By PDG Abe Feder, Microcredit Committee Chair Except for the newest of Rotarians, most of us know that Rotary members and clubs are often involved in Global Grants and international service projects in almost every country in the world. But when these grants are funded, and these projects take place, except for a very few of us, we never get to visit those projects and the individuals that we impact. The Arizona Rotary Microcredit Program is an exception. Funded by three Global Grants, Arizona Rotarians have been visiting the program borrowers in Hermosillo and Nogales Mexico for nearly nine years, meeting with those whose lives we help improve. Recently, Rotarians and District Leaders, including DG Larry Horton (5495) and DGN Sue Archibald (5500) and others took a four-day trip to Hermosillo to learn about and visit with the beneficiaries of our program. During these visits, it’s wonderful to see the working relationship between FinReg staff and our borrowers. On this trip we were guided by Enrique Terrones who showed that he has a special connection to many of our clients that we visited-he seemed to know all of them very well! I’ve asked Mesa West Rotary Club PE Colleen Coons, one of those on this trip, to share her impressions: “My four days of enlightenment on how Districts 5495, 5500 and 4100 are People of Action and truly making an impact in the community. Two days are simple travel, the proximity of our districts to Mexico, allows us to make a real impact in a country that has 125 million people with over 50% living in poverty. "Learning about the Micro Credit Program, and the definition by the World Bank on Micro Finance – this program brings 'Financial Inclusion' to benefit the poorest households in Sonora. "We made over 14 visits to the existing borrowers in the Rotary/FinReg Micro Credit Program. An example, while communicating with a borrower, Luis Oberto who has holes in his shirt, wrapped in a tattered jacket to keep warm, front teeth missing but a huge smile ear to ear as he spoke with us. The Rotary Micro Credit Program with FinReg: Business model: He has been able to borrow money to purchase product that his neighbors need. He takes his orders via What’s App and delivers the orders to his customers, for a profit. "Sounds familiar? He is a smaller version of Amazon – (which is not in existence in this neighborhood). This business model has provided enough income for him to build an add-on to his small dirt floor home, where he and his family live. And this extra room has a cement floor! Moving up from dirt floors to cement floors is an example of moving from Extreme Poverty to Poverty. Imagine this story times the 14 other borrower we visited. This project is sustainable, impactful to families and communities and truly moves the needle, one person at a time. Amazing trip. Thank you, Abe." Quarterly our committee will bring you facts, figures, and information about your Microcredit program. But we believe that it is our borrower stories, and this is just one of them, that will have the biggest impact on why we continue to do what we do, and we have thousands of them to tell. Our next trip to Hermosillo to learn more about this program and to visit borrowers will take place April 14-16 and is limited to 10 individuals. We need three vehicles to drive us to Nogales AZ. All costs for the trip is covered by FinReg including gas for those that drive. Please contact Abe Feder at 602-622-7289 to join us on this trip. | 
