Blog
VOTE
Name: Kiva
Nominated Category: Organization
URL: http://www.kiva.org
Area: Microfinance, Fundraising
About:
Of all of the talk today about the miracles of microfinance-meets-the-internet and the different platforms and donation sites that have sprung up, early innovator Kiva arguably remains the biggest beast.
Description:
Kiva.org launched in 2005 after founder Matt Flannery and Jessica Jackley hit upon the idea for a peer-to-peer microlending web site after witnessing the power of microfinance first hand in East Africa. Since then–by pairing with field partner institutions that profile entrepreneurs on the Kiva site (a seamstress in Ghana, a food production in Vietnam), which lenders around the world can choose to support with donations of varying size Kiva is currently averaging one loan every 11 seconds, 24,000 lenders lending $1.9 million this week to 5,000 entrepreneurs (with roughly 98% repayment).
The numbers as well as how the individuals and institutions involved got to them are all up front on the Kiva.org web site, which is part of its appeal. The home page has a gallery of featured entrepreneurs, and clicking on a profile takes you to a full description of the entrepreneur and his or her business, as well as details about the specific loan and the field partner.
Akosua in Ghana, for example, needs $700 to buy sewing materials. From reading her profile, you can see what members of the Kiva lending community have lent her money; how much money her affiliated field partner, Sinapi Aba Trust, has distributed via Kiva; and the terms of the current loan.
Through searching the community section on the web site, you can also find out more information about fellow lenders on Kiva, often grouped together as lending teams of multiple members for greater impact figures for average number of loans per member and total amount loaned are available.
On the site, Kiva has a host of tools and other fun tricks for lenders who want to spread the word about the platform and its mission. There are embed-friendly banners that showcase a different entrepreneur every time a page is refreshed, for example, and information about volunteering with Kiva, such as joining the Kiva Fellows Program and working directly for one of its partner microfinance institutions.
Kiva also has a developer program, where developers build applications using Kiva tools. Featured apps include a live world map of Kiva loans in various stages and a suite of tools that alert lenders to when loans of their interest appear on the Kiva.org site.
The Basics:
WHO: Kiva.org
WHAT: Peer-to-peer microlending web site, enabling entrepreneurs around the world to receive loans from lenders around the world.
WHERE: Worldwide.
HOW to get involved: Register on Kiva.org and complete a lender profile.
What other people are saying:
What do you think?
- Comment on this entry and tell us what you think. Who else should we be highlighting in this category?
- Share these initial selections with your network, through Twitter, Facebook etc
Learn more about ThinkSocial Awards here.
Thanks for your support and participation.
Posted in: Non-profit, Organization, awards, poverty | Tagged:
