It's been a long while ...

The world has changed in many ways since I last blogged ...

• NYSE index started 2011 with a bang, more like a modest increase;
• President Obama signs 9-11 Health Bill into Law - only after US Congress was shamed into passing it by none other than Jon Stewart; 
• Dilma Rousseff is sworn in as Brazil's first female President;
• Hungary takes the presidency of the European Union;
• Pink Floyd signs a new 5 year record deal;
• Referendum in Southern Sudan;
• River levels in Queensland, Australia continue to rise;
• Investment in Facebook gives rise to a possible valuation of approx $50 Billion;
• Audacity, courage and bravery of People Power spreading like wildfire across Northern Africa and the Middle East;
• Earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear meltdown in Japan;
• India winning the Cricket World Cup;
• To the capture and death of Osama Bin Laden; and
• Wishing a very Happy Mother's Day to my mother, wife and all mothers everywhere.

And onwards to "the" news, at least as far as MicroPlanet Technologies is concerned ...

• Steady progress being made in our SaaS implementation in Guatemala, with a Go Live date for the beginning of June ... just approx 3 weeks away and counting.

• This is the much anticipated and welcome news that Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) around the globe are anxiously waiting for. 

• This SaaS service offering brings affordable, reliable and robust access to core banking software that will enable MFIs to scale their operations, streamline their operational processes, and fuel their growth.

So despite the winds of change that surrounds our daily life, whether environmentally, economically, politically and/or personally, let us remember to do one thing ... 

• To try and make a difference every single day that we live - by helping a fellow human being in need as best we are able to

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Tips on Happy & Healthy Living

Shown below are some tips on healthy and happy living (a plagiarized list with few changes) 

... being mindful of this list or some small portion of this list, and keeping it front & center each day moves one further down this road ...  

Health: 

1.         Drink plenty of water. 

2.         Sit in Vajrasana, Thunderbolt or Zen Pose for at least 10 minutes each day, either in the morning or at night, and sit in silence. 

3.         Sleep for 7 to 8 hours each night. 

4.         Make time to exercise & stretch daily; Take a 10-30 mins walk, and keep a Smile on your face. 

5.         Make time to meditate. 

6.         Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. 

7.         Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants, and eat less food that is manufactured in plants. 

Personal: 

8.         Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. 

9.         Invest your energy on being & thinking positive. Do not waste precious time and energy on negative thoughts or worrying about things you cannot control. 

10.     Maintain a balance in life.  

11.     Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. 

12.     Don't waste your precious energy on gossip. 

13.     Dream big … But do not day-dream, just work and work hard. 

14.     Envy is a waste of time. Be happy with what you have; Live within your means. 

15.     Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of their mistakes of the past - it will only rain unhappiness. 

16.     Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present. 

17.     Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Be open, be happy. 

18.     No one is in charge of your happiness except you. 

19.     Realize that life is a school & you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear & fade away like an algebra class but the lessons learnt will last a lifetime. 

20.     You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree. 

21.     Smile and laugh more. 

Surroundings: 

22.     Call your family often. 

23.     Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your family and friends will. Stay in touch. 

24.     Each day give something good to others. 

25.     Forgive everyone for everything. 

26.     Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6. 

27.     Try to make at least three people smile each day. 

28.     What other people think of you is none of your business. 

Life: 

29.     Be Patient

30.     Expand your horizons and knowledge - Read more books than you did the year before. 

31.     Do the right thing. 

32.     Have good, positive, happy thoughts – maintain this perspective come rain or shine. 

33.     Have faith, and keep faith. 

34.     However good or bad a situation is, it will change; do not get over exuberant or too anxious.  

35.     No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 

36.     When you wake up in the morning, count your Blessings and thank GOD for another day. 

37.     Your inner most is always happy, so make sure to keep your outer self happy.

38.     Enjoy the moment, enjoy each and every day … as it will never come back

Last but not the least: 

39.     Live Life with the 3 E's & a L -- Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy, and Laughter (laughter is the best medicine)

Recent Trip to Ethiopia

A week ago undertook a trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to meet with some of the MFIs based there. The primary goal of the trip was to meet with Wisdom Ethiopia, a World Vision affiliated MFI, to get their perspective on the core banking software that they are using. The secondary goal was to meet another MFI and to learn about their operational practices.

With me on this trip I had three key individuals from Friendship Bridge, CEO, CFO and Director of Credit & Operations. Friendship Bridge runs microfinance operations in Guatemala, and has its HQ in Denver, CO.

I thought I had a long trip, from NJ to Addis Ababa via Frankfurt until I learnt of the flight times of the two folks who came from Guatemala.

I found the people of Ethiopia warm and friendly, and very welcoming. We landed at night so did not get an opportunity to see anything on the short trip from the airport to the hotel.

In the morning though one quickly realizes why Ethiopia churns out some of the world's best middle and long distance runners. They are tall and skinny; everyone is tall and skinny, well almost everyone. Just food for thought, the only ones not skinny were at the airport, i.e. those that were either arriving and departing, and calling home some place other than Ethiopia. On the taxi ride from the hotel, one can see groups of runners in the park, of all ages and both sexes, exercising, stretching, sprinting. Walking long distances is way of life in this part of the world; and being at 7,546 ft above sea-level, means that they are accustomed to doing physical exercise in this rarefied air. Beautiful people.

The folks at Wisdom, from the CEO and down availed themselves, and provided very useful information about the system as well as about their operational practices.

The evening was spent at restaurant offering traditional food and music, which was the other highlight of the visit. Infrasoft staff, Prakash and Dinesh were wonderful hosts.

Next day visited Buusaa Gonofaa, a local MFI, with approx 38,000 credit (loan) customers. The senior staff  were extremely gracious with their time and information. An amazing organization that has cultivated a culture with both staff and customers, that takes loyalty to rarefied heights (no pun intended). MFIs and organizations in general need to learn from them.

Alas, the visit was over, had to take a flight the evening of the 2nd day.

Thank you Wisdom, Buusaa Gonofaa, Infrasoft, and overall thank you Ethiopia.