SKImfi recipients of the Honde Valley review their loan agreements
One of the main problems facing aid in the developing world is anonymity. Organizations that provide aid to “the children” or “the hungry” fail to specify whom, precisely, are the recipients of that aid. While these regions often desperately need aid, the blanket statement of “the hungry,” for example, diminishes the individuality of countless people to one characteristic: their hunger. In doing so, they risk ignoring the recipients’ achievements, personalities and stories that make them unique.
SKIC seeks to counteract this phenomenon by focusing on microfinance and scholarships. As Shyam says, “SKIC isn’t in the business of providing aid; we’re providing people with access to finance.” Like any bank, these programs place a high emphasis on the recipient’s identity. Additionally, by choosing specific recipients rather than blanketing aid, SKI Charities can ensure maximum impact and amplify future results. Through targeted loans and scholarships, SKI Charities focuses on each individual’s progress and ultimate success.
We have previously blogged that including Shyam’s initials in the organization’s titles reflects SKI Charities’ commitment to the individual. Microfinance and scholarships are about ensuring an individual’s success as part of a greater scheme to achieve community development. Moreover, it reminds Shyam of how, when he first started SKI Charities, many doubted the potential to succeed in regions that were unstable and/or had few other social institutions. Similarly, he recognizes that many of the recipients of SKIC loans and scholarships have faced parallel doubt— from members of their own community and the international community alike. By including Shyam’s initials, SKIC acknowledges and empathizes with this experience, and seeks to overcome it together: their success is SKI Charities’ success.
As Shyam says, “it’s not just about selling something abstract.” To the contrary, SKI Charities is about tangible results for specific individuals.
