A loan of $4,950 helps Rosendo to purchase bee-keeping materials and equipment so he can earn a better income for his family. Click here to donate yourself Rosendo’s story Sr. Rosendo is a 37-year old who lives in Chuquisaca Department in the municipality of Monteagudo. He lives in his own home, and his business is raising pigs. The loan being granted will be used to start a new bee-keeping business. Sr. Rosendo will produce honey, which will generate the income he needs to support his family.Sr. Rosendo attends the trainings at the San Isidro education center. He has a wife and three children who attend primary and secondary school. With the loan being granted, this borrower will purchase bee-keeping materials and equipment. This will give him and his family a new source of income so they can have a better standard of living, increased well-being and be able to live each day with their children in their home. This loan is special because: It offers entrepreneurs loans with grace periods to set up new businesses. Kate Kiva staff Click here to donate yourself

A loan of $875 helps Maria Dolores to purchase a deep fryer and a rotisserie oven to cook chicken and help with the expenses for her grandchildren.

A mesmerizing yet profoundly sad book since we know the outcome from the onset. The author’s 27-year-old daughter fell ill with porphyria and lapsed into a coma

Into the Jungle takes place in the jungles of Bolivia where an American woman finds herself with her Bolivian husband who went back to his village in the jungle

It has been awhile since I posted on the micro-loans I make through Kiva. That does not mean I have stopped or forgotten about it, just pure laziness – that’s all. My loans are coming back nicely, so far only one is delinquent, but is paying it back. I will be able to make two new loans soon. Click here to donate yourself 89% repaid Nicola Repaid Jul 17 Israel / Retail Paying back $22.26 of $25.00 repaid 34% repaid Rosendo Repaid Jul 17 $2.31 Bolivia / Agriculture Paying back delinquent $8.54 of $25.00 repaid 67% repaid Anita Repaid Jul 22 $0.70 United States / Technology Paying back $16.67 of $25.00 repaid 43% repaid Henry Alexander Repaid Jul 17 $1.61 Ecuador / Mobile Phones Paying back $10.76 of $25.00 repaid Click here to donate yourself

Article first published as Book Review: The Orchardist by Amanda Chopin on Blogcritics. About: The Orchardist by Amanda Chopin is a novel taking place in Washington State at the early part of the 20thCentury. This is Chopin’s first book and is a majestic debut, a new book which reads like an old friend. The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy of this book— use the Raf­fle­copter form at the end of the post to enter. 448 pages Publisher: Harper Language: English ISBN-10: 006218850X My rating for The Orchardist – 4 Buy this book in paper or electronic format Thoughts: The Orchardist by Amanda Chopin is a beautifully written and haunting novel, a mood not usually captured by first time authors. The prose is lyrical and the characters enchanting, even though they might not be likeable they grow on the reader and make one invest in their future. The reason I requested to be on the tour for this book is actually quite nostalgic. Many years ago, what seems like 100 years ago (and unfortunately, what seems like 100 lbs. as well) I walked along the Inca Trail in Bolivia(slightly less famous than its Peruvian counterpart which I walked several weeks later). After a few days we…