Change in Directions

Over the past few years I have made 25 loans through the micro-credit program KIVA.
I am a strong supporter of the concept of micro-credit and I have felt good about knowing that I could reach out to help people in various parts of the world. I've assisted in the purchase of lots of pigs and sheep and cows. I've helps stock stores, buy building materials and repair broken down vehicles. Every time the money was repaid I'd loan it out again to some new borrower, allowing the same few dollars I had invested in the beginning to touch more and more lives.

And now I'm done.

I have nothing against Kiva. They have not offended me. I'm just done.

Here's why... I absolutely believe it makes sense to help people in other parts of the world. But I also believe it is important to help people right here where I live. I have found an organization that will do that. It operates on the same principles as Kiva - giving small micro loans to individuals who are trying to improve their lives and working with them to see that the follow through. Here. In Idaho.

I've met the gentleman who runs the program and have confidence in his integrity in managing the program well. So, as my outstanding loans through kiva get paid back I am pulling my money out and diverting it to META.

I will still give to some charities I believe in that have activities throughout the world. But for micro credit activities, I feel good about directing my funds closer to home. This is a good organization. I'm excited to support them!

Congratulations Kiva Partners!

Two more of the individuals I have supported with microfinance loans through KIVA have successfully paid off their loans completely - one from Senegal and another from Cambodia. So now I am able to redirect the monies I had loaned to those two over to a couple new folks in need. This time I will be supporting Fuzuli Gurbonov who lives in the Ashigli village of Beylagan - a small city in Southwestern Azerbaijan. He needs the funds to purchase some sheep. My other loan will go to Makhmadsaid Allovaddinov who lives in the J.Rasulovsky district of Tajikstan to help him buy some livestock.

It's really amazing to me that for just $25 - the price of one dinner in a moderately priced resturaunt, I can help touch someone's life across the globe.

If you haven't checked out KIVA before, I encourage you to learn more. I have a couple people on my Christmas List this year who will be getting KIVA gift certificates. The folks I know certainly don't need more STUFF. So rather than a gift card for some department store, I will be giving them the opportunity to pick whomever they choose to help with a KIVA loan. THAT feels like the spirit of Christmas to me.

Congratulations Oliver Nyoni!

I am ever so pleased to announce that one of the businesses that I have supported with a Kiva loan has now been paid back in full.

Oliver lives in the Kimara area of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. She makes beautiful batik cloth, having received training from Small Industries Development Organization. She started her business over ten years ago.

This past December she was seeking a loan of $550 in order to buy raw materials to make extra product to sell over the Christmas season. As a widow, she is supporting a family of five on her own.

I chose to loan Oliver $25. Other lenders came from Santa Barbara, Ca New York, Portland, Seattle, Boston and a few other spots around the US. Together we took a chance on this dear lady, lending our prayers and confidence along with a little bit of pocket change.

Today that loan is paid in full. I could withdraw the dollars and go on my merry way. NOT A CHANCE. My task now is to sort through the new loan requests Kiva has waiting and find a new person whose dreams I can help make come true.

It is such a LITTLE amount of money. It requires almost no sacrifice on my part at all. Yet, when multiplied with that offered by others it really is enough to make a big difference for a small business in the developing world.

I believe in microfinance whole heartedly. If you haven't explored Kiva before, I encourage you do give it a chance. You'll be glad you did!