Waynie

Today I joined and contributed to Kiva. I think this is an amazing initiative and I really want to share it with you:

What is this Kiva, and what do they do?

Well, in simple terms, Kiva facilitates small loans (microcredit) to small struggling or new businesses in developing countries. It’s a way you can lend money to assist the development of a business, with a view to assisting in economic independence.

For better information on what Kiva do, check out the About page on their website.

Why did I do this?

One of the things I admire is that entrepreneurial spirit - it is truly something I wish I had myself. I also want to give back to the community where possible (although I concede there’s so much more I can do in this area). Kiva is the perfect blend of these two personality traits - it helps someone in a developing nation achieve self reliance and independence, two factors that I strongly believe are important for every person to have in their life.

Loan? Why not donate?

But I do! However, one of the benefits of loaning through Kiva is that it gives me the control to target areas or enterprises which match my own set of values. Donating money is important too, but this is another way that you can assist those in need.

So what did you donate to?

You can check out my lender profile at http://www.kiva.org/lender/waynie. I’ve started out small, but hope to assist more and more people over time, as I have the financial capacity to do so.

“Elisabeth Okerentia is 45 years old and married with seven children. She lives in Itegbe, Lagos state, Nigeria. Elisabeth has been selling kerosene since 2003. Kerosene is an essential commodity in Nigeria and is in high demand. Elisabeth needs the loan amount of $425 to buy more kerosene to sell. She says thank you.”

I encourage everyone who reads this blog to check out http://kiva.org/ to read more about this wonderful initiative, and if you have the ability, contribute to the development and independence of people in developing nations, and help to break poverty.