KIVA – Catalysts for Change July Highlight

Jul 1st 2008
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For the month of July, I would like to highlight KIVA, an organization that helps people in developing countries literally get out of poverty through micro-lending. According to their website, “Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.”

I really appreciate how practical Kiva’s plan is for alleviating poverty and how easy it is for anyone to get involved in their efforts. As a potential donor, you are able to review on their website entrepreneurial activities from developing countries along with a photo of the person(s) benefiting, their loan information and a description of the need (including the specific amount needed). The loan amounts I saw on their website varied from as low as $100 to over $1000. Furthermore, there is a percentage bar that shows how much of the loan has been raised to date.

The following is some more pertinent information from their website:

The people you see on Kiva’s site are real individuals in need of funding – not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs’ profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need.

Kiva partners with existing expert microfinance institutions. In doing so, we gain access to outstanding entrepreneurs from impoverished communities world-wide. Our partners are experts in choosing qualified entrepreneurs. That said, they are usually short on funds. Through Kiva, our partners upload their entrepreneur profiles directly to the site so you can lend to them. When you do, not only do you get a unique experience connecting to a specific entrepreneur on the other side of the planet, but our microfinance partners can do more of what they do, more efficiently.

Kiva provides a data-rich, transparent lending platform. We are constantly working to make the system more transparent to show how money flows throughout the entire cycle, and what effect it has on the people and institutions lending it, borrowing it, and managing it along the way. To do this, we are using the power of the internet to facilitate one-to-one connections that were previously prohibitively expensive. Child sponsorship has always been a high overhead business. Kiva creates a similar interpersonal connection at much lower costs due to the instant, inexpensive nature of internet delivery. The individuals featured on our website are real people who need a loan and are waiting for socially-minded individuals like you to lend them money.

Please consider involvement this month with KIVA and let’s help to alleviate poverty around the world!

Catalysts for Change: This group is dedicated to living as catalysts for cultural change as it relates to the injustices of the world. Each month, I will highlight a non-profit that is making a significant difference in the world to bring relief and development for people who experience injustice. My hope is that these highlights would bring awareness, create conversations, strengthen networks, and mobilize us into action. I invite you to add your comments about and experiences with the various organizations highlighted each month.

Link to Catalysts for Change Facebook Group (Click Here)

Link to Catalysts for Change Virb Group (Click Here)