An agent at a local immigration center pointed her to Grameen America, the U.S. offshoot of the Bangladeshi micro-lending operation. If she put together a group of five entrepreneurial friends and relatives, Grameen officials told her, they could each take a $1,500 loan, to be paid back in weekly $30 installments (plus $3 in interest). If one person in the group defaulted, all would be responsible. Falcon quickly organized a cadre of women who now run businesses, including an ice-cream stand, a cupcake-catering operation, and a fruit stall. Every Monday at 7 a.m. sharp, they meet in a brownstone in Brooklyn to make their payment to a Grameen center manager, and talk about the challenges of running their businesses. Then it’s off to their regular day jobs. Falcon herself is now doing a brisk export business and is well on her way to saving the $4,000 she needs to renovate part of her home and open a child-care center.

Three years ago, no one could have predicted that one of the few financial institutions to be expanding in America would be a Bangladeshi bank specializing in tiny loans to people below the poverty line (most of them women). But microcredit has become a bright spot in the global financial system, with governments and the private sector looking to it as a way to create prosperity in the most vulnerable populations. Micro-lending has been popular in the developing world for decades, but is gaining steam in rich countries now too. Grameen, founded by Muhammad Yunus, who won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, has operated in the U.S. since 2007. It has branches in New York and Omaha, and is expanding to San Francisco. It joins other microlenders like the Latin American Acción, which offers larger loans to more affluent borrowers.

For some aspiring entrepreneurs, Grameen’s growth hasn’t come fast enough. Two years after the near collapse of the U.S. banking system, credit to the small businesspeople who create the majority of the country’s jobs is tighter than ever,Charm bracelet, and for those at the bottom of the pyramid, loans are almost nonexistent. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation says that nearly 8 percent of the U.S. population has no access to credit,tiffany earrings, and 18 percent has very little. This is the population that Grameen aims to serve, fueled by loans from institutions like Wells Fargo and Capital One that, in addition to basking in the glow of good PR, have realized they are more likely to get their money back from African-American hairdressers or Latina food-cart operators than middle-class whites with maxed-out credit cards. The payback rate among Grameen borrowers is 98 percent, compared with the U.S. commercial-banking average of about 90 percent.

Since its establishment in 1983, Grameen has given out billions to borrowers around the world, mainly women below the poverty line. Most loans are tiny-$1,500 on average in the U.S., and much less elsewhere. Interest rates are high (up to 15 percent in the American operation),tiffany, but far less than a black-market lender would charge. According to proponents, the Grameen model works because of peer pressure (the group can’t borrow more if individuals don’t pay back). Each borrower must also contribute a minimum of $2 per week to a personal savings account to help create a financial cushion as they’re starting their businesses. "We want to motivate these people to save money and meet their future challenges," says Shah Newaz, senior vice president and general manager of Grameen America.

It’s the antithesis of the big-bank system of recent years, in which the "know your customer" approach of the local savings and loans went out of fashion and the complex bundling of thousands of subprime mortgages came in. The Grameen way recalls the Latin meaning of the word "credit," which is "to believe in." At the opening of a branch in lower Manhattan in May, Yunus pointed out that "Wall Street does banking to the world, but it doesn’t do banking for its neighbors. We are here to show there’s nothing wrong with banking with neighbors."

That’s not to say that there aren’t challenges with this type of lending. It’s difficult to find hard numbers showing the extent to which microfinance has helped borrowers permanently climb the socio-economic ladder. Although Grameen’s figures from Bangladesh show that the bank has helped some 68 percent of borrowers there emerge from poverty, officials say it’s too early to track those numbers in the U.S. It’s also premature to say whether Grameen America will follow its Asian counterpart to profitability; the loans are tiny and this type of lending is labor-intensive, making the work less profitable than traditional banking, especially in the West, where costs are higher. Still, Grameen America CEO Stephen Vogel remains hopeful. "We have 3,500 borrowers, which is much more than we expected to have at this point, and if the trend continues, we believe we’ll be a self-sustaining business by 2013." He adds that the bank currently operates on grants and long-term loans from other financial institutions, like Wells Fargo and Capital One, which see supporting Grameen borrowers as a way of building a community of more affluent people who’ll eventually need more banking services.

Most of those who make it up that ladder via Grameen America are recent immigrants and ethnic minorities (Grameen does not ask about immigration status), including many single mothers. Although the bank doesn’t market specifically to women, Vogel says they make up nearly 100 percent of those willing to attend meetings and fulfill savings obligations. "We haven’t had any problems with anyone missing their payments or not fulfilling their obligations yet," says Grameen borrower and health-products entrepreneur Elsa Zhunio, a member of Falcon’s group. "If that happened, we’d help them make the payment if they needed it. Grameen is helping us, and if one person messes up, it would be an embarrassment to us all." In the Grameen model of lending, it takes a village to raise capital.

Board members Charlie Bobbitt and Bob Null questioned why the district wasn’t giving a full week off at Thanksgiving.

