KIVA is a micro-lending organization which allows individuals to operate like a bank. Someone in a developing country would like to, say, expand their business selling widgets. This entrepreneur does not have the initial capital to front to cost of expansion and thus they contact KIVA. KIVA then sets up a loan and then asks people like you and me to donate our money in order to "fund" the loan. Your donation can be as small as a few dollars, this is in part why it is called "micro-lending". In time, the entrepreneur pays back the loan which you and several others gave.
It makes a lot of sense to make a number of loans in developing nations, in part because $500 in Kenya goes much farther than in developed nations.
KIVA has helped transform lives and I hope you might consider becoming a micro-lender.
A real problem in the United States is that 15% of the population lives at or below the poverty line (which defined as $22,000 for a family of four), which is a record for since the data has been captured in censuses. In addition, it is estimated that 58% of Americans will at some point live at that poverty level for at least one year.
Statistics can be cited all day long, but that is not the point of this post.
The point is to share with you a new project I am beginning to work on with a few other people (there are four of us) - currently called "Jubilee Bank".
The dream is a micro-lending organization in which the working poor of Fort Worth might be able to acquire loans to cover costs of unforeseen accidents - flat tires, sick child, window unit goes out, etc.
The dream is still just a dream, but there are a few things which are currently in action that take the dream toward a step into reality.
If you have any thoughts on how to set up Jubilee Bank that might be fruitful for those in Fort Worth Texas, post a comment. I meet with a few people in the coming days to see if this idea can become a reality.
Peace.
It makes a lot of sense to make a number of loans in developing nations, in part because $500 in Kenya goes much farther than in developed nations.
KIVA has helped transform lives and I hope you might consider becoming a micro-lender.
A real problem in the United States is that 15% of the population lives at or below the poverty line (which defined as $22,000 for a family of four), which is a record for since the data has been captured in censuses. In addition, it is estimated that 58% of Americans will at some point live at that poverty level for at least one year.
The point is to share with you a new project I am beginning to work on with a few other people (there are four of us) - currently called "Jubilee Bank".
The dream is a micro-lending organization in which the working poor of Fort Worth might be able to acquire loans to cover costs of unforeseen accidents - flat tires, sick child, window unit goes out, etc.
The dream is still just a dream, but there are a few things which are currently in action that take the dream toward a step into reality.
If you have any thoughts on how to set up Jubilee Bank that might be fruitful for those in Fort Worth Texas, post a comment. I meet with a few people in the coming days to see if this idea can become a reality.
Peace.