"The iron in our blood was formed in stars, billions of years ago, trillions of miles away."- The Perot Museum of Natural Science


As human beings, we are not all acquainted with the same Earth. We do not all wake to the same walls of the same room or have the same two hands tuck us in at night. But when cut, we bleed. We all bleed. And although it sounds strange, we bleed stardust.

The iron that governs our red blood cells is composed of the same atoms that once burned in stars, meaning every human being can be traced back to the very same place. In today's world, it is incredibly easy to see the differences between us because we are so distracted by labels and media and stereotypes, but we must remember that we all need iron to live; what is essential to each of us is the same.

So in case you ever forget, we are here to guide you through the differences of our skin and into the samenesses beneath. We are here to remind you of the iron in our blood.

Send questions and comments to theironinourblood@gmail.com

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Teach A [Wo]man to Fish and You Feed [Her] For A Lifetime



Living in Rwanda with her husband and five children, Jacqueline worked as a schoolteacher and her husband was a soldier. But then everything changed. Jacqueline's husband was killed and she lost her job, all in a matter of days. Suddenly, Jacqueline became a widowed, unemployed mother of five with no way of providing for her children. Then she heard about World Vision Micro, a microfinancing organization serving many countries around the world. Once she was approved for and granted a loan, Jacqueline joined her two widowed friends and established a local restaurant. Now, she can provide food for those in her community as well as the little ones living under her own roof, an achievement unfathomable to her prior to World Vision Micro's arrival. Here is how the microloan process works according to World Vision Micro's website:




1. Our Local Lender Approves an Entrepreneur

A World Vision microfinance institution approves the borrower. Typically, they are women in developing countries who do not have collateral or a credit history to secure a traditional loan. The local institution then gives the entrepreneur a loan.

2. The Entrepreneur Appears on Micro

After a borrower has been approved for a loan, their name, story, and business idea are uploaded to Micro for you to review and follow. While World Vision initially fronts the cost of the loan, donations are tracked such that they underwrite the exact entrepreneur of your choosing.

3. You Choose an Entrepreneur

Read their story. See their business idea. Donate to help. With one in five people worldwide surviving on less than $1.25 a day, the need is great.



Visit www.worldvisionmicro.org to loan $35 - $350 to the aspiring businesswoman of your choice. Every penny counts.
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