receive money for loans that they could empower their women so much more.  

Since last Fall, we have made nearly 20 loans to Congolese women, and have received return payments on all loans (we use Western Union to wire the money back and forth).  And up until now, I have just used my personal funds, as Goma Ventures is not a 501(c)(3), and I wanted to take a slow and steady approach.  

Nevertheless, with the People Magazine nomination, I wanted to encourage you to share the story of the Congolese people who, with the help of GomaVentures, are starting their own businesses selling produce, textiles, petrol, and consequently not needing to take the 15 mile treks across volcanic roads.  

I would be grateful if you were to visit the MLB/People Magazine site and choose LA Dodgers where you'll see our nomination and click and vote.  Voting goes on until June 20, and you can vote as often as you like.  If you could post on your FB profile, or e-mail friends to vote, then that would be awesome too.  But at days end, not only does awareness help, but you can also get directly involved.  And you don't have to wait on me to grow GomaVentures to help others out.  

I suggest that if you want to get involved in micro-finance you check out Kiva.com, and if you want to read some excellent books about economic disparties see Guns, Germs and Steel, and anything written by my former professor Jeffrey Sachs.  Last to see pictures and watch the video of the kids from Apromev, you can visit GomaVentures.com.  Watch the video and turn up the speakers, because the kids sing a wonderful song and their spirit will move you.

Again, please take a moment and vote (http://www.mlb.com/peopleallstarsamongus/) , and take a minute to pass along via FB, Twitter or E-mail, and take a month to think about how you too can get involved with various micro-finance projects around the world.