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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