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UST MicroCredit Expands Lending Opportunities to Turkey
3/5/2010
 The University of St. Thomas MicroCredit Program is once again expanding their reach across the world to try to alleviate poverty by educating students and empowering individuals. The student-run group has been invited by the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue to spend spring break, March 11-21, in Istanbul, Turkey.
The invitation comes on the heels of MicroCredit’s recent recognition at the Clinton Global Initiative University. Dr. Rogelio Garcia Contreras, MicroCredit faculty sponsor, forged a relationship with the Institute last summer when he and a delegation of UST faculty and administrators travelled to Turkey.
Garcia-Contreras’ trip to Turkey opened the door for MicroCredit students to collaborate with the Turkish nonprofit organization, Kimse Yok Mu, or “Helping Hands.” This organization conducts a series of charitable activities and is about to start a program call “Returning Home”. In this program they will provide financial assistance as well as education and professional opportunities to single mothers who lack the resources to provide for their families, and whose children are placed under temporarily government care. The program also provides economic support, education and meals to children while the mothers learn an income-generating wood craft trade.
“This project is trying to help these women learn to generate income as fast as possible,” said Michael Black, MicroCredit board member. “We are going to partner with Kimse Yok Mu to create a revolving fund to lend money to women so they can expedite the process through which they can get their kids back.”
To help fund the cost of the trip, MicroCredit plan to host various fundraisers on campus.
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