This question really resonated with me and made me contemplate the decisions and actions I have done before early on in my work-life as an NGO (non-government organization) worker. Thus, the short post to answer this intuitive question.
First, some context...
The development sector is an interesting field to be in, one gets to know, understand, and help people and communities. The work usually focuses on a particular group of people, national issue of local concern or vice versa, and generally revolves around a central theme. It may be just a small vulnerable group of people in a particular area, a national situation, or it might even involve multi-cultural affairs involving some UN agencies and big INGOs (International Non-Government Organizations).
As a development worker, I've worked in different areas of concern and capacities. One of my favorite themes, poverty alleviation, where I worked long hours and weekends involves trying to help people get into entrepreneurship as a way to get out of poverty.
What micro-finance means to me...
We did this via micro-finance where the underlying belief is that people are basically trustworthy, whatever their situation in life is. Trustworthy because this is literally the essence of non-collateralized loans. Because a client doesn't need to pledge an asset such as a house or a car to secure a loan, we rely on the person to pay back the loan without the threat of forfeiture of his or her personal property.
This approach was popularized by Professor Muhammad Yunus, who along with Grameen Bank, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 because of the work they have done in grassroots economic and social development.
During that time, we advocated for individual loans, as opposed to Grameen Bank's group loans, as a way for individuals to gain self-sustainability and confidence in conducting business.
Working with the poor
We worked with the poorest of the poor and specifically target people who don't have access to the formal banking industry and just rely on business loans from monied individuals at usurious rates, meaning super high-interest loans granted by individuals collected on a daily basis.
Our approach wasn't perfect but we did what we can and helped people understand the basics of starting and managing a small enterprise. Many graduated from the programs that we run, eventually getting loans from banks and formal lending institutions. Many others failed at their chosen business multiple times and these are the ones who tug at our heartstrings.
We can only see regrets in the rearview mirror...
It is these people that I wished I had focused more on. Back then we focused on success stories to show funders and supporters that the program is successful. To get more people from the urban poor communities to join in and avail of any of our services: micro-loans, savings, business coaching and mentoring, skills training, business development, and scholarships for their children so that they won't have to enter the cycle of poverty starting with the mindset that they can study in a trade school or community college, and eventually help them find jobs through another program that we run.
"Redemption is a product of sacrifice..." \Dr. Rizal
So, to answer ecoTrain's Season 7 QOTW #1, if a genie gave me the chance to reinvent myself, it is to be more patient in coaching, mentoring, and sincerely helping the people who have failed in their micro-enterprises during the time that I worked in the micro-finance sector because this might have given them the chance to escape poverty and become self-sustainable individuals who can provide for their families and not be a burden to society and the government. To add to that, I could have been more thorough in my work of trying to understand the reason why they were unsuccessful or what skill they lacked in managing their micro-enterprise.
In hindsight, I did not look closely enough to see the missing pieces and gave up easily or dismissed these people as incorrigible making it doubly difficult to find success in business and life.
Eventually, these people, the successful ones, who step up one rung in the ladder of economic emancipation adds to a strong middle class, the backbone of the economy, which promotes access to education, development of human capital, and a stable source of demand for goods and services - impacting the bigger economic situation in the mid and long term.
Finally
So, those are the reasons why I answered the question in this manner. Thanks for dropping by! If you liked my short personal story, I will be happy to get an upvote or reblog from you. Otherwise, please send me constructive criticism on how I can improve my blog posts in the future.
All the best and success to everyone here in the Hive ecosystem!
Mabuhay!
Thanks to @bearone for the Hive Philippines badge. :)
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