GIVE someone a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish and you feed them for a life time.
-- Italian proverb

In the early days of this project, the co-operative viewed itself as the recipient of the Sangha’s generosity. The discussions with the team used to be centered on how they could receive our assistance. The seeds that were sown through the support given over all these years produced a transformation in confidence of the co-operative’s adequacy and is illustrated by this inspiring story of taking responsibility to assist themselves.
 
38 of the students in the Girls Program are in schools too far from the Living Compassion property in Kantolomba to return for lunch; they are in schools where lunch is provided.
When the cooperative team in Kantolomba realized this left 38 lunches uneaten each day at the property, they quickly jumped at the chance to feed more children eager to be in the Living Compassion family.

Theresa let us know the plan to bring in 38 more children. Great. Go for it!
 
But, wait, there was one snag the team realized. Three months out of the year those 38 girls are on vacation and are back at the property for lunch. What to do?

Before we even had a chance to brainstorm how to make this possible financially, Theresa told us, “We are all set. We sat down as a team and talked about how we wanted to take this on.  People offered their ideas. And we found a solution!”

Each month a handful of cooperative members receive a small loan. Loans are very useful for things like tuitions, home repairs, emergency travel needs… anywhere a large sum of money is needed beyond the usual household budget. When the loan comes due, it is paid back with an added amount. The principle of the loan is passed on to the next cooperative member while the added amount goes into the Cooperative bank account. They did the math and each quarter they will have saved enough to cover the 38 extra lunches on the holiday months. 

Brilliant!  Talk about a win-win.