Tuesday was the day for our second workshop, centered around savings. I'm a big fan of the concept of savings in general--the notion that saving can help you, not only to organize your life, but to achieve your dreams (whether it be a new car or a vocational certification) is pretty captivating. That being said, I was really looking forward to how the topic would be received among the women. Once again seven women showed up for the class, five of whom had attended the first session as well. The class was structured to follow the story of a fictional Maria, highlighting discussion points where she could have implemented savings strategies ranging from taking only a minimal amount of money to the market to buying a mosquito coil to prevent the never-ending costs of an attack of dengue fever, prevalent in this area. Remarkably, the discussions fostered ideas, from networking to women's empowerment, which until now, we had only read about in microfinance literature! For example, one woman announced a low income housing project she knew of for which the other women could be eligible while another boldly stated that the most important part of saving for her, was keeping it from her husband, because when they had savings he lost sight of the need to work. In a later meeting she proudly stated that it was SHE who wore the pants in the relationship! Besides savings, we also offered a more complete overview of our initial loan terms and requirements: weekly attendance , 10%interest, mandatory savings deposit, 12%savings, 3 month loan cycle, GROUP LENDING, etc. To give you some perspective, FINCA one of the largest microfinance institutions working in Guatemala, charges anywhere from 25-30% interest, which compounds when clients miss payments, putting them farther in debt. The best part of the workshop was probably when one of the women raised her hand: "Why should I pay for someone's else irresponsibility?" she challenged us. Although we could have entered into a long-winded explanation defending the group model: it fosters trust and community, creates a safe-guard that provides for long-term sustainability, etc., the sheer fact that she was questioning our program made us smile. These women aren't looking for a handout, they are capable and responsible mothers, looking for a way to better their lives.

On Wednesday and Thursday we made home visits to all of the women, filling out loan applications, asset assessments, and a general impact analysis/surveys. Visiting their homes was both humbling, as most live in one room houses with tin roofs and walls patched with cardboard and metal sheets, and inspiring as almost every single women asserted herself as the sole owner or "decision maker" of her household and business. The women were quick to open up, laughing at our innocence when they recalled how often they'd seen a gun in the past week or giving a sorry smile as they lamented how lack of money had kept them from making a hospital visit when their daughter had taken ill. Interestingly enough, several of the women have also had past loans with FINCA or similar institutions. Having been stripped of their savings, these experiences have made them more wary towards endeavors like our own.

The only really unnerving result of our home visits was the realization that one of the women was not a viable borrower. Several of the other women confided in us that she and her husband have used robbery as a means for survival in the past, and have even resorted to extortion. If they didn't trust her with their children, how could we ask them to trust her with their livelihoods? The sad truth is that for many in La Limonada a heart of solid gold still doesn't feed a hungry child, and what people revert to in dire circumstances is the most telling character reference of all. Yet, honestly, it's hard to judge when I don't know what I would or wouldn't do when faced with no opportunity and the responsibility of another human being.

Although we believe we have five strongly committed women to create our pilot borrower group, a lot remains to be seen. The biggest problem we face are social constructs, intangible in nature. Currently 3 of are women are from Mandarina while 2 are from Limon, contrasting sides of La Limonada. In general, nobody crosses between these two sides (we are always escorted by a teacher when walking in La Limonada) making the idea of weekly meetings, a thought rather than a reality. Ideally, in the future, women will approach us with a group of 4 or 5 women with whom they would like to receive a loan. This self-screening process ensures that the women have a basic faith and confidence in one another prior to any talk of money. Unfortunately, for this first cycle, we don't have this luxury, and while the concept of women coming from either side of La Limonada to work together is inspirational it also adds a tinge of danger. How far are we, and more importantly these women, willing to go in the name of breaking barriers?

Friday, we just hiked a volcano.