Jake Jeran
2015
Arusha, Tanzania
Microfinance in Tanzania
Hello! My name is Jake Jeran and I am currently a rising junior at Belmont University, studying Social Entrepreneurship with a minor in classical percussion. I was born in Indiana but spent almost ten years of my life in Turkey, watching my parents dedicate their lives to missionary work. This has embedded a love of global travel and interest with cultural diversity. Since my return to the states I have traveled to some of the most poverty-stricken parts of India with my church, sharing the word of God and loving those who have nothing. These experiences shaped who I am today.
Because of the caste system, India has been under a strong social divide of classes for centuries. In places like India one of the main things that I found that divided cultures was the improper distribution of education. This is why I chose to dedicate three months of my summer to work on a microfinance project in Arusha, Tanzania. Similar to India, women in outskirts of Arusha have little to no opportunity for proper education.
I will be spending a great deal of my time educating young women on how to run and sustain their small business ventures. A lot of their businesses have already been started, so I will work to teach better bookkeeping, accounting, and marketing skills, which will further sustain their businesses for generations to come. Along with this, I will be allocating micro-loans to these village groups, which they will pay back interest free over a period of time.
At the end of my trip I have dedicated 10 days to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, which is located at in Moshi, Tanzania. Rising at almost 20,000 feet above sea level, this trek on one of the world’s tallest mountains will definitely be an experience that I will never forget. I am extremely grateful for the Lumos Foundation and this opportunity to serve these women in Tanzania. I hope to use this experience to further shape my global perspective and my vocation in life.
More about me....
Major(s): Social Entrepreneurship
My Stories
-
Home Away from Home
As I sit here in my hotel room, its crazy to think that my 10 week placement in Tanzania has come to an
-
Networking Event
As I have shared in my previous blog posts, the needs of the women that I have been working with over the past
-
Finding Pride Rock
Before coming to Tanzania one of the first things that people would ask me was if I planned to go on a safari.
-
A Step Back
This past week I have been reading a book called The Ragamuffin Gospel. After reading this book, I have been challenged both personally
-
Jambo!
As Tanzania recently just celebrated its 50th birthday, it is beginning to elevate another element of Nyerere’s principles: education. Education has been a
-
Something New
As the plane began its descent, the anticipation started to build, as I was about to take my first steps onto Tanzanian soil.
-
See You on the Other Side
I think back on the last nine months of my life and can see how far I’ve come in such a short amount
