Share-Out
The past month can be best characterized as one of sharing. From finances and composting to personal experiences, my service as of late has been all about collaboration and expression. Earlier this month the village savings and loan association (VSLA) my counterpart and I trained last year finished its year long cycle. Its nineteen members spent the last twelve months buying into the saving scheme, taking out loans, and investing in their entrepreneurial activities. Despite a few delays and hiccups with loan repayment, every borrower found ways to reimburse their credit. After the last savings and reimbursement meeting, we all got together to finish the savings and training cycle with the group’s last lesson on how to responsibly conduct a “share-out” of savings dividends. VSLA savings schemes aren’t exactly the same as a savings account. Instead of depositing and withdrawing money at will like in banking, members buy “shares” of certain savings increments ranging from 50 cen