BENTLEY MICROFINANCE REVIEW - Undergraduate Journal of The Bentley Micro!nance Group Volume: I
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BENTLEY MICROFINANCE REVIEW Undergraduate Journal of The Bentley Microfinance Group Volume: I Fall 2013 Issue: I ARTICLES Microfinance Education At Bentley University: A Promise Made in Ghana ............................................................................... .Diane Kellogg How to Modify Microfinance to Help the Poor of the United States: An Honors Capstone ...............................................Samantha Dumas A Case Study of Client Sourcing in the Bentley Microfinance Group .............Brian Regan The Grameen Model: Viability in the United States………………...……… ..…...Kellie Renk Microfinance and Poultry Farming in Ghana: A July 2012 MASLOC Report ................................................................................. Eric Willett The Bentley Microfinance Review publishes high-quality scholarly research that significantly informs and contributes to the fields of microfinance, microenterprise, and community development. The Review is intended and designed to be an effective research forum through which undergraduate students who are engaged in the analysis and practice of microfinance can share their work. The Review is published annually in the fall.
AIM AND SCOPE
The Bentley Microfinance Review is a student-run and student-edited academic journal similar to
law review models found at many of the finest U.S. law schools. The Review publishes high-quality
scholarly research that significantly informs and contributes to the fields of microfinance, microenterprise,
and community development. The journal is intended and designed to be an effective research forum
through which undergraduate students who are engaged in the analysis and practice of microfinance can
share their work. Articles may consist of methodological research, quantitative or empirical studies, case
studies, or literature reviews — all with a focus on undergraduate work. Articles maintain a high level of
readability without sacrificing scholarly content. Each issue contains material written by outside contribu-
tors (e.g., faculty, staff, and practitioners), student members of the Review, and other Bentley University
students. Submissions from students at other schools are welcome for consideration. Student editors
will collaborate with the faculty editorial review board and staff to make all editorial and organizational
decisions and manage day-to-day operations.
EDITORIAL POLICY
All papers go through a rigorous single-blind review by an editorial board composed of faculty and
undergraduate student editors.
Faculty Editors Student Editors Strategic
Bentley University Bentley University Advisory Board
Elizabeth Brown, Esq. Lauren Arbeiter Nancy Antunes
Assistant Professor, Law, Thomas Camberdella William Asher, Esq.
Taxation, and Financial Moussa Hassoun Catherine Bird
Planning; Assistant Professor, Cody Inglis Theresa Bresten
Business Law
Brian LeBlanc Greg Floyd
Stephen MacKenzie Susan Hammond, CPA
Bruce Herzberg, PhD
Kelsey Miller Judith Malone, Esq.
Professor, English and Media
Alexandra Tator John Sims Jr.
Studies; Director, Writing and
Communication David Whitney Roy (Chip) Wiggins III, PhD
Aaron Jackson, PhD Advisers and Staff
Associate Professor, Economics; Bentley University
Director, Honors Program
Joseph Hark Jr.
Michael Mazmanian
Mary Marcel, PhD
John Sims Jr.
Assistant Professor,
Information Design and Roy (Chip) Wiggins III, PhD
Corporate Communication
Michael Quinn, PhD
Professor, Economics;
Associate Director, PhD ProgramDEDICATION The production costs for this inaugural issue of the Bentley Microfinance Review were covered through a generous donation made in the memory of William L. Muir, father of Glenn P. Muir, MST Class of 1993
BENTLEY
MICROFINANCE
REVIEW
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One year: $30. Two years: $50. Three years: $65. Back issues available upon request. All subscriptions
are sent via USPS. Checks should be made payable to Bentley Microfinance Group and sent to Bentley
Microfinance Group, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA 02452.
SUBMISSIONS
The Bentley Microfinance Review welcomes undergraduate submissions that fit within the aim and
scope described on the inside of the front cover. There is no fee to submit. All manuscripts should
be sent to ga_microfinance@bentley.edu in MS Word format. A style sheet appears below.
CORRESPONDENCE
Mail: Bentley Microfinance Group, 175 Forest Street, Lindsay Hall, Room 30A, Waltham, MA 02452
Email: ga_microfinance@bentley.edu.
Phone: 781.891.2044.
