A recent project of Microfinancing Partners in Africa (MPA), based in St. Louis, is a personal one for Sr. Antoinette “Toni” Temporiti, who founded MPA in 2006. Inspired by her annual trips to Africa, Sr. Toni spent one sleepless night writing a story, based on actual events, from a child’s point of view of how a mother was able to provide for her family through a microloan.
That story, entitled “One Potato Two,” is now a published children’s book that also features accompanying illustrations by Maria Allen-Koerner.
“Microfinancing is a big topic and whenever I try to understand something, I go to the the children’s book section,” explained Sr. Temporiti.
“One Potato Two” is told from the perspective of Mumbi, a young African girl whose mother is able to feed her family because of a potato-selling business she begins through a microfinancing loan.
“I meet children like Mumbi each time I go to Africa,” said Sr. Toni. “They are bright, wise beyond their years and so gracious that they would gladly give a guest their last bit of food.”
All proceeds from the sale of this book benefit Microfinancing Partners in Africa, which provides grants for the strengthening and expansion of microfinancing programs in Africa “to empower those living in extreme poverty to lift themselves up with dignity through access to financial services and education,” according to its mission.
MPA’s current African partners are located in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Payback rates of microloans through MPA’s Kenyan partner, Jamii Bora, is 98 percent.
MPA supports partners that follow the microfinancing model of Professor Mohammad Yunus, who recently received the Congressional Gold Medal in honor of his groundbreaking microfinance work and his pioneering efforts to eradicate global poverty. Professor Yunus is one of only seven people to have received the Congressional Gold Medal, as well as the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“One Potato Two” is available for sale at $15.99 per copy through CreateSpace. Go to www.createspace.com/4106109 to place your order. For more information on Microfinancing Partners in Africa, go to www.microfinancingafrica.org.
