BRANCH OF THE VINCENTIAN FAMILY INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT: Daughter of Charity International Project Services, St. John’s University & Ladies of Charity

NAME OF SYSTEMIC CHANGE PROJECT: Global Loan Opportunities for Budding Entrepreneurs (G.L.O.B.E.)

PROJECT ADDRESS: Peter J. Tobin College of Business, St. John’s University Jamaica NY 11439

CONTACT PERSON: Dr. Linda Sama or Sr. Felicia Mazzola, D.C.

LENGTH OF TIME THE PROJECT/PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE: 3 years

PROJECT WEBSITE: http://www.stjohns.edu//tobin/globe

G.L.O.B.E., a student-managed academic program at St. John’s University, the Peter J. Tobin College of Business, provides loans to entrepreneurs in the developing world. Through G.L.O.B.E., students are educated about the world of microfinance while helping the poorest of the poor help themselves and their families out of poverty. Students, in describing their mission as part of G.L.O.B.E., say: “We are committed to building a global community (starting here at St. John’s) that is going to contribute to the goal of eradicating poverty within our lifetime.” G.L.O.B.E. currently operates in: Kenya, Bolivia, Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Thailand, and Madagascar.

Systemic Change approach: In addition to providing much needed loans to people who are involved in small scale economic ventures, identified by the Daughters of Charity, this program is bridging first world students to the experience of extreme poverty and the complexity of providing effective solutions to poverty in developing countries. Students communicate directly with poverty-stricken communities and assist those seeking loans to develop budgets and to come up with viable, revenue-producing projects. Loan repayments include a small fee that will contribute to providing supplemental needs to the communities in the areas of health, education and sanitation, representing a holistic approach to lending.

Micro loans and Systemic Change Education is the strategy employed to promote systemic change

Comment:

Dr. Linda Sama in addition to being a professor at St. John’s, is a member of the Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University.




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