My Day 3, Your Day 1

  WE'RE HALFWAY THERE! I apologize for not blogging earlier but we haven't stopped since we landed in Managua. To think that we've been here for only two days is so surreal because we've done so much is such a short amount of time. Nicaragua is everything I thought it would be and so much more. All the organizations that we have visited play such an imperative role in the development of Nicaragua and it's so amazing to see all the work they have done and continue to do. Organizations such as Fabretto and Supply Hope are giving their people the power to do better instead of just giving them charity. Fabretto is empowering their children to gain computer certification and entrepreneurship experience that they can benefit them and their families down the road. Supply Hope literally gives their "operators" a franchise in a box, equipped with all the managerial and inventory aspects that come with running a business. All these successful images of entrepreneurship was the perfect platform for the most important part out trip: visiting our borrowers.
   Dubbed by the Fellows as "GLOBE Day", we all went to St. Louise de Marillac School in Managua to meet current and potential borrowers. Sora Reyna Isabel and her teams of Sisters were more than welcoming and accommodating to us as we started our presentation. Dr. Sama and Anastasia started talking about the basics of the program and the impact we've made thus far. Our current borrowers, Doña Maria and Doña Sonia, told their story and what GLOBE has done for them and the faces of the potential women seem to light up with joy. But honestly nothing could compare to Doña Maria and Doña Sonia. To hear them be so grateful for what GLOBE has given them, to hear them gush about what their lives are now and what they were then, to hear the excitement in their voices while trying to convince the other women, was something so surreal. We then went to the actual businesses of Doña Maria and Doña Sonia. Up until this point, our borrowers have been a picture on an application with a blurb about their lives and future endeavors. I can now say that those applications do these women no justice at all. Watching these women, you can't help but think "I did this." I took some time out my day to approve a loan that has made an impact greater than I will ever be able to comprehend. It was such an awesome feeling. It reminded me of why I'm in GLOBE and why I wanted to be on this trip. I honestly recommend this trip to all GLOBE managers because this is such a big deal to us and no one will get it like we do.