STYLE SHEET
■ Cover page with the author’s name, affiliation, article title, and 150- to 250-word abstract
■ Each page (excluding the cover) should have a page number in the right header
■ Each page should use one-inch margins on the sides, top, and bottom
■ The article should include headings in Roman numerals (e.g., I, II, III) and subsection headings
using Arabic numbering (e.g., 1, 2, 3)
■ All equations, graphs, and charts should be computer generated, and alike in proportion
■ Citations should follow the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, 7th edition
— A work cited page according to MLA 7th should appear at the end of your article
— See MLA 7th Handbook for stylistic questions
■ The Bentley Microfinance Review holds the copyright to all published articles; authors retain
a royalty-free limited license for classroom use only
All submission-related correspondence should be directed to:
ga_microfinance@bentley.edu | 781.891.2044
© Copyright 2013 Bentley UniversityBENTLEY MICROFINANCE REVIEW Volume: I Fall 2013 Issue: I ARTICLES An Introduction to Microfinance At Bentley University Roy (Chip) Wiggins III, PhD ................................................................................................... 1 Microfinance Education At Bentley University: A Promise Made in Ghana Diane Kellogg, EdD ............................................................................................................... 4 How to Modify Microfinance to Help the Poor of the United States: An Honors Capstone Samantha Dumas ................................................................................................................ 16 A Case Study of Client Sourcing in the Bentley Microfinance Group Brian Regan ......................................................................................................................... 32 The Grameen Model: Viability in the United States Kellie Renk ........................................................................................................................... 43 Microfinance and Poultry Farming in Ghana: A July 2012 MASLOC Report Eric Willett ............................................................................................................................ 51
AN INTRODUCTION TO MICROFINANCE AT BENTLEY UNIVERSITY
by Roy (Chip) Wiggins, III, PhD
Dean of Business & the Bentley Graduate School of Business
Director, Bentley Microcredit Initiative
Bentley University, Email: rwiggins@bentley.edu
I. Introduction:
It is with great pleasure that the Bentley Microfinance Group (BMG) launches
this inaugural issue of the Bentley Microfinance Review.
II. Aim and Scope:
The Bentley Microfinance Review is a student-run and student-edited academic
journal similar to the law review models found in many of the finest U.S. law schools
and publishes high quality scholarly research that significantly informs and contributes
to the fields of microfinance, microenterprise, and community development. The Review
is intended and designed to be an effective research forum through which undergraduate
students who are engaged in the analysis and practice of microfinance can share their
work. Articles may consist of methodological research, quantitative or empirical studies,
case studies, or literature reviews – all with a focus on undergraduate work. Articles
maintain a high level of readability without sacrificing scholarly content.
Each issue of the Review contains material written by outside contributors (e.g.,
faculty, staff, and practitioners), student members of the Review, and other Bentley Uni-
versity students. Submissions from students at other schools are welcome for considera-
tion. Student editors will collaborate with the faculty editorial review board and staff to
make all editorial and organizational decisions and manage day-to-day operations.
The launch of the Review represents another significant accomplishment from
the student members of BMG over the five years Bentley has been actively engaged in
the microfinance field.
III. History of Microfinance at Bentley:
Over Commencement weekend during the spring of 2007, several faculty from
the departments of Finance;; Management;; and Accounting and the Bentley Service
Learning Project came together to discuss what seemed to be an outrageous idea. Could
we create a microfinance fund/club that allowed students to practice microfinance in our
local community? It seemed a fantastic and overly optimistic endeavor at the time, but
culminates this semester with our launch of this Review.
Early on during these conversations, it became apparent that we needed a class
through which to engage the students. This was important for several reasons. At most
universities, projects of this sort need faculty and student involvement if they are to be-
come sustainable. Having roots in the curriculum are the easiest means of accomplish-
ing this. In collaboration with Dr. Diane Kellogg, I developed a syllabus for a reading
seminar and was able to get it approved as a finance elective.
1 THE BENTLEY MICROFINANCE REVIEWDuring the spring of 2008, nine Bentley students participated in this honors-level
undergraduate reading seminar to develop a better understanding of micro-lending or -
enterprises. One of the class deliverables required students to develop a proposal recom-
mending how Bentley might address some of the poverty issues by becoming more en-
gaged in micro-lending projects domestically (in the short-term) and internationally (in
the longer-term). This proposal became the strategic outline for a new student-based mi-
crofinance platform. The proposal was taken to academic administration for approval.
Students and faculty were given permission to take the platform to the next level.
Another class of senior finance majors took over the proposal during the fall of
2008. This group began to really operationalize the plan. They applied for official
recognition as a student organization and successfully received that recognition in No-
vember of that term. They, and subsequent classes, developed the student group and
finalized the business plan for what is now known as BMG.
