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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