The other day, I discovered an organization called Kiva. Their mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. In a nutshell, you’re able to make loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries through Kiva. As a lender, you don’t earn interest – but you are helping someone in need. And, at the end of the loan, you get your money back. Cool stuff, eh?
Instead of giving someone a fish, you’re helping them learn how to fish. The sustainability of this program resonates with me.
So, I invite you to join my Kiva team. I think you’ll like it.
September 26, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Now give me YOUR money!
September 27, 2009 at 5:34 am
The money goes to the people that each lender decides to support.
September 26, 2009 at 5:39 pm
i’d like to participate but i’m a minor.. btw, ‘kiva’ means ‘nice’ in finnish :p
September 26, 2009 at 9:10 pm
I have heard of kiva before. I always wanted to do it but it seems every time I get ready to something breaks on my car and all kinds of other things but I will make an honest effort to join your team and contribute.
September 27, 2009 at 6:16 am
JOIN THE FLYING SPAGHETTI MONSTER KIVA TEAM, DAVEY! Seriously! It’s a parody religion in America; it’s about the ridiculous nature of the push for Creationism in American schools and is composed largely of secularists. They’re lent over $100,000 so far! ;3
September 27, 2009 at 8:37 am
Developing countries??? Some of them have been around longer then we have. How about charity begins at home?
September 27, 2009 at 4:25 pm
There are numerous americans on this site too, tony
September 27, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Isn’t the US still developing?
September 27, 2009 at 9:49 am
I just found this site- your blogs are very interesting=)
September 27, 2009 at 11:49 am
Good Pick Davey! I have loaned to four different businesses so far. It really is cool because you can loan as low as 25 dollars towards different businesses. For those doubters I have lived in two third world countries for a number of years and these projects really do make a difference. So do something nice for your fellow man and cut your coffee fund down and fund a few loans in a third world country folks.
September 27, 2009 at 3:34 pm
What an excellent idea. Simple but with huge benefits to people who are so in need of a little help
September 27, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Seem pretty cool idea.
September 27, 2009 at 4:24 pm
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
I have been a loaner to Kiva for almost a year, and I cannot recommend them highly enough! They provide microloans directly to the poeple who need them, and NEVER take a cut for administrative costs – 100% of what you loan goes directly to the person receiving it. (If you want to contribute an additional amount to help defray costs, fine, of course…)
September 27, 2009 at 4:27 pm
(They also have a ridiculously low default rate…)
October 1, 2009 at 7:33 am
Davey, I’ve been a loaner for Kiva for a while too. Recently, they added American loans to the mix, for those who are interested in local loans, but I personally loan overseas because if people want to help locally, they should really get off their lazy duffs and volunteer with an organization that interests them!
Kiva is a great way to help out people that need what is, to us, a very little amount of money. Think about it – $25.00. That’s like one t-shirt or like the left leg of a pair of jeans that will just sit in the closet. It’s giving up one latte a week for a month, or one less subscription to some magazine or *ahem* guilty pleasure website.