Deputy Superintendent Mary Thurman said the calendar committee always discusses Thanksgiving break, but adding two days of vacation then means it must find two other days to hold classes. However,tiffany bangles, she acknowledged that "it is time. We’re one of only a few districts that have only three days off."

She said staff absenteeism is higher on the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Average daily absenteeism for the district’s 4,000 employees is about 300 and on those days it averages about 500, she said.

The board approved the calendar on a 6-1 vote with Null opposing.

Last year, 10 of the region’s 17 districts had classes off for the full week. Not all districts have approved or posted their 2010-11 calendars, but there’s already been a couple of switches.

According to calendars posted on their websites, Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 joined the full-week Thanksgiving break group and Falcon School District 49 left the group, scheduling a Wednesday through Friday break that week.

D-49 starts school in early August and takes two-week breaks in October, December and March.

Most of the region’s 16 other districts start class in mid-August and have a two-week winter break and one week off in March.

In other action at its meeting Wednesday, the D-11 board approved $524,000 for three bond projects. They are: $174,tiffany,000 for a replacement server and software for the district-wide library system; $150,tiffany bracelets,000 to replace two failing heating and ventilation units at Doherty High School, and $200,000 to replace boilers at Edison Elementary School.

The projects, recommended by a citizen oversight committee, were picked from a list of unfunded capital improvements to be paid for with part of the money remaining in the bond fund. The $152 million bond program was approved by voters in 2004 to pay for certain projects, and has been stretched to pay for additional projects.

All bond moneys must be used by the end of the year under IRS rules. As of April 1, the fund had nearly $1.2 million remaining.

The board also had discussion on:

–A proposal to change some benefits in its employee health care plan to cover an anticipated $2 million increase in claims in the next three years. The most controversial portion of proposal would increase the annual deductibles,tiffany pendants, a move opposed by educational support professionals. The board is expected to vote on the proposed changes on April 28.

–A request from the Colorado Springs Vocational Academy to take its proposal for a charter school to the Colorado Charter School Institute for authorization. The charter school group last year submitted a proposal to D-11 but withdrew it after the administration noted shortcomings in the plan recommended the board deny it. Several board members indicated they would prefer that the organizers reapply to D-11, but organizers said the CSI timeline was earlier and would give the school more time to prepare for a June 2011 opening. The request for permission to seek state approval will be voted on April 28.

It’s been three years since the offshoot of parent firm Trailtex started creating clothing out of recycled plastic. It estimates each fleece jacket, for instance, is made from 12 used water bottles that won’t be sent to a landfill.

After gradually adding styles each year, a full collection of Earthtec vests and jackets is available and on display in its showroom on West Road. The firm plans an aggressive marketing campaign.

It will continue to sell to retailers such as the Kittery Trading Post, but hopes to focus on direct online sales to customers through its earth-tec.com website.

"We were making very little noise with this but now we’re ready to launch it in a big way," said Dennis Randall, Trailtex CEO.

The most recent marketing effort for the Earthtec label was a new partnership with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats baseball team. Staff will wear Earthtec black fleece jackets with the Fisher Cats logo at games. Other promotional items are planned.

Last month,tiffany, Earthtec hats were handed out at a University of New Hampshire hockey game.

Randall has been in the textile business for years and since founding Trailtex has been making traditional outerwear for other companies since 2002. This includes many big-name brands such as Quicksilver and Roxie.

It has sold the clothing for 10 years at its The Warehouse factory stores next to company headquarters on West Road and in North Conway.

Now Randall wants to fully develop the Earthtec brand and thinks the time is right for an environmentally friendly quality clothing line that is competitively priced.

"We can make a substantial difference in what goes into a landfill," he said.

Other firms have made clothes from recycled ingredients in the past. But Randall said the quality often suffered because it was difficult to separate out impurities from recycled plastic.

They also often were not cost competitive.

Randall has found business partners in China who can successfully turn used plastic into clean yarn. His company also has consolidated the clothing manufacturing process so it’s all done in one place.

Traditionally, different functions were done at different plants,tiffany bracelets, such as dye the fabric in one location, but cut and sew in another location.

This has reduced costs and maintained quality control. The only thing that is made in another location now is the yarn.

"What we’ve done is to be vertical. We do it all under one roof," said Randall.

The finished clothes are shipped to Los Angeles and will be distributed to several locations nationwide where orders will be filled.

Earthtec employs 15-18 people in the U.S. and six to seven in its Shanghai office.

There now are 25 different styles of both men’s and women’s outerwear ready for sale.

Sarah Brown, project director of the Portsmouth-based Green Alliance, said Earthtec is tapping into the green market in an enviable way.

"It’s fashionable and made from recycled materials that we can all relate to. The fact that there’s this great line of clothing that makes use of waste that we’re all generating is really cool," said Brown.

"They’re thinking out of the box, and in this economy you’ve got to have a differentiator and this is what they’re doing."

Brown’s group has 85 member businesses and she said the dilemma for green companies is creating products that also are affordable. Earthtec has managed to do this, she said, and is a shining example of a successful green company.

She points out she wears an Earthtec jacket,tiffany bangles, purchased before the firm even joined the Alliance.