BMG is comprised of three principle components: (i) the academic opportuni-
ties, (ii) the student organization, and (iii) the loan fund. The academic piece consists of
the courses that lead some of our students into the microfinance experience. We still
offer the finance elective course that served as the incubator for the student group. In
addition, we have offered directed study courses that allowed students to return to Gha-
na with course specific microfinance projects to accomplish. More recently, we offer
summer internships worth 6-credits to students wanting to work and collaborate with
our microfinance partners in Ghana. Dr. Kellogg elaborates on the Ghanaian experience
in an article contained in this issue.
The second component is the student organization, the Bentley Microfinance
Group. The group hosts a series of events throughout the academic year that are de-
signed to raise awareness and inform the school community about microfinance issues
and effectiveness. In addition, a smaller group of students within BMG are responsible
for managing and overseeing the loan fund. The fund was originally raised to provide
loans to entrepreneurs in the Boston area who are typically ignored by traditional lend-
ers and financial service firms.
The Fund itself was raised in the Bentley alumni and parent community. It is
currently $125,000, $115,000 available to lend locally in the Boston area and $10,000
that has been gifted to the Ghana Project. Student responsibilities with respect to Fund
oversight are different in Boston and in Ghana. In Boston, students who oversee the
Fund are responsible for sourcing and screening potential borrowers. They manage the
loans they decide to make over the term of the loan. Students may also advise clients on
other business issues, like business plans, marketing strategies, and how to grow their
business. The principle goal is to help them build, and in some cases, rebuild their cred-
it so that they can move into relationships with more traditional lending organizations.
Student efforts in Ghana are described in more detail later in this issue in Dr. Kellogg’s
piece.
IV. BMG Mission:
VOLUME: I, ISSUE: I (FALL 2013) 2BMG’s mission is to raise awareness about and to integrate the practice of mi-
crofinance into our Bentley and Boston communities.
We pursue this mission through four key focuses:
Education: Provide Bentley students, faculty and staff with practical experience,
encourage their awareness of microfinance practices, empower them to develop a
framework for change and facilitate the education of the borrowers from BMG to
extend the academic community;;
Community Development: Promote development of the local community by
providing credit and services to those excluded from traditional financial mar-
kets;;
Operational Sustainability: Operate and maintain a cash-flow neutral/positive
loan portfolio, covering or exceeding operational expenses with interest income
and student sweat equity;; and
Innovation: Develop a new microfinance paradigm locally and openly scale the
model globally.
The BMG that has evolved from those early conversations among faculty and
students starting in 2007 is an academic laboratory where students, faculty and staff
learn about microfinance and microenterprise through ‘doing’. It is an active learning
mechanism where we try new things to see how they might work. We accept that these
will not always work as anticipated, and that sometimes the richest learning comes from
analyzing our mistakes. BMG to date has lent a total of four loans to both small business
owners and entrepreneurs in the Boston area. With each loan, a lesson is learned in the
importance of relationship management, succession planning and organizational struc-
ture. Consistent with our pursuit of a new paradigm and our interest in raising awareness
about microfinance, the Review becomes an important means through which to share
with a broader community what we have learned.
Acknowledgements:
As with any project of this magnitude, many people came together to make the
Bentley Microfinance Group and the Review possible;; too numerous to name individual-
ly. We are especially appreciative of President Gloria Larson and Provost Michael Page
for allowing us to pursue what at times may have seemed a mission impossible. To the
students, faculty and staff who helped in any way move the efforts along, our heartfelt
thanks for taking the time and devoting the energy to make this organization what it is.
And finally, we hope that you enjoy and learn from the articles contained in this inaugu-
ral issue of the Bentley Microfinance Review.
Roy (Chip) Wiggins, III, PhD
Dean of Business & the Bentley Graduate School of Business
Director, Bentley Microcredit Initiative
BENTLEY UNIVERSITY
3 THE BENTLEY MICROFINANCE REVIEWMICROFINANCE EDUCATION AT BENTLEY UNIVERSITY: A PROMISE
MADE IN GHANA
by Diane M. Kellogg, EdD
Associate Professor, Management & Director, The Ghana Project
Bentley University, Email: dkellogg@bentley.edu
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to focus on Bentley University’s commitment to micro-
finance education, reflecting an awareness that a good business education requires stu-
dents to understand the need for access to capital as the foundation for economic pros-
perity. This article gives a chronology of the early beginnings and development of Bent-
ley’s commitment to microfinance education that started in 2006 with a promise made to
a young mother living in a rural village in Ghana who needed money to start a business.
