CHESTER, Vt. – On Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, Rotary District 7870 District Governor Randell Barclay visited the Chester Rotary Interact Club at Green Mountain Union High School (GMUHS) to discuss its participation in the KIVA program.
Interact is a Rotary sponsored high school leadership program that adheres to the Rotary International motto of “Service Above Self.” KIVA is an international non-profit with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive. They do this by crowd funding loans and unlocking capital for the underserved, improving the quality and cost of financial services, and addressing the underlying barriers to financial access around the world. Through KIVA’s work, students can pay for tuition, women can start businesses, farmers are able to invest in equipment, and families can afford needed emergency care.
DG Barclay highlighted communities around the world that do not have, or are underserved by, traditional banking opportunities. Crowd sourcing micro-loans can be provided through KIVA to support water sanitation, a healthy environment, sustainable agriculture, and many other endeavors that improve the quality of life of people around the world. He shared that, for as little as a micro-loan of $25, Interact students can choose from programs that are as basic as funding the acquisition of breeding stock by a farmer on another continent looking to support her family.
The Chester Rotary Club has donated $500 to the Rotary Interact Club at GMUHS to provide initial micro-loan funds for the students to invest and reinvest. Interact students are looking forward to the opportunity to participate in meaningful programs that help others in underserved communities.
If you would like to know more about Chester Rotary, meetings are held every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at The Fullerton, or contact Bill Dakin at 802-875-3456 or Ian Montgomery at 802-875-5446.