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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS -- The weather is getting warmer, and that means we'll be eating more ice cream and other frozen treats to get us through the day. A local business has come up with a refreshing idea to keep you cool and provide some much-needed help to those in need.
Business is brisk at this African Ice shack in Cottonwood Heights. The seven locations opened for the season just this week with 41 flavors to choose from. But when you treat yourself there, you're helping others on the other side of the world -- it's named African Ice for a reason.
"We want to call this the opportunity to enjoy a summer snack and, at the same time, save the world. Our goal is to help people in Africa," explained Eric Petersen, co-owner of African Ice.
Specifically, they're trying to help people in Kenya. When you order your frozen treat, you also get a Kenyan Shilling. Then you can decide which person in Africa to donate it to.
Each African Ice location features write-ups of people in poverty-stricken areas trying to start up a small business. Most are only requesting a few hundred dollars to get going.
One woman wants to sell charcoal so neighbors can cook, another needs money for a small cosmetics shop, and a third needs supplies so she can keep her very modest outdoor food stand going.
African Ice started this "micro-financing" program in 2007, and more than 100 families have been helped so far.
"We want to give them an opportunity, and these people don't have opportunity. There are no banks where they are. There is no opportunity to get a loan," Petersen said.
So, these ice shacks in Utah provide the loans interest free. So far, the loans have been paid back from the families that received the help.
For the owners of African Ice, the profits gained from all this is not financial. "The return is a social investment. That's what we want to do," Petersen said.
They're helping to create new businesses one spoonful and one slurp at a time.
African Ice hopes to help more than 100 families this summer and plans to open more refreshment stands in the future.
The company works with Yehu Microfinance to get the money to those who need it. To learn more about Yehu, CLICK HERE.
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
