SeaMo: Connecting the Microfinance Community

September Microfinance & Microbrews: Learn About Jolkona – Your Choice. Your Impact. Your World

Jerry — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:21:12 +0000

Jolkona is a start-up non-profit organization that lets people choose how to impact the world through small donations (starting at just $5!), and unlike other micro-giving websites, they provide tangible proofs of impact for every donation. For example, if you spend $40 to educate a girl in Afghanistan for 1 year, you will receive a photo of the girl being sponsored by your donation and at the end of the year receive a copy of her report card, all done over the web on their platform. Their mission is to connect people with global philanthropic opportunities and show the impact of one’s donations. They launched their website to the public in June 2009 with a goal of making giving more fun, transparent and engaging for all donors, regardless of age or income. Today they have over 75 projects in more than 35 countries around the world and leverage the support of over 20 skilled young professional volunteers who are passionate turning Jolkona’s mission into reality.

In our next MicroFinance MicroBreweries, Adnan Mahmud – co-founder of Jolkona – will talk about how development work plays a role in poverty alleviation along side with microfinance by helping those that microfinance traditionally cannot reach. He will discuss how Jolkona takes a holistic approach to poverty alleviation by building the new generation of micro-philanthropists and highlighting some of the exciting opportunities that lay ahead for the organization. Come learn how micro-finance and micro-charity works together to help alleviate poverty!

Microfinance and Microbrews featuring Jolkona
When: September 29, 2010
Time: 6:00 pm
Where: Spitfire, 2219 4th Ave, Seattle
Facebook event link

Business Accelerator Intern/ Marketing & Communications Intern – Washington CASH

Jerry — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:15:54 +0000

The Washington CASH Business Accelerator’s mission is to help microenterprises grow their part-time businesses to full-time, sustainable ventures. The Business Accelerator serves as a conduit for increasing revenues by widening networking opportunities, eliminating isolation through a strong community of business owners, and providing individual professional office spaces.

Specific Responsibilities:

1. Editor On Call

Through email and one-on-one interaction, assist business owners and BA manager with editing and revisions, and creation of basic brochures and collateral.
Marketing: flyers, business cards, website suggestions
Business correspondence: letters, contracts, etc.

2. Website Upkeep

Update the BA website page as necessary.

3. Office Feng-Shui

As clients enter the Accelerator, put together one page decorative posters for each client, including picture, bio, and logo. Mount on north wall.
Contribute when necessary: Wash dishes. Make coffee. Know how to fix the printer.

4. Community & CASH Liason

Attend workshops as support staff.
Attend weekly staff meetings.

5. Social Media

Become thoroughly versed in current social media, especially those applicable to microenterprise.
Assist business owners in using social media to market their businesses.
Read Mashable regularly.

6. Efficiency Building

Create tutorials about the important but lesser known functions of Microsoft Office, social media networking sites, and other useful resources, for use by clients or Business Accelerator Manager.

Qualifications:
Must be proficient with Word, Excel and other office applications. Must have excellent written and oral communications and phone skills. Must demonstrate independence, an ability learn quickly, and attention to detail.

Time Commitment:
Minimum commitment of one day a week for at least three months preferred. More hours available if students wish for a more intensive internship. Flexible hours allowed. Schedule to be negotiated with Business Accelerator Manager.

Contact Mary Eriksson-Humphrey at mary@washingtoncash.org or (206) 352-1945, to get involved!

Wokai President – volunteer opportunity

amanda — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:24:00 +0000

Affiliate: Wokai Seattle Chapter

Position: Chapter President

Reports to: CEO

Objective:

Lead the efforts of the Seattle Chapter to build capacity for Wokai.

Job Functions:

Responsibilities:

Offer guidance and leadership to Vice Presidents in supporting their respective teams.
Participate in monthly Chapter President conference calls, hosted by Headquarters.
Act as a communication liaison between Headquarters and Chapters, ensuring local representatives are informed.
Prepare for and run monthly executive team meetings.
Oversee annual Chapter strategy and operations, through direction from Headquarters.
Serve as a resource to Headquarters in prospecting and cultivating individual donors and corporate relationships for Wokai.
Be available to network on behalf of Wokai at community events.
Responsible for ensuring all key positions are staffed for the Chapter.

Skills

An articulate communicator, who is comfortable with public speaking.
Fundraising experience, in particular a willingness to ask for financial support.
Strong organizational skills.
An ability to work virtually, and lead a team without a physical office.
Excellent relationship skills, someone who is attentive to others.
Must be able to lead a team, by offering clear direction and then empowering others to pursue agreed outcomes.
Resourceful and strategic in efforts, with an ability to prioritize.
Demonstrates self-initiative, taking responsibility to complete tasks to a high standard of quality.
Personally enthusiastic about Wokai’s mission and microfinance as an innovative solution to poverty, so much so that others are inspired to take action.
Nonprofit leadership experience preferred.