Microfinance was not part of the curriculum at the time, but a generous donation of
$125,000 to fund “microfinance education” provided the impetus for students to set up
loan programs in both Massachusetts and Ghana. The article discusses how and why
Bentley is involved in Ghana and lessons learned by both students and faculty since we
began using this "in the field" approach to learning about microfinance.
I. Introduction: 4. A Finance course called “Seminar in
Micro-Lending.”
Bentley University’s commitment
to microfinance education began with a 5. An 8-week internship in Ghana that
promise made in 2006 to Rita, a young has a microfinance component.
mother living in a rural village in Ghana:
“I’ll help you get a microloan.” At the Bentley’s commitment to micro-
time, microfinance was not part of the finance education reflects awareness that a
Bentley curriculum. Now, only seven good business education requires students
years later, Bentley has a broad and deep to understand the need for access to capital
commitment to microfinance education as the foundation for economic prosperity.
that is characterized by: Bentley was a founding signatory to the
United Nations Global Compact, which
1. The Bentley Microfinance Group sponsors an initiative known as PRME--
(BMG)—a student organization that Principles for Responsible Management
solicits applications for small business Education. The mission of PRME is to
loans in Massachusetts and manages a inspire and champion responsible manage-
loan portfolio of $125,000. ment education, research and thought
2. The Bentley Microfinance Education leadership globally.
Program in Ghana, which utilizes Bentley’s commitment to the UN
$10,000 the BMG committed for use Global Compact represented fertile soil: if
in Ghana. the seeds of microfinance education were
planted and given the sun and water they
3. The Bentley Microfinance Review. would need, they would take root. Micro-
finance education did take root at Bentley.
This is the story of just how it happened,
VOLUME: I, ISSUE: I (FALL 2013) 4and what emerged as a Microfinance Edu- wondered how to involve Bentley with
cation Program in Ghana that is just one both the NGO and the village I could see
part of the Bentley Microfinance Initia- across the field. In Trom, nearest-living-
tive. relatives were still working hard to care
for children left without parents: they did-
II. January 2006—Meeting Rita n’t want to turn them over to an orphan-
and Her Sisters: age. Should those children have less sup-
port than the children whose nearest living
In January 2006, Bentley sent two relatives had released them to social ser-
faculty members to Ghana to visit Mmofra vices?
Trom (“children’s garden”), an orphanage
that wanted to eliminate its dependence on A woman from Trom, Maybelle,
donations by starting a series of social en- who worked at Mmofra Trom invited me
terprises that would generate income. I to come home with her one afternoon to
was traveling with Dale Kuntz, a Profes- meet her grandfather, the village Chief. In
sor from our Economics Department who the course of the leisurely afternoon visit,
hoped to design a new course—NGOs and I was brought to meet the newest child
Economic Development--with an experi- born to the village—Blessing. As in much
ential component. I was exploring the po- of Africa, Ghanaian children belong to the
tential for developing a management con- village, not just to their parents. As I held
sulting course, with Mmofra Trom as our Blessing’s new and naked body in my
client. arms she urinated. I intuitively knew to
be totally accepting and loving toward a
Next door to this new, but promis- newborn child and so held Blessing all the
ing project, was a small village whose 250 closer. The women who looked on
citizens had been watching from their clapped, and kept on gently clapping as
thatched-roofed homes as a beautiful they added oohs and ahhs and smiles. The
school was being built. The traditional oddness of their response, to my American
village and the modern school, in stark eyes and ears, was a sure sign that I had a
contrast to one another, were separated lot to learn about Ghanaian culture. I
only by a three-minute walk through a cas- looked to Maybelle for more information,
sava field. I was curious about the vil- and she explained that a child would not
lage, and aware that isolated economic relax enough to urinate with just anyone.
development projects can fail if the sur- The women of the village accepted Bless-
rounding economic conditions aren’t also ing’s judgment of me, and accepted me.
improved. Focusing narrowly—on just Since Blessing trusted me, I was trustwor-
education, just health, just employment, thy.
just business development, or just the le-
gal system—would be a recipe for failure. The visit took on a new tone.
