Looking to inspire your kids with the concept of micro-lending?

Here is a book that beautifully illustrates how much good just a few dollars can do. One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway is helping me prepare the girls for our family’s first foray into micro-lending.

Though friends have told me that Kiva is a straightforward and inspiring way to help others, I have been reluctant to introduce the kids to it. Micro-lending? Even with an economics degree buried in my distant past, it seems like a complicated idea to explain to my young ones. At four and six, they are still trying to differentiate the value of pennies and quarters on a consistent basis.

Thanks to One Hen, I think they have the concept down. Our Kiva account is up and waiting for one each family member to decide how much of our Christmas money to contribute.

The story follows Kojo, a young boy from Ghana, and his experience buying a hen with the help of a small community loan. Over the years, Kojo’s one hen grows into a bustling farm. Kojo’s small loan ultimately helps this family, his community, and even his country grow and thrive.

Understandably, the story is a long one. Both my 6 and 4 year old like to pick it frequently for a bedtime story, and I catch myself wishing for a short Todd Parr story to wrap up our evening more quickly. Terrible, I know.

Once we get started, though, the gorgeous illustrations and well-written prose draw me in right along with the kids.

And yes, I’ll admit to abbreviating the story now and then, relying more on the pictures and large-print excerpts featured on each two-page spread. That gets us through on those low energy nights. I’m continuously impressed by how often the girls pull this story from the shelf.

After all of this reading, I’m surprised the girls haven’t decided to capitalize on our own backyard chickens. I keep waiting for them to ask to sell our eggs, but the issue hasn’t come up just yet.

I was also surprised to learn that this is more than just a book. One Hen has actually grown from being a book to a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing enrichment curriculum for elementary schools, teaching about world problems and how kids can make a difference.

The website www.onehen.org offers additional resources, including links to effective micro-lending organizations, lesson plans based on the story, and a children’s blog. Check it out if you have the time!

Join us! Get your family involved in micro-lending and start “making changes in the world, one person, one family, one community at a time.”

Tags: Books & Resources, Charitable Giving, Children's Books

About Sarah

Sarah Aadland is striving to make family volunteering a meaningful habit for her family of five. Join the conversation as she ponders what they may (or may not have) learned and looks for helpful information about raising compassionate kids.Though she plans to one day put her Masters in Public Policy back to work for social justice, she sees family volunteering as a way to build a stronger community, a better world, and a more connected family. In addition to her children, Sarah tends a large garden, a small flock of chickens, and a habit of mindfulness amid the necessary rituals of parenting.

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