Philanthropy Friday

Okay, I know it is not Friday but I am always late so... I wanted to say that I think giving to those in need is something everyone should do, not only because of like God and all, but also because it really feels good to give. You don't always know how the other person is feeling when they get your gift, but the feeling you get from knowing that you might have helped someone through a tough week or month or even given someone a brand new shot at life is an incredible feeling unlike any other. Honestly, even those people who are a bit tight fisted with the dough will feel a sense of oneness with the world and things greater when they give. So, to highlight the spirit of giving, every Friday, I am going to tell you about either an organization that I give to or would like to give to, or relay a story of my experience giving.

This week I wanted to tell you all about Kiva. It is an amazing organization that my sister told me about last year. Everything is done online through their website.

Kiva is an organization that locates people in other countries that need loans that could not otherwise get them. Basically it's lending money to poor people, low-income entrepreneurs. The loans are micro loans so the repayment doesn't typically take more than a year or so, and you can pick and choose who you want to lend to and how much of their loan you want to fund. They have many profiles on the website detailing the information of each individual such as why they want the loan, what the repayment terms are and whether they have borrowed before. You can loan the entire amount or a small fraction and then others can also donate. The best part is that you can transfer money through Paypal and then the local organizations in these countries do the rest. Periodically, you will be sent updates as to how things are going with these entrepreneurs and how much of their loan they have repaid. As they repay the money you can begin to loan this money out to others in need. So even if you only have $25 or $50 to give you can still touch many, many lives.

What I like about this organization is that you are helping people not just to survive, but to thrive. So, we give to Kiva. Right now we are helping three different people. One person is a mom who needs to add another room on to her tiny makeshift house in Mexico for a baby she is expecting. Another woman is a carpenter in Bolivia who wants to expand her business. And the third entrepreneur is a woman in Cambodia who wants to add more crops to her small farm and would also like to add new inventory to the little store that she runs from her home. These people might be touched by our help but I am also moved to see the drive each has to overcome their circumstances and better their lives and the lives of their children.

So go to Kiva, open up an account, and change someone's life forever.