Earthtec clothes can be found at The Warehouse stores at 140 West Road in Portsmouth, and 1675 White Mountain Highway in North Conway. Or visit www.earth-tec.com and www.warehouseclothing.com.

In today’s tough economy, clothing swaps are an increasingly popular way to expand your wardrobe without expanding your credit-card balance. (There’s even a website, www.clothingswaps.com, with tips and information about swaps nationwide.)

In the Twin Cities,tiffany, there have been at least a couple of large, public swaps held during the past year. But this Saturday, the mother of all local swaps will be taking place in Minneapolis at the Grain Belt Bottling House. Called Alter/Nation,tiffany necklaces, it’s the brainchild of Angie Arner, president/founder of CounterCouture, a local clothing brand that takes fashion’s ultimate wasteful white elephants — bridesmaid dresses — and transforms them into cocktail dresses. (Bridesmaid gowns that are just too ugly to reappear on the cocktail circuit can still be "upcycled" into linings, accessories and "kitschy little promotional pieces," Arner said.)

While other industries are going green, the rag trade has lagged behind, Arner said.

Alter/Nation "aims to counter the wasteful habits of the apparel industry through the creative re-use of an existing clothing surplus."

But helping clothes change hands is only part of the mission for Alter/Nation. It’s not just a green event, but also a fashion event,tiffany money clips, sponsored by Spring MNfashion Week, as well as a DIY event. Those who attend will have an array of opportunities to do hands-on clothing enhancement. If you know your way around a sewing machine, you can alter your finds "live." Local designers, image experts and sewing assistants will be on hand to help you make simple alterations and embellishments.

"We’re here to help people change the way they put clothing on their bodies," Arner said.

There’ll also be a hair, makeup and photo booth, so you can flaunt your fashion finds, a style show and a DJ, plus appetizers from Red Stag Supper Club and, for the legal-age crowd, cocktails by Phillips Prairie Organic Vodka.

Organizers are asking those who plan to attend to RSVP at www.facebook.com/countercouture, but you can show up the day of the event with clothes in hand. There’s also an early drop-off this Thursday evening (Earth Day),discount tiffany, where you can preview the merchandise and pick up vouchers to be used at the event.

Kim Palmer –612-673-4784

ALTER/NATION

What: A clothing swap featuring eco-fashion shows and DIY "styling stations."

When: 1-5 p.m. Sat.

Where: Grain Belt Bottling House, 79 13th Av. NE., Mpls. (Early drop-off 4-7 p.m. Thu. Those who drop off clothes will receive vouchers for each piece donated. Vouchers can be redeemed at the swap.)

Cost: $5 and a bag of clothing/accessories (must be clean, stain-free and undamaged.)

By contrast,discount tiffany, my Headmistress Girlfriend (HMG) is a totally different proposition. She’s only 38; her birthday was in February but I had ignored that. I thought instead I would buy her a gift to mark her appointment to her first headship. No bling here – she wears a very subdued black trouser suit to work each day, I have never seen her in makeup and her jewellery, such as it is, is very discreet. Until I bought her a handbag last year, she had never owned one. She is happiest in a tracksuit, fading into the background, and her brief burst of notoriety involved taking seven wickets for 51 runs in a Test match rather than appearing in Hello! magazine.

I commissioned a pair of earrings each for them from my favourite jeweller. For HFG,tiffany money clips, I chose a pair of pink morganite studs – similar to pink diamond studs but of a size that would have needed some serious Russian money if they had been the real thing. They screamed flashiness and would not be comfortable to sleep in.

For HMG, I went to great lengths to commission the most discreet pair of diamond studs that are possible to wear without disappearing into your ear lobe. I thought they would signal class, and would imply serious headmistress values while not inhibiting the bowling action.

HFG works in London, so hers were couriered to her; HMG’s were posted, both on the same day. I soon got an e-mail from HFG: "OMG," it said, "I will thank you properly when I see you but they are gorgs and wildly extravagant! you are a wonderful friend!! A security guard brought them up… how posh am I!!xx"

I went via her office that evening to buy her a drink. She came out and embraced me. What did you do with the earrings? I asked. Did the security guard make you leave them in the office safe? She looked puzzled. I am wearing them!

I peered at her ear lobes and needed to put my reading glasses on to see what on earth she had in them. My heart sank – yes, the jeweller had sent the wrong parcel to the wrong woman. That meant that the next day Royal Mail would be delivering one of the world’s flashiest pair of pink earrings to the woman least likely to wear pink on the planet…

There was nothing for it. I had to come clean. HFG had to be persuaded that I had not really meant to send her a pair of earrings that needed a magnifying glass to find in among all the packaging and HMG had to be persuaded not to open her package the next day for fear that she would decide that I had taken leave of my senses. And that is before they read the notes I had crafted for each of them. HFG, who earns almost exactly 10 times what HMG does,tiffany rings, would have been very surprised to find me congratulating her on forthcoming headship, and HMG would have thought the note I had sent HFG to be so completely over the top that she might have suspected me of an ulterior motive.

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