Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Scope of work and more...
Pictures below are mostly of my travels in the area near Guayaquil last week. My time there was spent visiting rural banks, interviewing FINCA clients, oh, and hitch hiking. I’ve never even considered hitch hiking in the US, but it’s becoming a part of my, if not daily then certainly weekly, routine. Often we just have no other option. I think my favorite experience so far was catching a ride on the back of a pick up truck filled with recently cut eucalyptus trees. It’s certainly the best way to get good view of the deep valleys and dramatic cliffs that are so prevalent here. What impresses me about Ecuador is that they actually have roads that go just about everywhere…however, transportation without your own car is in short supply as you can tell.
I’ve been interviewing FINCA clients as well as people in communities where FINCA doesn’t operate, about what they think they need in order to be more successful in their income generating activities. This was going to be part of my thesis, as well as good information for FINCA re new service offerings and client satisfaction… but now that I am down here I am once again getting swept up in the world of Latin American artisans and the thesis plans are changing.
I talked to FINCA Ecuador about the export project that I worked with at FINCA Peru a few years back (see blog entries from Oct – December 2006). I proposed that I write up a business plan to assess the feasibility of replicating that project here in Ecuador, and they liked the idea. Sooo…they’re sending me to Peru next week in order to investigate the project’s progress. I couldn´t be more excited about doing this. The artisan products here are amazing, and so many people work in this area - but they hardly make any money as they sell to intermediaries who sell in the tourist markets here...the artists don´t even have access to booths in these markets as they operate with some convoluted system that only providing booths to the wealthier merchants (which is a system that I have not yet been able to fully understand, nor does it seem that many people here do.) I think that this type of project could have a real impact on the lives of the artisans here. It´s funny how things have come full cirlce since I first started in on these Latin America adventures 2 years ago!
When I get back from Peru (Megan will be here then!) I will be mostly talking with Artisans about what they think a fair price for their goods is, how much they currently make, what their supply chain looks like…and what their capacity and willingness is to adapt their products to the global market.
And that should keep me busy for some time now! So, all in all, things are going well. I like this little city, but am looking forward to the last semester in Medford as well, which is a nice feeling. I hope everyone reading this is doing well!
Besos (kisses)
-Amanda
I’ve been interviewing FINCA clients as well as people in communities where FINCA doesn’t operate, about what they think they need in order to be more successful in their income generating activities. This was going to be part of my thesis, as well as good information for FINCA re new service offerings and client satisfaction… but now that I am down here I am once again getting swept up in the world of Latin American artisans and the thesis plans are changing.
I talked to FINCA Ecuador about the export project that I worked with at FINCA Peru a few years back (see blog entries from Oct – December 2006). I proposed that I write up a business plan to assess the feasibility of replicating that project here in Ecuador, and they liked the idea. Sooo…they’re sending me to Peru next week in order to investigate the project’s progress. I couldn´t be more excited about doing this. The artisan products here are amazing, and so many people work in this area - but they hardly make any money as they sell to intermediaries who sell in the tourist markets here...the artists don´t even have access to booths in these markets as they operate with some convoluted system that only providing booths to the wealthier merchants (which is a system that I have not yet been able to fully understand, nor does it seem that many people here do.) I think that this type of project could have a real impact on the lives of the artisans here. It´s funny how things have come full cirlce since I first started in on these Latin America adventures 2 years ago!
When I get back from Peru (Megan will be here then!) I will be mostly talking with Artisans about what they think a fair price for their goods is, how much they currently make, what their supply chain looks like…and what their capacity and willingness is to adapt their products to the global market.
And that should keep me busy for some time now! So, all in all, things are going well. I like this little city, but am looking forward to the last semester in Medford as well, which is a nice feeling. I hope everyone reading this is doing well!
Besos (kisses)
-Amanda
Sunday, June 15, 2008
And more pictures from outside of Ibarra
A few days ago I went out to determine the feasibility of carrying out some research for my thesis in these communities about an hour outside of Ibarra. Talked to the President's of the communities, and I'm heading back this week to meet more of the communities - one in particular, San Clemente, is where I took the picture of the corn stalks. They were honestly some of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever seen. Rolling hills and lush fields are cut through by a cobblestone road, which connects even the most rural communities. My goal is to find where the road ends. More details on my latest adventures to come this week.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Thoughts on Ibarra
I´m still trying to decide if I think that Ibarra is a beautiful place. Sometimes, as I´m walking through the park with palms, a million kinds of flowers and people lounging on benches in the near perfect weather, cute old men selling newspapers in sidewalk stands, I think it is. Even the little boys shining shoes don´t trigger the feeling of despair as they do in many latin american cities. But more towards the commercial district it seems as though an experiment in 1970´s architecture has gone very very wrong. The huge tacky signs, advertising jewlery, hotels, cellphones, and ice cream. Man do they love their ice cream here. And of course there´s the electricity cables. At least they have electricity.
I´m living with a Columbian painter, who has a nice house a little bit outside of town. As soon as you step out the front door your hit with huge views Volcan Imbabura (apparently inactive) on one side, and an impressive mountain range, on the other. There´s definitely a breath of fresh air there.
Overall, people seem to be fairly well off in the city. And not from tourism. I´ve only seen one group of tourists since I got here. Now, to be fair, I have been sick in bed for the last 3 days due to an unfortunate incident with some bbq chicken...but things seem to be bussling along just fine without tourism, which is nice to see.
