I created WAREE with the goal to lead a position in the global market. There are hidden talents that tend to disappear.
My moto is: Lead, Serve & Thrive.
Since my first Kiva loan in 2018-19, I have grown over the years by traveling and mentoring artisans as well as achieving my graduate degree in Business.
I extended my suppliers of artisans overseas: mud cloth textiles and leather goods from my native Mali, the Masai Beaded jewelry from Kenya, bowls from Rwanda, and baskets woven from Ghana and Zambia. As a result, the products sold have benefited the women makers at multiple levels.
In Mali, where I came from, the young men do leatherwork because it’s labor-intensive, Lately, I was able to convince them to incorporate Mudcloth textiles from the women into their design. Those leather purses with new designs boosted sale. The leather makers were pleased and confident enough that they gave pieces of leather to the women and asked them to dye it. So, in a way, they all share the market. Even though my business is about women, I need to create other sources for their male counterparts so they can all collaborate.
While my goal was to empower women in their traditional crafts making, I also benefited from it by returning to school.
Taking assignments between classes in providing technical assistance to women crafters in 13 countries through IESC international development programs, I earned my bachelor degree in Business and Leadership (2013) and my MBA in Business (2019) at Marylhurst University, OR. This was to better serve women develop business skills.
Kiva loan contributes to the development and the success of my business growth. After 5 years in Portland, I am now taking the next step by joining El Museo Cultural Center in Santa Fe, NM.
Adding to basket
Funded
A loan helped continue promoting the women artisan work that has a potential for growth during the coming years.
Haoua Cheick's story
This loan is special because:
More about this loan
Business Description
The Women Artisans Resource Enterprise (WAREE), an emerging corporation for profit, works closely with artisans communities. This idea was developed after years of my experience providing technical assistance through USAID funded development programs to women artisans communities. I learned what worked and what didn’t work. Countries included Ghana, Lesotho, Mali, Sri Lanka, Swaziland and Zambia where I expanded their collection of products for better exposure to the global market. I received 2 awards for my civic participation:
1) 2012: Volunteer for Economic Growth Alliance’s Award for Program Service 2) 2004: President’s Council of Volunteer Service Award by the USA Freedom Corps
After 10 years of continuous activity in Portland, OR, even during the pandemic, I decided to relocate to Santa Fe, NM and join 43 vendors at the El Museo Cultural Center Marketplace located at the Railyard District 555 Camino de la Familia in Santa Fe, NM 87501. This provides a large scale of exposure every weekend for WAREE among the upscale vendors from September to July.
This move also is crucial for the opportunity existing in Santa Fe which hosts the international Folk Art Market every summer and where I was a Volunteer Artist Assistant helping the French speaking Artists sell their products for five years in a row. I recollected what buyers are looking for: artisans which carries history of their traditions. In the past, WAREE has attracted a clientele that includes private collectors, retail stores, museums, educational institutions, and companies sourcing modern, fair-traded African products at competitive prices.
Working in several consulting firms in Washington DC through USAID funded development programs during my working years, I committed myself after retirement to tackle the hidden talent of disadvantaged women artisans in developing countries and promote their work at the global market through training and marketing development.
What is the purpose of this loan?
Just as I applied in 2018 for my 1st loan now fully repaid and learned how this first loan had a huge impact on my business, I thrived during the pandemic; while shops were close, I switched to farmers markets and other outdoor markets.
This loan will provide the inventory necessary to match the scale of other vendors in my new location. Two of my suppliers: the Ndomo Center in Mali making Mudcloth and the Volta Kente Cloth group in Ghana signed me to be their sole representative in Santa Fe when they heard the news of relocation. Immediate fund to order and ship the goods is crucial for the readiness of the holiday seasons.
These 2 cloths makers groups will already have their products out on the market before the July International Folk Art as application process is hard to be approved due to visa issues or other requirements. That is a huge impact for these communities knowing they have their products out in Santa Fe 10 months before the IFAM market. The Ndomo centre in Mali s a longtime supplier of my Mudcloth. I was assigned in 2004 as Volunteer Expert in the Volta region of Ghana to provide assistance to the Kente weavers through IESC development programs. Those weavers evolved throughout the years and now organize yearly festivals to promote the Kente Fabrics. Both suppliers produce quality cloths and are market ready. They are now confident to have a presence at WAREE's booth as overseas suppliers run to multiple challenges to get their products out in the U.S. market.
WAREE will have a good start securing a reliable and steady source of goods for these major 2 suppliers in addition to the baskets from Rwanda, Zambia and the beadwork’s from Kenya.
Loan details
Loan length:
Repayment schedule
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
What is a risk rating?
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Lending Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Lending Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Lending Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
About WAREE
Lenders and lending teams
Country: United States
Trustee
What are Trustee tiers?
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
Tags
Loan tags help lenders find loans that match certain areas of interest.
Loan details
Loan length:
Repayment schedule
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
What is a risk rating?
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Lending Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Lending Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Lending Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
Trustee
What are Trustee tiers?
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
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