I don’t remember where she saw or read about a lemonade stand but Anni started asking me way back in the dead of winter if she could do one.  Since I am not a sadist I said that February is not the best time to set up a refreshing lemonade stand on the sidewalk but that we could start thinking about doing her very own business this summer.  She did not forget and had been pestering me to start her business for weeks when we decided to make a plan.  It soon turned into a desire to make and sell jewelry; something she is very creative and skilled in (seriously she finds junk on our walks and crafts it into rings or bracelets).  She had an initial investor (Bibi bought her some beads and jewelry making stuff) and with her allowance bought some poster board to make a sign.  She found everything else she needed around the house and even typed up her own receipts! She decided that half of all her proceeds would benefit our friends in Zanzibar that had received a microloan through our NGO there Pamoja (I might have teared up when she was excited to help send our friend’s daughter to school).  
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J was her man for the math lesson portion in totalling her profits vs. expenses and doing all things via a spreadsheet mostly becuase I can barely handle first grade math (sad but true story!). I was her creative director helping her market and think of places to sell (read guilting friends and family into buying something).
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Anni and her assistant pedalling her wares in “the temple” (AKA my mom’s church where they attended VBS)
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some of the selection. She actually did really great selling on her own and even gave Evy a few bucks for helping to wrap the bought jewelry and adding her cuteness to the table.  My reward for hours of helping tie and hot glue was to select a few pairs of earrings 🙂
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In the end Anni made over 80 dollars for Africa and 80 towards her American Girl Doll! Not too shabby!! It was also an awesome lesson in working hard, saving, marketing, and business. My girl is wicked smart I tell you!
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