I´m working out in the rural areas outside of Ibarra, and life is defintely harder in those parts. I´m still figuring out the details on the project but it´s looking good, and there´s less electricity cables out in the ´campo´(country).
Tomorrow I take off for La Libertad, a smallish town on the coast, to carry out some survey´s for FINCA. It´s right next to what has been described to me as the Miami beach of Ecuador, so that´s at least worth a look. As long as my stomach cooperates I´m looking forward to it.
I´m living with a Columbian painter, who has a nice house a little bit outside of town. As soon as you step out the front door your hit with huge views Volcan Imbabura (apparently inactive) on one side, and an impressive mountain range, on the other. There´s definitely a breath of fresh air there.
Overall, people seem to be fairly well off in the city. And not from tourism. I´ve only seen one group of tourists since I got here. Now, to be fair, I have been sick in bed for the last 3 days due to an unfortunate incident with some bbq chicken...but things seem to be bussling along just fine without tourism, which is nice to see.
I´m working out in the rural areas outside of Ibarra, and life is defintely harder in those parts. I´m still figuring out the details on the project but it´s looking good, and there´s less electricity cables out in the ´campo´(country).
Tomorrow I take off for La Libertad, a smallish town on the coast, to carry out some survey´s for FINCA. It´s right next to what has been described to me as the Miami beach of Ecuador, so that´s at least worth a look. As long as my stomach cooperates I´m looking forward to it.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Monday, June 02, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
San Luis de Chillo Gallo
Here are some pictures from a Village Bank (Banco Comunal) meeting in a southern quito neighborhood. When I asked if they minded if I took a few pictures, they all immediately smiled and clapped. Apparently they like pictures. I can't wait to return with hard copies for them to take home.
My new temporary home
As Megan and I found out as we were traveling through Panama last summer...I'm too old for hostels. I spent the afternoon looking for a place to stay for the next week, and while $8 a night is certainly appealing, I have reached the point where I just don't want to stay in a place that smells bad, if I have the choice. And I know that at some points this summer I will be places where I will not have that choice, so I'm taking advantage of it now. MacGregor's friends got me a great deal in a hotel over looking this Plaza. This view is from the restaurant where I enjoy a breakfast of toast eggs and coffee. Unfortunately they only serve instant coffee...but since I can take a real hot water shower, it all evens out. Plus, thanks to Michelle I have a wonderful portable coffee maker so I'm doing pretty well.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Day 2
Hello from Quito, Ecuador!
I arrived with no problems - in fact the flight was almost the same length as the Boston-SF trip that I'm so accustomed to. A FINCA driver picked up from the airport, and the next day I was at the office at 9am to start work. Lucia, the head of marketing with whom I'm working, is great! I think we'll have a lot of fun together - and we seem to work together very well. After a few visionary differences we managed to come up with a project schedule and terms of reference that I am quite excited about.
I'll spend the first week or so in Quito, then head to La Libertad, on the coast, then to Guayaquil (the other main city) to interview clients in the different branch offices. The back to Quito....then up to Ibarra (in the Northern highlands) where I will spend most of the remaining time. For FINCA, I'm gathering information about the demand for savings accounts. FINCA Ecuador is in the processing of converting from a non-profit into a registered bank - and so in a few months they will be able to offer clients individual savings accounts. At this point clients only have small group savings accounts as part of their village banking group. (For more info on FINCA or village banking click: www.villagebanking.org )
The research for my thesis will mostly be carried out in Ibarra...and will be focusing on 2 or 3 communities in the region. The field research will consist of learning about the communities main livelihood strategies and their access to markets. The main question will be how they think they could better take advantage of market opportunities, and the role that microfinance might be able to play in that process. As it gets more defined I'll give an update on the specifics.
For now, I'm off to meet my new Quiteño friends for lunch and to find a better place to stay for the rest of my time in Quito. Keep in touch!
I arrived with no problems - in fact the flight was almost the same length as the Boston-SF trip that I'm so accustomed to. A FINCA driver picked up from the airport, and the next day I was at the office at 9am to start work. Lucia, the head of marketing with whom I'm working, is great! I think we'll have a lot of fun together - and we seem to work together very well. After a few visionary differences we managed to come up with a project schedule and terms of reference that I am quite excited about.
I'll spend the first week or so in Quito, then head to La Libertad, on the coast, then to Guayaquil (the other main city) to interview clients in the different branch offices. The back to Quito....then up to Ibarra (in the Northern highlands) where I will spend most of the remaining time. For FINCA, I'm gathering information about the demand for savings accounts. FINCA Ecuador is in the processing of converting from a non-profit into a registered bank - and so in a few months they will be able to offer clients individual savings accounts. At this point clients only have small group savings accounts as part of their village banking group. (For more info on FINCA or village banking click: www.villagebanking.org )
The research for my thesis will mostly be carried out in Ibarra...and will be focusing on 2 or 3 communities in the region. The field research will consist of learning about the communities main livelihood strategies and their access to markets. The main question will be how they think they could better take advantage of market opportunities, and the role that microfinance might be able to play in that process. As it gets more defined I'll give an update on the specifics.
For now, I'm off to meet my new Quiteño friends for lunch and to find a better place to stay for the rest of my time in Quito. Keep in touch!
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