I didn’t want to make the mistake of Maybelle threaded me through the village,
bringing Bentley’s expertise to Mmofra home to home, introducing me to her
Trom and ignoring the broader economic mother, aunts, sons, brothers, grandchil-
development context. dren, and any and every child who skipped
in our direction to join the growing entou-
I looked for an opportunity to visit rage. Ransford, an endearing three-year-
the village, and from the very beginning old, was among them. Ransford took my
5 THE BENTLEY MICROFINANCE REVIEWhand and led me to his home, where I met With money she would not accept still in
Maybelle’s niece, Rita. my hand, I longed for a way to reciprocate
Rita was stirring a pot of kenke and spotted the bracelet I was wearing. I
and stopped to greet me as Maybelle told offered that to her, and she accepted it
her the story of Blessing, but in Krobo. proudly as we hugged good-bye.
Rita turned to me and took my hand in I realized only in retrospect that
both of hers. She offered the standard Blessing’s approbation, though perhaps
Ghanaian greeting, “Akwaaba,” which only a fortunate coincidence, gave me a
means ‘You are welcome here.’ Then, permanent place in the hearts of the wom-
unusually, she added, “I am pleased to en in the village. Rita and her circle of
meet you.” Our eyes fixed and I could sisters who incorporated me into their
see that we were friends. Dear friends, work those three afternoons had an espe-
and we became even better friends. Rita cially prominent place in my heart.
introduced me to her daughter Jacinta, and
to her sisters, Gifty and Elizabeth. This III. March 2006—The 3 am Phone
team of sisters was lively and fun and Call:
quick-witted. More chatting ensued.
Rita and her sisters taught me how kenke A few weeks later I got a 3 am
is made, and even let me try my hand at phone call from Ghana—it was 9 pm
stirring the hot, sticky concoction that there. I was wide awake in no time, and
thickens up with every stroke, making the talking to Rita. Things were hard. Her
stirring even more challenging. I gave it children never had a full belly. No one in
a try. They chuckled and took back the the village has money to buy kenke. No
long stir stick to show me how much fast- one buys anything from anyone else. She
er their strong arms could stir. More chat- couldn’t save money for school fees for
ting. More friendly banter. Ransford and Jacinta. She wanted to
have a bigger business. Would I give her
Trom is the real deal. People make money for her business?
their living by making charcoal from dead
wood, by stitching up tears in clothing, by I had thought through the pitfalls
peeling palm nuts, by harvesting corn and of giving money: other requests would
by making banku and kenke and foo foo. follow and soon Bentley would no longer
They sell the maize they grow, and pop be a University bringing students to learn
some of the precious kernels into tasty about economic development: Bentley
popcorn. Some also make the delicious would equal money. Telling Rita “no”
fried dough I came to call “Trom Cake.” was out of the question, completely be-
yond me. I used the Laraine Wright tech-
I returned two more times to the nique. My friend Laraine has a policy of
village and spent more time working “never having to say no” by searching in-
alongside Rita and her sisters. When the stead for what she can say “yes” to. I
sun was beginning to set on my last day in promised Rita that I would see to it that
Ghana, Rita would not let me buy kenke she was able to get a loan, to help her
from her. She wrapped several portions grow her business. I told her that when I
up in banana leaves and put them in my came to Ghana in August I would tell her
hands. “For you: you are my sister.”
VOLUME: I, ISSUE: I (FALL 2013) 6about microloans. And then I made a between David and Rita, but David did
promise: “I’ll help you get a microloan.” try. David was closer in age to Rita than
I think of myself as a person who I, but worlds apart given that she was al-
keeps promises. Just exactly how was I ready a mother of two. Woman to wom-
going to pull this off? I was venturing an, mother to mother is a more natural ba-
deeply into new territory. I had seen the sis for a relationship. I was learning more
Grameen Bank film but that was about the about the practical realities of micro-
finance education. I knew, in theory, that
extent of it.
relationships are everything in Ghana and
IV. August 2006–The First Attempt: that trust does not come easily, and I
learned that in practice, too. David disap-
Dr. Kuntz and I did take a group of pointed me really meant that I had disap-
students to Ghana for his 14-day NGOs pointed Rita. That promise haunted me.
