If you've joined the ranks of KIVA supporters, now might be a good time to log on to the KIVA site to see if enough repayments have hit your account so you can lend the money out again.
If you're still a KIVA virgin, this is what our favourite organisation.
Here's what KIVA has to say about itself - "We are a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world."
And for our 71st loan, our family has decided to help Madona from Georgia, mainly based on how much she looks like she could be a distant family member of ours - those eyes, those cheekbones, that mouth. Seriously, she might be an Auntie a few times removed.
Here's what Madona's KIVA application had to say about her and what she's hoping to do with the $25 we contributed to the $975 loan she requested:
"Madona is a 52-year-old farmer. She lives in the village of Laneti in the Samtredia district with her daughter and son, who is a soldier. The family earns its income by farming. In particular, they have a calf and three milk cows. They use the milk to produce traditional Georgian cheese and sell it at the local open market. In addition, they have a small pig-breeding farm with one pig and several piglets. They sell the piglets to a wholesaler. Along with these activities, the family has a plot of land where it grows green vegetables. Madona has requested a loan to expand her cattle shed so she can increase the size of her herd and have a place for her animals to stay. The cheese produced by Madona is high quality and in demand in the local market. According to her estimation, when she has more cows she won’t have any problems selling the increased amount of the cheese they produce. A larger heard will have a positive impact on her family’s income and allow them to improve their living conditions by buying more items for their household."
KIVA is a great way to help people not as fortunate to be born in countries with all the advantages ours have. They'll get there, I'm sure, but meanwhile there are people working hard to improve the wellbeing and health of their families. For $25 (which they repay) I'm happy to help.
If you'd like to check out what KIVA is all about, here's a link http://www.kiva.org/invitedby/family5775
And if you do join, look us up (Team Devereaux) in the Paying It Forward team :)
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