Here in Seattle, it’s a gorgeous Friday morning – sunny and clear. Fall is definitely arriving though; we’re seeing more and more school buses travel the streets and the weather has definitely taken a turn towards cooler, and rainier weather. Back to school season has definitely arrived!
All of us at Vittana have been fortunate – we all attended college, and have reaped the benefits that come with higher education. We learned from knowledgeable professors, met a diverse and talented group of friends, were pushed and challenged to do more with our skills and received the tools to get great jobs once we graduated.
Yes, we all worked very hard in school – but most of us did not have to work hard to get the opportunity to attend school. Many of us followed in the footsteps of our parents and older siblings – going to college was both expected and encouraged.
This situation isn’t the norm for our Vittana students. They are often the first in their families to dream about getting an advanced degree. There is absolutely no money available to them to pay for their education; there are very few places they can turn to for a loan. Unlike in the U.S., there are no Sallie Mae programs, Pell grants or other places to turn to seek out financial assistance.
“Back to school” doesn’t have the same meaning it does for us for our Vittana students. That amazing feeling of opportunity doesn’t happen for them until their loan is funded – and that can’t happen without the support of our very generous lenders.
Today, over 3,000 lenders from 36 countries have helped us loan close to $350,000 to deserving students. These lenders have helped send our students back to school – to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, chefs, computer scientists… the possibilities that come with these opportunities are amazing and inspiring.
To celebrate fall, our students, and the efforts of our lenders, we’re kicking off a back to school promotion. Our goal is to send as many Vittana students as we can “back to school” this fall- and keep paying the opportunity of education forward.
It’s easy to participate – get your friends, colleagues, alumni group, book club or anyone one else together and form a group on Vittana. Pick your students, make your loan, and keeping checking the back to school page to see what group is in the lead, and how many students are getting loans!
Need some inspiration? Check out Mercy, one of the first students Vittana lenders funded in Peru. We featured Mercy in our August newsletter, as she is really working hard to make the most out of her new opportunity.
Here’s her story:
At age 15, Mercy Marilu, known by friends as a bookworm, planned to attend college and dreamed one day of teaching as a professor. But at 18, she was forced to put her dreams on hold for something far less glamorous — selling roast chicken on a dusty street corner in Huaycan, a province on the eastern outskirts of Lima, Peru. Strapped for cash and struggling to support two other children, Mercy’s parents could no longer financially support their daughter and expected her to immediately contribute to te family income.
Vittana has given Mercy the opportunity to now go back to school to study elementary education and finish her college degree. In addition to her own studies, she has a new dream — to make a private, five-year university a real possibility for her four-year old daughter. This time, Mercy has already put the dream into action — she has opened a savings account in her daughter’s name.
Enjoy the turning of the seasons, and help us celebrate back to school!
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