Oh my gosh! I just found the best website ever! Kiva - a microlending website! I just made a loan to an entrepreneur named Madeleine Diatta in Senegal, a mother of 8, with 4 additional dependants, who wants to use this loan to bolster her business fattening pigs, selling beverages, and running a small business to provide for her family.
- 100% of my loan will be sent to the local kiva partner who will disburse my loan
- I'll receive periodic updates showing the impact of my loan
- When I receive a repayment, I can withdraw the funds or sponsor a new entrepreneur
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=125858
You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone across the globe who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan 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 going.
The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and 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.
It's a small thing for me to do, but a huge thing for her. I'm not just giving a hand out - I'm actually providing long term change for her and her family. How cool is that? I'm an international financier! :)
Check it out - we can change the world...
5 comments:
Rachel - I'm a friend of your mother's in Calgary and I follow your blog. Anyway, my sister got me onto Kiva ages ago and it works. So far almost all of my initial loans have been repaid and each time there's at least $25 in the account I re-invest. If anyone is considering the program but concerned about its reliability, I'd add my vote of confidence. Such as it is - a complete stranger from Canada!
Karen
"Mack, if anything matters then everything matters. Because you are important, everything you do is important. Every time you forgive, the universe changes; every time you reach out and touch a heart or a life, the world changes; with every kindness and service, seen or unseen, my purposes are accomplished and nothing will ever be the same again."
-- Sarayu to Mack in "The Shack"
ps. to answer your last question, that is WAY cool, sister. Way.
Yes and amen. So cool.
Hey, is there any chance we could start a micro-loan fund to buy her a few condoms?
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