You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone of your choice across the globe who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan available for investment has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is doing.
The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back to keep or to reinvest. Their payments come in monthly – each investor getting a proportional amount. Once I’ve received $25 back, I like to reinvest in someone else so that the original money keeps on giving. The gift certificates also make more meaningful graduation and confirmation gifts. Please note that Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.
A few days ago I made a $25 loan through Kiva to an entrepreneur named Fe Manuel in the Philippines. She wants to sell bananas to supplement the family's farming income. The money I lent was from previous loans, like the one to silk weaver Boret Chea in Cambodia, paid back to me over the course of the last year. At the time, Kiva still needed another $125.00 from investors to complete their loan request of $250.00, but today I received
notice that the entire amount has been raised and the loan has been disbursed to Fe.It's finally easy to actually do something about poverty - using Kiva I know exactly who my money is loaned to and what they're using it for. And most of all, I know that I'm helping them build a sustainable business that will provide income to feed, clothe, house and educate their family long after my loan is paid back.
Join me in changing the world - one loan at a time.
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