Kiva: A brilliant Idea

Kiva was founded in October 2005 by Matt and Jessica Flannery. It is run by a team with experience in microfinance and technology.The founders came up with the idea for Kiva, which means “unity” in Swahili, after spending time in East Africa^.

 How it works

Kiva allows microfinance institutions around the world, called “Field Partners”, to post profiles of qualified local entrepreneurs on its website. Lenders browse and choose an entrepreneur they wish to fund. Kiva aggregates loan capital from individual lenders and transfers it to the appropriate Field Partners to disburse and administer. As the entrepreneurs repay their loans, the Field Partners remit funds back to Kiva. Once a loan is fully repaid, the Kiva lenders can withdraw their principal or re-loan it to another entrepreneur. Lenders’ funds are transferred to Kiva through PayPal, which does not collect its usual fees in this case. Field Partners generally charge interest from their borrowers, although Kiva claims to keep track of how much interest is charged and will not work with those charging unfair interest rates.Kiva lenders do not receive any interest because of US Government regulations. Kiva claims that its borrowers have a historical repayment rate of about 99.7%.

Publicity

• Kiva was featured at the 2006 Clinton Global Initiative and the 2006 Global Microcredit Summit.
• Former President Bill Clintonexhorted the students of Brandeis University to use Kiva in a speech given on December 3rd, 2007.
• Frontline  and The Oprah Winfrey Show had segments devoted to Kiva.
• Kiva is mentioned in Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World  by Bill Clinton.
• Los Angeles Times : Lending hope over the Web (October 18th, 2007)
• The founders were on the Oprah Winfrey Show November 2007 “Oprah Features Kiva Founders”
• “Kiva PR Director Fiona Ramsey” was interviewed on “CBC Radio One’s, SearchEngine”

So, if you can, please visit the website and show support on this brilliant idea that would help those in need. Through helping one person, you create jobs for other people as well.

Website: http://www.kiva.org/

Here’s more report about kiva: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXk4GUGXNTQ

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiva_%28organization%29