AZDana

I decided to log in and clean out more of my old posts in draft status, like the ones I wrote last year about the Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake. I also installed a banner for Kiva.org because I truly believe in their system. They help needy people in third world countries get loans to improve their businesses and lives. It seems that here in the U.S., our definition of “poverty level” is someone that has a flat screen tv that is less than 32″,  but the borrowers on Kiva are living at a whole different level. Some of them want micro-loans to buy livestock to raise and sell, while others just want to borrow enough to put a roof over their head.

But don’t think Kiva is charity, because it’s not. You choose who you will loan your money to and the amount you want to loan, starting with $25. Here’s how Kiva explains the process:

Choose an Entrepreneur, Lend, Get Repaid

1) Lenders like you browse profiles of entrepreneurs in need, and choose someone to lend to. When they lend, using PayPal or their credit cards, Kiva collects the funds and then passes them along to one of our microfinance partners worldwide.
2) Kiva’s microfinance partners distribute the loan funds to the selected entrepreneur. Often, our partners also provide training and other assistance to maximize the entrepreneur’s chances of success.
3) Over time, the entrepreneur repays their loan. Repayment and other updates are posted on Kiva and emailed to lenders who wish to receive them.
4) When lenders get their money back, they can re-lend to someone else in need, donate their funds to Kiva (to cover operational expenses), or withdraw their funds.

My family and I have been loaning money since January, and have received every repayment when it was due. Of course, you can keep the money when you’re repaid, but it’s fun to find another entrepreneur and loan the money out again.  I could go on and on about Kiva, but I have those old posts to clear out. While I’m doing that, head over to Kiva, you can lurk without logging in. Right now as of this very moment, there are over 700 people who need a loan to change and improve their lives. They’re not looking for a hand out,  just your helping hand.

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