Just Small Change – An update for 2020.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it has been a long time since we provided an update on the Just Small Change charity we are so proud to support. So we were delighted when our good friends Peter and Jane Donaghue, registered trustees of the organisation, got in touch with us with a positive update.

To recap, who are Just Small Change?

Due to the length of the time that has passed since we last shared an update on Just Small Change, we firstly want to remind you about the work the charity does and how we show our support.

Just Small Change works in some of the poorest parts in the world to help individuals and families build a pathway out of poverty through small business development. Not only does this provide a better life, but one that’s also meaningful. Because of this, the charity is considered to be a microfinance organisation that delivers small scale loans as an alternative to the impossibility of using a bank.

Coinadrink has been supporting Just Small Change for a long time now and we hold a close relationship with Peter and Jane. That makes us even keener to show our support, alongside some of the other charities we tie our name to. We do this through our bottled water coolers. For each bottle of water we sell for the coolers, we donate a portion of the sale and to date we have raised over £3000 this way. We also raised £1500 on our 55^th birthday party in January 2018.

You can read more about the charity and our efforts here.

An update for 2020.

Naturally, the virus has significantly affected the day-to-day operation of the charity. This has unfortunately meant that they haven’t been able to add any new clients into their support programmes over in Kisumu, Kenya.

But despite this, the organisation has continued to show its support for existing clients and they are in good stead for the future as restrictions begin to ease in the region. We were informed by Peter and Jane that whilst the locals have been treating the virus with respect, the general consensus is that it’s merely another threat in a long line they have to face every single day. Whilst this is the tragic reality of the harsh environment, it’s admirable that the locals have continued as best they can.

Existing clients that had repaid their loans in 2019 were able to apply for new ones this year, subject to eligibility and approval of their business plan. Volunteers for Just Small Change who are based in Kisumu have managed to hold regular meetings with all their clients, whether this be done through phone calls or 1 to 1 meetings that meet health and safety guidelines.

The organisation has provided support as best it can for clients experiencing financial hardship. And now that groups are able to meet up again, volunteers are taking advantage.

Future training.

Subject to the guidelines that will be laid out by both the Kenyan National Government and Kisumu County, Just Small Change are hoping to start training new clients from late February 2021.

We are very happy that we are helping to provide support for some of the poorest people in the world, and that despite the pandemic the charity share confidence and optimism for future support.