The Face of Microfinance and We Art Aware two socially-conscious student-led clubs over the weekend for a benefit concert “Possibilities.”
The concert conceived of just three weeks ago was a major success in the art of collaboration. Ticket sales to hear five Pepperdine student and alumni bands satisfied both groups’ interests by bringing together musicians to raise funds for small businesses lacking access to traditional banking. Held Saturday at the relaxing retreat of Calamigos Ranch’s MCafe an afternoon filled with music culminated in over $750 raised.
“A lot has happened in a very short period of time explained Lindsay Carron, founder and president of We Art Aware.
The musical acts of sophomore Sunday Helmerich’s Sunday Lane” (with guest keyboard accompaniment by sophomore Hannah Crockett) alumnus Josh Damigo senior Tony Audin freshmen M.A. Alford and Drake Duckworth and alumnus Galen Scrogein and junior Kelsie Wilbur’s Zenda Marie rewarded donators with the instant gratification of their tunes.
Everyone at the event had a chance to vote which business would receive the raised funds as the winner was hand-picked from club members’ smartphones bringing a direct sense of purpose to every philanthropic music-lover there.
T-shirt sales and collections aggregated from MCafe customers rounded out the loan set aside for Las Damas 96 a piñata-making business in Cancun Mexico fronted by 46-year-old Lidia Aurora Cauich Escamilla.
While a portion of the money was carved out for Las Damas 96 the remaining chunk raised by the charity concert is to be used towards the next business-in-need. The donation which will be repaid through Escamilla’s profits over the next eight months helped to finalize a $3600 loan fronted by non-profit company Kiva. Kiva is one of several charitable organizations that dole out advances to hard-working business owners in remote areas to give their ventures a chance to grow.
Groups like The Face of Microfinance are spread across five continents. The money they raise and donate helps to reimburse loans made by companies like Kiva so the non-profit can continue lending out funds to the next business.
“This amount of [$783 raised] will be used over and over again for years to come. This is permanent in Pepperdine’s microfinance club explained senior Rachel Williams, president of The Face of Microfinance.
The recyclable funds generate thousands of dollars, and will help people like Escamilla grow their businesses for years to come.
By unabashedly sharing their ideas, the groups secured Inter-club Council (ICC) donations for advertising, T-shirts, wristbands and appetizers prepared by MCafe, the space and time from the restaurant for free and shirts designed by Alford.
Carron pointed to the grand-scale potential of overlapping goals and joint efforts.
I think Pepperdine clubs need to strive for more combined efforts Carron explained. Many of us are out there to do the same thing. It would be so much less stressful if we all just came together.”
A Saturday afternoon spent lounging on the grass successfully balanced aspirations and made a dent in global issues.
“We’re on such a small scale but people are going to start to catch on to our ideas affirmed freshman Genevieve Ruddock, We Art Aware member.