and Economic Development course, but
we didn’t take the class to the village even VI. Spring 2007—The Chair of the
though we spent several days nearby. I Finance Department Took the
didn’t want to jeopardize my relationships Lead:
in Trom by bringing tourists—students
with no obvious purpose—on a village That Spring I contacted the then
tour. One especially motivated student Chair of the Finance Department, Chip
planned to stay on as a volunteer at Wiggins. We had lunch and several good
Mmofra Trom, so I asked David, a young conversations about why Bentley needed
man of 22, to get to know Rita and see if to educate business students about micro-
he could help her create a modest business finance. It’s not that it was a hard sell:
plan that we might help her present to a Bentley just didn’t have a faculty member
micro-bank. I did spend time with with that expertise. By July, we had a
Maybelle during that trip, but Rita was not draft of a “special topics” course that Chip
home that week so I never did discuss my decided he would offer Spring 2008. He
plan with Rita. I asked Maybelle to intro- was hooked, and was fast-becoming the
duce David to Rita, and told her that Da- expert Bentley needed.
vid was going to help Rita get a loan for
Chip Wiggins built the Bentley
her business. Maybelle didn’t ask many
Microfinance Initiative around that first
questions at the time but she told me that
course, and set about the task of attracting
she, too, wanted a microloan. She had
funds that could give us a “Microfinance
heard about microloans.
Group” modeled after Bentley’s
V. January 2007—The Failure of “Investment Club” that is charged with
the First Attempt: managing a small percentage of Bentley’s
endowment fund. How the on-campus
At Christmastime, David had re- initiative emerged is Chip’s story to tell.
ported that he “couldn’t get Rita to come One critical detail, however, is that by the
up with a business plan.” I was in Ghana Spring 2008 Seminar in Micro-Lending
next in January 2007 and spent only an course was being taught, $125,000 in do-
hour with Rita. She reported that “David nations had been committed to a Massa-
disappointed me.” I should have known chusetts-based micro-lending program that
there was not much hope of a strong bond
7 THE BENTLEY MICROFINANCE REVIEWwould be entrusted to students to run. wear diapers in the village, and apparent-
The newly-formed Bentley Microfinance ly Rita’s baby felt very comfortable
Group began putting out the call for loans. around Diane, and displayed this affinity
I was glad to have an ally at Bent- by peeing while in Diane’s arms.” More
ley, but I still needed an ally in Ghana to affirmation that I was trustworthy, and this
time I understood the polite applause as
help me keep that promise to Rita.
Rita rushed to get some fabric to dry off
VII. August 2007—Introducing Heidi my skirt.
Bauer to Rita: In Ghanaian tradition, the birth of
twins is a sign of God’s favor: “He
I took a second group of 12 stu- doesn’t trust just anyone with twins,”
dents to Ghana for my management Maybelle told us. That I am also the
course, and didn’t plan on taking students mother of twins became another topic of
to Rita’s village. Still protective of my conversation, further solidifying my bond
relationships there and respectful of their with Rita.
privacy, I was hesitant to bring students
there. I had been watching Heidi Bauer, a Also from Heidi’s journal:
Finance major, and recognized her excep- When we started talking about trying to
tional maturity and comfort in new cul- get a loan for Rita, she said, “I want to
tures. She was already well-traveled and work. I’m only happy when I work, but
I had observed an unusual ability to accept how can I?” She explained this as she
and respect a wide range of people as we continued to knead the dough with
traveled Ghana together. When Heidi told strength. I told her that I would do my best
me she wanted to come back (“Is it possi- to find a microfinance company that
ble to do an internship?”) I could picture would be able to give her a loan. She felt
Heidi befriending my friends in the vil- she needed money now, so we decided Di-
lage. I told her about my promise to Rita, ane would give her a small interest-free
and my vision of making sure the village loan right away, so that she could buy
benefitted from Bentley’s commitment to charcoal and resell it in the meantime.
economic development at Mmofra Trom. One of the stipulations… (our way of
I walked Heidi over to the village helping her understand that when you re-
that afternoon, with Maybelle by our side. pay one loan, you can qualify for a bigger
We gabbed and visited with Rita and her one the next time)… would be that she
sisters. Heidi knew just how to befriend would repay the $50 loan to me when I
Jacinta and Ransford. But there were two returned in January. (And we would be
new faces on the scene. Three-month old able to report to a micro-bank that she
twins Iris and Irene had been born to Rita had repaid the loan.)
since my January visit. Heidi and I gave I was already planning on super-
due adoration to these darling little girls, vising a 3-credit Directed Studies course
who did accept our affection. From Hei- for Jon Tetrault, a management major
di’s journal: “We continued to play with from our first Ghana course who wanted
the children in the village. We talked to to return to Ghana to manage a small
some of the older children, and held Rita’s building project at Mmofra Trom, for
adorable twin girls. The children don’t which he raised the funds. It wasn’t hard
VOLUME: I, ISSUE: I (FALL 2013) 8You can also read
