First Kiva donation

With each order we receive for a mat we will be taking a portion of the sale price and contributing to someone via www.kiva.org   It is also important for you to know that Kiva gives 100% of what they receive from us to the person in need.  (please read our prior post "Giving Back" to get more information on what we are doing).

Here is our first donation to a beautiful woman in Nigeria who could use our help.

It was not easy to choose someone in need of financial help.  But I took one look at Fumilayo's beautiful smile and sparkling eyes and knew I wanted to help her.

We will continue to donate and when the loans are paid back we will just turn around and lend to another person.

Thank you so much for purchasing from our company and in turn thank you for donating to this beautiful woman and wonderul organization.

Namaste

Desiree

Fumilayo Shonola

About the Entrepreneur

Name:	Fumilayo Shonola
Location:	Lagos State, Nigeria
Activity:	Religious Articles

About the Loan

Loan Amount:	$675.00
Loan Use:	To purchase spiritual items to sell
Repayment Term:	10 months - View details below
Lenders Repaid:	Monthly
Currency Exchange Loss:	Possible
Date Listed:	Nov 10, 2009
Date Disbursed:	Oct 19, 2009

Fumilayo is 39 years old and married with four children. Her husband is a carpenter. All her children are schooling. She hopes to give her children a quality education. She sells spiritual items like candles, olive oil, and incense in Lagos state, Nigeria. She is a hard working woman and she is determined to excel in her business and family life. The high season for her business is here and she hopes to meet the demands of her numerous customers. She hopes for a loan of 100,000 NGN to purchase more spiritual items to sell. She says thanks to all Kiva lenders for their support.

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GIVING BACK

Since starting my Mandala Yoga Mat business I have realized how hard it is to start up a small grass roots company.  And with the economy right now, it is even more difficult than 2 years ago. 

There have been many hurdles over this past year but the rewards have been wonderful.  I love hearing how much fellow yogis are enjoying these mats and how it enhances their yoga practice and/or teaching.  That was the reason for creating the mat; to help people create a more unique and individual practice.

I have learned first hand how unethical other businesses can be, when they work with you and then push you aside to take your idea all for the sake of making more money on their end.  I have always tried to buy from the smaller company who came up with an idea rather than going to the bigger store to get an extra $5 off the item.  And I have seen over and over again that there are many of you that do the same thing.

So I have decided to take a portion of every mat I sell and give it to a someone who is in need of startup money to create or build their business.  www.kiva.org is an organization that helps out people who are trying to make it on their own but are in need of a loan.  Mandala Yoga Mat plans on taking a portion of each mat that is sold and lending the money to these small business owners.  When the loan is paid back we will then turn around and lend it someone else within that organization.

So please know that when you buy your mat from us not only will you be supporting the small company that originated the Round Yoga Mat but you will also be helping someone else who is trying to create and/or build their business and livelihood as well.

Once we make a loan to someone on www.kiva.org I will keep you updated on how they are doing.  You can check my blog for those updates.  The loans usually are over a 6 - 12 month period but they do give you updates on how these entrepreneurs are doing.

Thank you for helping make a difference in someone’s life.  Every little bit helps.

Namaste

Desiree

BEING GRATEFUL

Sometimes it can be easier to find the things that are missing or going wrong in our lives.  Or to complain about having to work a bit harder to make something positive happen.


After dealing with the unethical business practice regarding an online yoga props company and my round Mandala Yoga Mats (you can read my first blog "big Business - Small Business"), and putting time and energy into the whole situation;  I have decided to put all of the aside and spend a few minutes each day to think of one thing I am grateful for.  


Sometimes it is a quick realization of how grateful I am to be able to take my dog for a walk on a beautiful fall day.  Other days it is a deeper feeling of love for my family.  What ever my thoughts are they help to keep me grounded and focused on what is really important in life.


My yoga practice continues to reinforce my sense of how things change so quickly in this life and that it is the small things, like gratitude, that we need to keep remembering.


So give it a try, each day pick something that you are grateful for, it could be the smallest to the biggest thought you have.  Each day write it down on a calendar and then in a month look back at all you have to be thankful for. I have the found the hardest thing to do is to just pick one thing. 


Life is pretty great.