The £20 is lent through the non-profit micro-lending institution Kiva.org. The individuals we lend to are highly motivated and have set goals on how to put a relatively small loan to use for a big impact in their lives and community. Micro-lending is so powerful because it introduces capital at the grassroots level. This is often more effective than a top down approach because it means that the money is put directly into the hands of people who need it, and thus avoids it being tied up in bureaucracies.
You can see the loans that have been made possible by our previous clients by visiting our kiva donations map.
About Kiva
Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.
The people you see on Kiva’s site are real individuals in need of funding – not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs’ profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need.
Kiva partners with existing expert microfinance institutions. In doing so, we gain access to outstanding entrepreneurs from impoverished communities world-wide. Our partners are experts in choosing qualified entrepreneurs. That said, they are usually short on funds. Through Kiva, our partners upload their entrepreneur profiles directly to the site so you can lend to them. When you do, not only do you get a unique experience connecting to a specific entrepreneur on the other side of the planet, but our microfinance partners can do more of what they do, more efficiently.
