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	<title>Paradigm Shift Microfinance Blog</title>
	<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org</link>
	<description>Empowering Churches Impacting the Poor</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:57:20 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Trade vs Aid</title>
		<description><![CDATA[We all know giving stuff away for free is usually a bad idea, so why do we keep doing it?
Many times, being motivated by a need compels us to move quickly and many times without long-term strategy.
At Paradigm Shift, we are continually pushing against ingrained attitudes of handouts and dependency.
Instead, we are creating a culture [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/03/trade-vs-aid/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>What Kinds of Business Do Paradigm Shift Microentrepreneurs Operate?</title>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the most frequent questions asked of Paradigm Shift is, “What types of businesses do your entrepreneurs run?”
Elizabeth Bennett, Paradigm Shift&#8217;s Johannesburg Training Manager, recently compiled a fairly comprehensive list of the types of businesses Paradigm Shift has worked with over the past year. There is certainly no shortage of creativity amongst our entrepreneurs…!
Selling/renting [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/03/what-kinds-of-business-do-paradigm-shift-microentrepreneurs-operate/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>Paradigm Shift Extends God’s Family by Empowering Entrepreneurs</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This week Assist News Service published an article about Paradigm Shift entitled, “Paradigm Shift Extends God’s Family by Empowering Entrepreneurs.” 
The article provides a comprehensive overview of the four key components (business training, microcredit, discipleship and mentoring) the Paradigm Shift program uses to connect business-minded members of local churches with microentrepreneurs in their communities.
Please forward [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/02/paradigm-shift-extends-god%e2%80%99s-family-by-empowering-entrepreneurs/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>A Mentoring Story</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Rumbi and Beatrix share their Paradigm Shift experience of mentorship.]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/02/a-mentoring-story-video/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>25 Additional Entrepreneurs Crossed The Finish Line</title>
		<description><![CDATA[25 entrepreneurs finished strong by completing Paradigm Shift&#8217;s two-day intensive Business Experience Course at one of our partner churches in Johannesburg last weekend. 

Many of these entrepreneurs will be paired with a mentor and also have committed to come back through for the 18-week training where they will participate in three things each week:

The Paradigm [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/02/25-additional-entrepreneurs-crossed-the-finish-line/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>21</title>
		<description><![CDATA[21: The most recent number of microentrepreneurs who finished the first Paradigm Shift course last Saturday. Most of the entrepreneurs pictured below live in a  community where there is no running water and electricity. Their level of interest, engagement and desire for future involvement was unbelievable.
This group and another are signed up to come through [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/02/21/</link>
			</item>
	<item>
		<title>Paradigm Shift&#8217;s Recent Publication</title>
		<description><![CDATA[&#8220;The Microcredit Sector in South Africa&#8221; written by Greg Skowronski, Paradigm Shift&#8217;s National Director of Microcredit, was recently published by the Global Development Research Center. 
It is a fantastic research piece regarding where Paradigm Shift fits into the microfinance landscape here in South Africa.

http://www.gdrc.org/icm/country/africa-southafrica.html
]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/02/paradigm-shifts-recent-publication/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>The Team Just Grew by 25</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Paradigm Shift&#8217;s team just grew by 25!
That&#8217;s some incredible growth huh?
How you may ask&#8230; well by a new volunteer team being trained up through a partner church. It is a team of business trainers, life coaches, table trainers, microcredit coordinators and mentors.
Each person fills a specific role that works towards the greater goal: seeing their [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/02/the-team-just-grew-by-25/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>Welcoming New Staff Members to Paradigm Shift South Africa</title>
		<description><![CDATA[This year, the growth trajectory for Paradigm Shift looks more like a 90 degree incline and with that growth curve we needed more hands on deck. God has been faithful to bring those individuals along.
Last year, four staff members mobilized 103 South African volunteers across four churches. This year, six staff members will mobilize 600 [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/01/welcoming-new-staff-members-to-paradigm-shift-south-africa/</link>
			</item>
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		<title>A New Year With A Bright Beginning</title>
		<description><![CDATA[Looking back of an entire year is always a bit surreal and 2009 is no different. Recently in a Paradigm Shift staff meeting, we recounted where we were personally and organizationally exactly one year ago.
Paradigm Shift South Africa didn&#8217;t exist one year ago!
There was no curriculum, training materials nor training classes.
There wasn&#8217;t any empirical evidence [...]]]></description>
		<link>http://blog.shiftingparadigms.org/2010/01/a-new-year-with-a-bright-beginning/</link>
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