Time Commitment:

An average of 5-10 hours weekly, for a minimum of 12 months.

Wokai VP of Events needed – volunteer opportunity

amanda — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:19:24 +0000

Location: Seattle, WA, USA

Organization: Wokai

Start Date: September 1, 2010

Sex: All are welcome

Skill: Special events planning

Area of Focus: Economic Development, Microcredit, Poverty and Hunger

End Date: September 1, 2011

Age: Adults (18-64)

Language(s): English

Description:

Wokai Seattle Chapter is seeking an enthusiastic, self-motivated event planner to join our team of passionate volunteers, as the Vice President of Events. Through collaboration with the Chapter President and leadership team, the VP of Events will lead a team of volunteers focused on designing and executing quarterly, local events to effectively reach out to and engage new contributors for Wokai. The VP of Events will dedicate an average of 6 hours weekly to Wokai efforts, most of which will be virtual with the exception of a monthly, face-to-face leadership team meeting. Event management experience for non-profit organizations is preferred. This position requests a minimum 12-month commitment.

How to Apply:

Send email inquiry with resume to Wokai Seattle Chapter – seattle@wokai.org

World Affairs Council – Africa Connected Series

Jerry — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:07:42 +0000

World Affairs Council – Africa Connected Series
Innovation, Education, and Leadership inAfrica: Building Blocks for Development

What will it take to create truly, lasting sustainable progress in Africa? With so many
development strategies in play today — microfinance, investment in education, investment in women,
investment in global health, direct foreign aid — what really works? What role can a new generation of
young African Leaders play in creating an environment of growth and change?
The World Affairs Council presents leadership and alumni from Ashesi University in Ghana for a panel
discussion on fostering innovation and ethical leadership in Africa with the goal of
sustained development on the continent.

Date: Thursday, September 23, 2010
Networking reception time: 6:00 p.m.
Lecture time: Registration 6:30 p.m., Program 7:00 p.m.
Networking reception location: University of Washington, Parrington Hall Commons
Lecture location: University of Washington, Kane Hall Room 220
Lecture cost: $10 members/students, $15 non-members
Networking reception cost: $20 members/students; $30 non-members. Reception price
includes networking, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, preferred seating at the lecture.

Panelists include:

Patrick Awuah is the Founder and President of Ashesi University in Ghana. Before founding Ashesi University, Patrick worked as a Program Manager for Microsoft. He holds bachelor degrees in Engineering and Economics from Swarthmore College, and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Ashesi University’s innovative approach to education has earned Patrick the 2009 McNulty Prize for Young Leaders, the 2009 Microsoft Alumni Foundation Integral Fellow Award, and recognition as one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business 2010 by Fast Company Magazine.

Peter Woicke has held senior posts in the international business and development sectors. From 1999-2005, Peter was a Managing Director of the World Bank and Executive Vice President of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Under his leadership, the IFC fostered corporate social responsibility among its private sector clients. As a result, all major international banks adopted the IFC’s social and environmental standards for their future project finance activities which became known as the Equator Principles. For the past 2 years, Peter has worked as Board Chair for Save the Children International. Under his chairmanship, Save the Children reorganized itself from a loosely federated membership organization into a more efficient centralized organization. Peter visited Save the Children programs in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Indonesia, and Haiti. Peter is currently the Board Chair for Ashesi University Foundation.

Aba Ackun is the Regional Credit Risk Manager for Accion International, Ghana. She is a 2006 Graduate of Ashesi University, Ghana, with a degree in Business Administration. Accion is one of the largest and most respected microfinance organizations in the World. Formerly, Aba held positions in the Treasury Department at Barclays Bank, Ghana and in the Finance Department at Newmont Gold.

Araba Amuasi is Operations Manager for the Village of Hope Orphanage and School, Ghana. She is a 2007 Graduate of Ashesi University, Ghana, with a degree in Computer Science. Village of Hope Orphanage houses over 120 orphans and operates a school and clinic that serve the local community. Araba has been modernizing their curriculum and is proud that over the past two years 100% of her students passed the middle school entrance exam with distinction. This is a big accomplishment in a community where, in past years, 100% of students failed the same exam.

For more info visit the World Affairs website or visit Facebook

Learn About the Topic in Advance!

