It’s the holiday season, and I’m down near the equator. I thought it’d be a great idea to try to raise some money to make a Kiva loan to somebody in the region.
I’m using ChipIn to collect the money, and then I’ll choose an entrepreneur on Kiva to donate it to (suggestions will be welcome). I’ll follow up in the new year with details of where the money went.
If you’ve enjoyed my blog this year, here’s a good way of saying thanks. Skip your mochaccino and pumpkin scone this morning and donate five bucks to the cause. It’ll go to good use, and as it’s a loan that can be used over and over again once it’s paid back, it’s money that will, as the kids say, keep on giving:
http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/10231438b9a93f8d
If you’re unfamiliar with Kiva, they’re an extraordinary success story in micro-lending to the developing world. Instead of donating money to a charity for food or development aid, you loan money to an entrepreneur who pays it back over a specified period. It’s that old teach-a-man-to-fish thing, writ large. They’ve loaned $1.2 million dollars in the last seven days. Seven days!
I’d like to post, as the kids once said, shout-outs to those who made donations. Feel free to leave a comment here, or in the payment process, or drop me an email. Thanks in advance!
UPDATE: I should have mentioned that once the first loan is paid back (the default rate at Kiva is 2.8%, so the odds are good), I’ll loan the money out again. And again and again.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
This is a great idea, Darren! I first heard about Kiva when I signed up for Dream Bank – it’s very cool!
Great idea Darren – I have loaned money to other Kiva projects before and think their micro credit model is a great way to help the developing world.
This year Cossette the agency I work with gave $10 to everyone on our team to donate to worthwhile projects, and we also gave Christmas cards with $10 to our clients and asked them to do the same. Your project got my $10! You can read about what some of the rest of our team and clients have done at
http://www.storiesofgiving.com/
Hi Darren. I have an award waiting for you back at my blog. Go get it.
“Skip your mochaccino and pumpkin scone this morning…”
Yes, because the world economy hasn’t plummeted and none of us are short of work and having to limit our frivolous spending. It must be nice to be completely oblivious to this, Darren.
Kiva.org is a great organization and loaning to them is a good idea regardless of what’s going on in the stock market. However, you could be a bit more sensitive in your request for donations.
Then again, maybe I’m the only person here not making 6 figures. Silly me.