Is that the date already? Well, it’s time for me to step up on my soapbox for my monthly bleat on about this fantastic organisation which helps people in 64 countries across
Here’s what Marinha’s application to Kiva had to say:
“Martinha is married. She has a kiosk to generate income for her family. She has been thinking about running a bigger business but she does not have enough working capital. She feels better now that she has applied for her $1000 loan: with it, she will buy some additional supplies to keep in her store, such as soft drinks, hard drinks, biscuits, noodles, sugar and coffee.”
Here’s what Kiva has to say about themselves:
“We are a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.”
We’ve now contributed $433 since 2010 into our Kiva account, including $125 in Kiva gifts we’ve given to people, and we’ve made loans totalling $2100 to 82 people in 50 countries around the globe.
We enjoy helping people through Kiva. We like what Kiva does. We believe in trying to make the world a better place for others.
But for a family on a tight budget, Kiva offers one more thing. The chance to have the same dollars do some good over and over again. When you contribute your US$25 towards helping someone in Africa buy fertilizer or someone in Bosnia buy some cattle, the money is repaid to you over a set term. As the repayments come back into your account you can relend the money to others.
Or take it back out.
If you’d like to check out this organisation, click on the link. You’ll be invited to make a loan using someone else’s money (a free trial!) so you can experience what Kiva is about without having to dive into your own pocket. If you like the experience, well there’s lots of people out there trying to help themselves to a better future.
Thanks for this Bruce, it’s enabled my partner and I to contribute to people in Timor Leste. We have had contact with some of these lovely people in past and were looking for a way of helping.
Great stuff, Joan đŸ™‚ Wonderful for you to have that connection with the country too. Kiva is a fantastic organisation doing great things through good people.