Beirut May 2014

FSVC/IESC jointly sponsored my assignment in May 2014. The SOW was both training and consulting. Arriving from FRA, I went to the Holiday Inn Beirut! My home for the next 2+ weeks. Another volunteer was there and she would be consulting with some MFI (Micro Finance Institutions) while I was conducting the class. It was delightful to have someone with me for meals! The class was held in the hotel’s conference facility – so electricity and PowerPoint! Modules were Risks, Credit Risk, Credit Scoring, and ALM (Asset Liability Management). A great group of 30+ MFI executives. Class was all day with lunch in the hotel buffet. Marvelous. My other days were spent with 4 individual MFI clients. Each was unique and required different skills: in one case, an analysis of the loan covenants; another was creation of a Risk Committee. It was challenging to spend several days with the client; write the paper; and go to the next. Beirut is a marvelous city; lots of construction which is changing the face of the downtown. I was able to take one day and visit 3 other cities with a marvelous car/driver – to see Byblos, Jeito Grotto and Charissa. All were fabulous!

Off to Kuwait to visit my wonderful Egyptian "son" Haitam. Will blog on those days separately.