Kiva is for always and not just during the season of giving!

As stated on their site “Kiva is the world’s first online lending platform connecting online lenders to entrepreneurs.”  Their tag line is this: “Kiva – Loans that change lives.”

Kiva is all about microfinancing i.e.

“microfinance is a general term to describe financial services to low-income individuals or to those who do not have access to typical banking services.”

“By supporting women’s economic participation, microfinance helps to empower women, thus promoting gender-equity and improving household well-being.”

This is how it works: make a loan, get updates, get paid back, repeat!  You can make ‎micro-loans to entrepreneurs across the globe for as little as $25.  Read more about microfinance on the kiva site.

“100% of every dollar you lend on Kiva goes directly towards funding loans; Kiva does not take a cut. Furthermore, Kiva does not charge interest to our Field Partners, who administer the loans.”  Wow, this is quite something!

My passion is educating women about how important real whole food is, so I choose to lend money to women who have businesses related to food and farming. In the past I’ve given loans to Marilyn, who lives in the Philippines and sells fish; Consolata who has a grocery store in Kenya; Mirian who lives in El Salvador and has a small farm; and Nubar who sells fruits and vegetables in Armenia.

One of my current loans is to 48 year old Margaret who comes from Kenya. According to the Kiva site she “is married to Wilson, and they are blessed with four children. She sells groceries, a business she ventured into 13 years ago” and “wants to purchase cereals, fruits, and vegetables.” “Margaret dreams of owning a personal vehicle in the near future.” 

It’s so rewarding knowing that I can affect the lives of four entrepreneurial women who are in turn improving their lives, the lives of their families and the lives of those in their communities with real whole food!

If you are looking for an organization to give to, Kiva is a 4-star charity on Charity Navigator and if you’re looking for a last minute gift, they offer gift cards.  But, best of all, you get to give all year round!