The first two loan recipients for 2008 were the Mercedes Condes Sulca Group from Peru and Yat Yav from Cambodia.

Yat Yav is a 25 year old mother of two, living in Cambodia.  She and her husband grow vegetables from their land, earning their family USD2.00  a day.  Yat Yav's husband also collects and re-sells recycled materials, supplememting the family income by another USD5.00 a day. Many of us in the western world would drop that amount on lunch.  They hope to use their loan to increase the crop from their land.  For more of their story, click here to be taken to their profile on www.Kiva.org.

The Mercedes Condes Sulca Group from Peru is made up of Mercedes, Delia and Felicitas, from Peru.  The ladies are hoping to use their loans to buy fruits, juices and vegetables for their various businesses.  All three are members of a community bank, which pays them interest on their savings.  The ladies are saving for the education of their combined twelve children.  Their dreams are for their children to have a better life.  For more of their story, click here to be taken to their profile on www.Kiva.org.