Archive for January, 2008
January 23, 2008 at 11:50 pm
· Filed under Fundraising, Kiva, MFI's, Microfinance, Microlending, loans ·Tagged change.org, igive.com, kivafriends.org
Today, I invested some time on KivaFriends.org and located a couple of great programs for marketing and fundraising. Change.org has 466 Kiva supporters and has raised $203 dollars in direct donations for Kiva’s general fund. You can donate as little as $10 and receive your very own Kiva fundraising page. You have the option to upload a photo for your profile or a video, I chose to upload a really great Kiva video I found on YouTube. You can see my Change.org fundraising page for Kiva here: http://www.change.org/nonprofits/projects/view_fundraising_page/16338?network_id=493
Within the Marketing and Fund-raising section of KivaFriends.org I located several references to iGive.com. This is an affinity fundraising site featuring 680 merchants who donate a percentage of sales to the charity or cause of your choice. KivaFriends has an account where 75 affiliated shoppers have generated enough money to fund 55 micro-loans in developing countries. For more details, you can visit the site via this link: http://www.iGive.com/html/refer.cfm?memberid=550794&causeid=41751
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January 22, 2008 at 6:12 pm
· Filed under Africa, Kiva, MFI's, Microfinance, Microlending, Uganda, loans
Kiva’s Field Partners, also known as micro-finance institutions (MFI’s), all receive a field partner risk rating between 1 and 5 stars. You can navigate to the field partners and detailed information by clicking on the About tab at www.kiva.org
In addition to the risk rating, Kiva posts the delinquency rate and default rate of each MFI. The risk rating is based more on how long the MFI has been involved in microlending and their record or ability to collect and repay the loans. Some MFI’s have a newly established working relationship with Kiva and a high rating while others have worked with Kiva for several months and still have lower ratings despite delinquency and default rates of 0%. Once you find a business you wish to invest in, I would recommend doing a little research on the MFI/field partner. A delinquency or default rate of 0% may provide a false sense of security given that the relationship with Kiva is just a couple of months. The lender (BRAC Uganda) working with the entrepreneurs I invested in, have only been working with Kiva for about a month, but they have an established record in microlending.
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January 21, 2008 at 9:25 am
· Filed under Africa, Air Force, Aviation, Aviation Professionals, Corporate Flight Attendants, Flight Attendants, Kiva, Microfinance, Microlending, NGO's, Uganda ·Tagged Africa, benevolence, Charity, developing nations, family, friends, investment, Kiva, loans, Microlending, sustainable development
Yesterday, I made two separate $25 loans to groups of women in Uganda. One group is starting a poultry business and the other is starting an agriculture/food business. Both groups are fully funded now. It’s amazing how fast this happens.
I’ve received a couple of emails from friends and family asking about the legitimacy of the email they received from Kiva. When you make a loan, Kiva asks if you’d like to invite any of your friends or family to also participate. I wouldn’t normally provide referrals/email addresses, but I made an exception in this case because I am confident that Kiva honors it’s privacy agreement. Perhaps a better way to share this opportunity with friends and family would be to add a link or banner at the bottom of your personal email. I’m sure I’ll receive a few more inquiries over the coming days. For those that have filled my inbox with bad jokes and chain letters, I offer no apologies, for everyone else, I’ll take my lumps.
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January 20, 2008 at 7:40 pm
· Filed under Africa, Air Force, Aviation, Corporate Flight Attendants, Flight Attendants, Kiva, NBAA, NGO's, Pilots
Well you may be wondering if I actually fly as an employee for Kiva, the NGO that is doing some incredible work across the globe with microlending in developing countries. Let me state from the outset that I am not an employee of Kiva nor do I have any official ties with this incredible organization. I am however, a huge fan of their efforts to improve the living conditions and quality of life for millions of people in developing countries. I will soon retire from the Air Force to pursue a new career and complete my studies in International Business and/or International Studies. It is my hope and intention to create awareness about this wonderful organization and contribute in some small way.
We can do no great things, only small things with great love.
~Mother Teresa
Thank You,
Shane
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