Q. Why donate to NamasteDirect?
A. When you make a donation to NamasteDirect,
you become a member of our family of people who are
making a difference in the world. NamasteDirect is
about how ordinary people – like you and me – can
end poverty one loan at a time!
Q. As a donor to NamasteDirect, how
do I know where my money is going?
A. First, we establish the women microentreprenuers
into groups of (approximately) 100 bearing a name of
their location. It takes $25-30,000 in donations to start
each group, so as contributions are received they are
aggregated until that amount is reached. Thus, each
donation goes to a specified group and the donors are
so notified.
Q. As a donor to NamasteDirect, how
do I know where my money is going?
A. NamasteDirect Fellows prepare pictures and written accounts of
microcredit borrowers, their projects, and their families
which are shared with donors via email, our website, and
regular mail over an eight-month period following the
donation.
Q. What percentage of funds raised
by NamasteDirect actually goes into loan funds?
A. Not less than 75 percent. We are
committed to keeping administrative costs to less than
25 percent. NamasteDirect
guarantees delivery of the highest percentage of unrestricted
donations into the hands of beneficiaries of any U.S.-based
international donor organization. Best of all, the
loan funds are recycled over and over again in the
local community. Your gift keeps on giving!
Q. Why are most NamasteDirect loan
recipients women?
A. Here is a knockout reason: Judith Bruce and Cynthia Lloyd reported in
their book, "Finding the Ties that Bind: Beyond Headship and Household," that in Guatemala an additional $11.40 per month in a mother's hands would achieve the same weight gain in a young child as an additional $166 if earned by the father.
That is a multipler of 14 times!
Q. Why does NamasteDirect have
a Fellowship Program?
A. The NamasteDirect Fellowship
Program supports the three-part mission
of NamasteDirect: microcredit loans, linking donors with
borrowers, and nurturing a new generation of global philanthropists.
The Fellows volunteer their skills and time to NamasteDirect
through individual projects and each Fellow takes on
the role of group captain for a NamasteDirect group of
100+ borrowers and is then responsible for reporting
to the donors about that particular group and its members.
Finally, the NamasteDirect Fellowship Program encourages
the participation of a younger generation in this very
important work through a unique and rich learning
experience.
Q. Does the Fellowship Program
divert money from the microcredit work of NamasteDirect?
A. No. Unrestricted donor contributions
made to NamasteDirect are used only for microcredit loans.
Funding for the Fellowship Program
is provided by donations earmarked specifically for it.
Q. Can a donor visit her/his Group
of 100?
A. Yes. Visiting a Group of 100 is
always a life-changing experience. We schedule Donor
Journeys to Central America on an on demand basis.
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