Change in the Air

Let me fill you all in about Peru news. It is Election Day this Sunday. What does that mean? Parades, candidate songs and free balloons. I have never been in Peru for an election day, but the weeks leading up to it have been action packed song and dance routines in the street. It is almost like a Carnival celebration, in September. This also means that change is in the air, although from my conversation with Peruvians, most people do not have a lot of faith in any of the candidates.


In the little microcosm of our village banks there is also change in the air, as women are electing their new Directives. This week two village banks, Senor de los Milagros and Mujeres Unidas (United Women), are entering into their 2nd loan cycle. In-between Loan cycle 1 & 2 the village bank meets to adjust their group agreements and elect a new president, secretary and treasurer. This a good group process test to see how the women have come together in their 1st loan cycle. Yesterday during the group meeting of the village bank Senor de los Milagros, the group decided to vote out a village bank member because she wasn't able to continue with the bank agreements and furthermore because of her constant travel was holding the group back from holding regular meetings. It was a tough democratic process to come to consensus. But, they did it.

Let's hope the elections on Sunday can follow in this village bank's footsteps.

Paz ~ Nora