kiva.org
Posted on October 8, 2007
Filed Under Stephen Christian |
while looking through a financial magazine i noticed that there was a non-profit that was helping others around the world to invest in themselves and their small start up companies. ‘Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can “sponsor a business” and help the world’s working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you’ve sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.’
in other words you are not donating money, (well you can if you want) but you can loan money to people in other countries who are trying to raise money to expand their small businesses.
for example i loaned $25.00 to khanlar rustamov who is a 27-year-old farmer with two cows who sells dairy products to traders who, in turn, sell them in a nearby bazaar. ‘He lives in the southern Azerbaijani region of Bilasuvar, where he relocated after fleeing Nagorniy Karabakh during Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict in 1993′, khanlar wants a loan to buy one milk cow and two calves.
you don’t have to loan $500.00!!! you can loan as little or as much as you want (with $25 being about the average).
i think this is a great way to help the people of the world take what little they have and instead of looking for a handout they have sought out a loan to make something of themselves. they have initiative and are not asking for a donation, but a chance to make a living and support their families. if you don’t get involved in kiva, get involved somewhere.
-stephen
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5 Responses to “kiva.org”
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Awesome! Thank you for the info. I will look into it for sure. This is a great opportunity to help others since we are so blessed ourselves. And I perfer to use my money wisely for the benefit of others than myself because I only buy what I dont need.
I’ve been signed up to kiva for about six months now and I think it’s just awesome. One of the loans I made has already been repaid and it’s been great to be able to help someone out in such a practical way!
Thanks. This is very interesting and something I think alot of people would do if they knew more about it.
Thanks for keeping it real,
The Real Dude
http://therealdude.blogspot.com
Very cool
I just made my first loan yesterday, to a farmer in the same region. I did it in honor of the four terrific guys I work for (boss’s day is coming up). The great thing about it is that for many of us, $25 doesn’t make a huge difference, but it makes a huge difference to the recipient. The second great thing is that you can choose where your money goes and who to help. It makes for a very personal connection.