To Catch A Dollar Private Screening

Jerry — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:39:33 +0000

Thirty years ago, Mohammad Yunus, a Bangladeshi Banker, U.S. educated Professor, economist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient responded to the plight of the severely poor. He loaned only $27 to forty-two people, taking them out of a predatory life-long loan shark cycle and provided them the opportunity to work themselves out of poverty. These were people too poor to ever qualify for traditional banking means. And thus was sparked his development of the all new field of Microcredit and Microfinance.
Today, this Nobel-Prize winning strategy to end poverty has resulted in over a billion dollars being loaned by Grameen Bank and has helped millions of women in developing countries. See how Grameen America is taking the same system to the streets of New York City.

When: Thursday, August 26th, 2010
6:00 pm – Reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres
7:00 pm – Private Screening & Special Guest Speaker
Where: Two Union Square
601 Union Street, 51st Floor
Downtown Seattle
Price: Ticket Levels: $100 | $50 | $25

Watch the trailer here

Please RSVP to Fortunato Vega
(206) 336-1611
fortunato911@gmail.com

Vittana End of Summer Bash!

Jerry — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:27:09 +0000

What are you doing next Thursday evening, August 26th? Want to come kick it with Vittana? Join us as we celebrate the end of a Seattle summer! Our party goes from 7-10 pm with the option of extending later, but you’re welcome to come earlier to hang out. There’s no real reason for this party except we’ve been working in an abandoned nightclub/bar for the summer and that almost requires us to throw a party before we move out on September 1. We just want to hang out, have fun and enjoy the close of summer. If you haven’t visited our offices before, we’re located right in Seattle, in Pioneer Square – on Washington Street and Occidental Park with the giant “For Lease” signs in our front windows. We’ll have snacks, ping pong, beer, music and lots of great friends – it’s a great time to catch up with us, other Vittana friends & members of the Seattle tech/start up community. All are welcome, so invite your friends!

When: Thursday, August 26, 2010 7:00PM-10:00PM
Where:Vittana’s Office
206 First Avenue South
Suite 109M
Seattle, WA
Price: We’re asking for a $10 donation at the door- every dollar goes towards
funding students loans on Vittana.org
RSVP on Facebook

Cocktails For CASH

Jerry — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:04:17 +0000

Washington CASH, a non-profit that provides the business training, supportive community and capital to help enterprising individuals with limited financial resources gain self-sufficiency through small business ownership, is hosting an event in September called Cocktails For CASH. Come enjoy music, free appetizers, and discounted happy hour cocktails in downtown Seattle where all donations will help people in our own community become small business owners. This is a great opportunity to meet staff from Washington CASH as well as network with other microfinance enthusiasts in the community.
When: Thursday, September 16th, 4:30-7:30PM
Where: New Orleans Creole Restaraunt: 114 First Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
RSVP: Sonia@washingtoncash.org

Check it out! RT @vittana: Co…

seamo — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:02:38 +0000

Check it out! RT @vittana: Come to the Vittana End of Summer Bash! 206 1st Ave S, Seattle WA Thu, Aug 26, 2010, 7pm http://ow.ly/2rr0i

Pizza, Wine & Microfinance Presented by Oikocredit

Jerry — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:57:32 +0000

Over the last few years, the use of small business loans in the developing world has expanded rapidly. The mass appeal of making credit available to impoverished individuals is clear; this approach provides borrowers with a sustainable source of income while the industry itself can rely on investments rather than donations.
For over 30 years Oikocredit has successfully directed investor dollars towards credible banking institutions that provide these small business loans to individuals in the developing world.
Come and join us to learn how you can put your savings to work alleviating world poverty with Oikocredit, while enjoying the Eastside’s best Pizza!

When: August 17th, 6:00pm-7:00pm
What: A 30 minute reception with food and drink followed by a 20 minute PowerPoint presentation.
Price: $12 coupon for the event buys you two gourmet slices of Pizzeria Guido pizza and a drink.
Where: Banquet room of Firenze Ristorante Italiano
15600 NE 8th Street
Bellevue,WA 98008

The room has limited capacity so be sure to get your coupon before they sell out online at Eventbrite or at Pizzeria Guido.

About the Speaker:
Georgina Allen has been an active member of the microfinance community for several years. During undergrad at the University of Puget Sound, she studied development economics. After graduation, she spent six months working for one of Oikocredit’s partners, Fonkoze microfinance bank in Haiti. Since her return, she has spent time volunteering for SeaMo as well as MicroEnergy Credits. Now, as a contractor for Oikocredit, Georgina can put her first-hand knowledge of microfinance to work, helping to recruit new Oikocredit supporters and investors