Although, I am a person of limited financial means I still feel the need to give a little to those that have less. I may be un-wealthy, but being poor in a first world country can seem like being rich to someone in a third world country.
One year around Christmas, I was complaining to my husband that I didn’t have money to buy people presents. It’s not that I was feeling sorry for myself or that I thought I had to buy presents, it’s just that I really enjoy giving gifts; I like it even more than receiving gifts.
I was trying to figure out how to make the best use of my money and I decided I really wanted to give some money to charity. I remembered reading about an organization called Kiva. Kiva lets you lend money to a specific person to help them get out of poverty. The great thing is that it is a loan, which means that as long as it gets paid back you can turn around and lend it to someone else. I decided to make a loan every year around the holidays and never collect the repaid loan, but instead keep re-loaning. I started off with just $25 and every year I add another $25.
So far, I’ve lent money to a woman in Samoa to help her buy supplies for her ice-cake (popsicle) business; I’ve helped a mother in Mexico expand her second hand clothing enterprise; and most recently I helped a widow in Viet Nam buy more livestock and go to school to learn to be a tailor. I’m not really helping these women, I’m empowering them.
If the Gods were to provide me with $5,000 to give away to charity I would not give it away, I would lend it to entrepreneurs applying for loans through Kiva. Can you imagine the good that this money could do, not once,but over and over again? These are good, hardworking people who are not asking for a hand-out they want the dignity and responsibility that comes with repaying a loan. The amounts they are asking for are small, but they could not get these funds without the help of micro-financiers.
It sounds grandiose to say that I make people’s dreams come true, but I do and so can you. And we don’t need $5,000 to do it, we can do it $25 at a time.
This post was inspired by Prompt #5 of this weeks Writers Workshop hosted by Mama Kat.
What a great gift! You're right – this is NOT charity – this is a helping hand. This is honest and good.Thank you for sharing this information!
This is such a great post! I love it so much. Thank you for making a difference in the world!
That is an awesome program! I think I may have to look into it a little more and try it out.
I love. love. love. Kiva. Thanks for spreading the word!
Oh my…Why have I never heard of this?!?! I'm not rich either but I do what I can by donating clothes and things to Goodwill and I write letters to soldiers in Iraq through Soldiers' Angels. I'm always looking for a way to support and help out without having to donate a buttload of money because I don't have much. This is great! Thanks for sharing, I'm going to look into it.
Okay Lady, if we have ONE more thing in common, I'm gonna SWEAR we were separated at birth. And considering we share the same birthday, maybe we were.I am a KIVA loaner. Have been since the beginning of 2008. I've helped 5 women since then, mostly single mothers, in countries all over the world.Seriously, we need to stop with the similarities already. 😉
What an absolutely amazing program. I had not idea that it even existed. To be able to help those who are less fortunate at such a reasonable cost is a real opportunity.Thank you for this post!-Francesca
Awesome idea. Simply aweseome.Hallie
Wow! What an inspirational post! Good for you! I want to be like that.. You're really inspired me! I'm loving your blog too! I can't wait to hear more about your life as an "unknown mommy" :)I'm your newest follower!
Wow. Really interesting. I've heard about these "micro loans" before but never really from a person who had actually given one. What a fantastic idea. I'm going to check it out for sure. Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
I have an awards for you…stop by 🙂
That is awesome! I had never heard of that organization!
Thanks for introducing me to that organization. It looks amazing! Does it lend specifically to women? I am just curious based on your post and I know that often it is women who have a harder time getting out of poverty.Good for you!
what a great way to use the money. I have never heard of Kiva before but it sounds really cool.
Thanks for answering my question – and good for you! I couldn't agree more.:)
This is a wonderful way to give back and help more than one individual. Thanks for sharing!Hugs and Mocha,Stesha
What a neat Christmas gift to yourself. I love Kiva – it's such a great concept and done the "right" way. And yeah… considering what $25 can do, can you imagine $5000? That's 200 people — actually 200 families, since the women help the whole family not just themselves. Powerful.
Sounds like a life changing program. Thanks so much for sharing this organization. I'm off to check it out! 🙂