Something Pretty Cool, I think

Have you ever heard of micro loans? I had heard of them briefly but for the most part passed it off and didn't pay that much attention, til yesterday. I'm going through my inbox pretty hurriedly and stopped briefly on one describing micro loans through an outfit called Kiva. I clicked on their site and was impressed. Here's what Kiva does.

We Let You Loan to the Working Poor

Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.

Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.

"The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals in need of funding - not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need."

Anyway, yesterday I loaned $25 to the Solidarias Group, consisting of Antonia Marroquin Tambriz, Francisca Tambriz Tambriz, Ana Ixquiactap Carrillo, Juana Cuc Bac, Jacinta Guachiac Suy, Isabel Tambriz Tambriz by Asociación ASDIR in Guatemala. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the 10 months of this loan, Asociación ASDIR will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

$25 bucks right? You're thinking cheapskate right? Well, me too. To me, $25 is a medium range dinner out with my bride. To these folks, $25 may mean the difference in a bunch of families making a better life for themselves. No, its not just $25. They put my 25 together with other folks loans for maybe $900.

I already got an email update from them about the loan. Pretty cool way to spend $25.

Check it out for yourself. They make one loan every 12 seconds. I like it. If you decide to sign up, tell em I sent you.

thanks,

de