In order to save the world, we first need to know what is wrong with it. Lets start with our community. Focus on health, medicine, wellness, and lifestyle to determine the needs of Coppell. What areas are deficient? What areas are well served? How can we make a difference? How can we start to change the world by making our own environment healthier?
Monday, June 7, 2010
Kiva
Check out kiva for a great example of how people are trying to help make a positive impact on our world.
I've honestly never heard of Kiva before but after watching this video, I was really impressed. Its concise advertisement made me want to learn more about the process of developed countries assisting developing countries. Since America is obviously well developed, I think many people should get involved in Kiva and the fact that it technically doesn't cost any money easily catches anyone's interest. If generally one person's loan can help out one family in a third world country, then the effect of many participants in Kiva will be huge. People loaning money to families like Pedro's is one of the greatest first steps in assisting the third world countries to have better lifestyles.
KIVA is an organization in which people from 1st world countries (U.S.A) lend money to people from third world countries in order to assist the third world people financially. Although I believe the general idea is good, I am not sold on the fact that the people lending their money will receive their money back. In third world countries, there are many financial uncertainties due to the countries economic instability and possible government corruption. Therefore, the people that donate and expect to be recompensed are taking a risk. As a result, the advertisement needs to mention that there is not a 100 % guarantee that the people donating will receive their money back. Another thing that needs to be considered is the fact that there are thousands of poverty stricken homes in America. I am not trying to discourage to third world countries, but why donate to other countries when we cannot even take care of our own. Thousands of poverty stricken Americans need financial aid just as much as the citizens of the third world countries. Therefore, Americans should consider where we invest our money before sending it off to the third world countries.
The idea of loaning money to people in need rather than donating it is remarkable. Kiva is an amazing organization because it gives people the opportunity to help other people in third world countries without putting a damper on their own bank account. Another reason Kiva is so incredible is because it takes the money that is loaned and multiplies it and gives it to many more people around the world who need it. For example, when you donate $25.00 to Pedro you are only helping Pedro, where if you were to loan that $25.00 dollars to Pedro, you would soon be payed back and then given the opportunity to help out another person in need without having to pull another $25.00 out of your own bank account. Another good thing about Kiva is that it still gives you the sence of accomplishment that you did something good for the world, and you get to keep your money too! With this being the first time I've heard about Kiva, I was very intriguied and I think that with more promotion that Kiva would be an even more incredible organization. The idea that people would never be at a loss of their money would encourage to want to help out more, which in the long run would better the entire world and its economy.
After watching the video, Kiva seems like an awesome organization that is helping out our world today. There is nothing better than people helping out those less fortunate than themselves and Kiva allows one to do just that. I was looking at the Kiva website and was suprised to see that $1,565, 450.00 was donated just this week to the cause. It is a comforting feeling to know that there are people out there who care enough to donate their money to help out those in third world countries, especially with the economic struggles everyone is experiencing. America is a very well off country no matter what kind of recession we are in; if more people knew about Kiva and were willing to help, a lot more would benefit and things would look brighter. Kiva seems like a great organization and after watching the video it makes me want to send money to help out more people like Pedro.
Like Greer, I had never heard of Kiva either, but now that I have learned more about it, it seems like an innovative idea that will ultimately benefit the world. It is not only a good thing morally, but also economically. By loaning a small portion of money to someone less fortunate, we can help to jump start their business. As their business grows, they start contributing more and more to their economy. As their economy strengthens, they will become a better trading partner for countries like the United States. The relationship is symbiotic; both parties gain and in the long run, the benefits are even greater. Kiva allows people who are stuck in a never ending rut of poverty to escape and prosper and the best part is the loaner does not lose a cent. The only problem I would have is the reliability of the monetary transactions. How can one be certain that their money will make it to the intended recipient or that their money will ever make it back to them? There is always the chance that the loan will do the recipient no good and they will stay in their rut and not be able to pay back the loan, so they end up worse than when they started. However, further research shows that 90% of the time, the loans are repaid in full; although, on some occasions a small portion of the loan was not repaid. . For the most part Kiva seems like a reliable, innovative way to help those less fortunate prosper without having to make a major sacrifice. They are loans that could completely alter someone’s life.
The Kiva group seems to be an inspiring and good natured organization that believes in their slogan: “loans that change lives.” Although I support the intentions of the organization, I have difficulty believing in the organization itself. For the first part, I noticed that in the video it mentioned that if one pays 25 dollars to an entrepreneur or “Pedro,” they will be reimbursed once Pedro works off the loans; then the money will then be paid back to the lender. This is a very unpredictable transaction because, Kiva’s naively believes that “People are by nature generous, and will help others if even the opportunity to do so in a transparent, accountable way” and “The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity” (Kiva). These two ideas that the team upholds are very compassionate about humanity, yet they are also unwise. I feel uneasy in putting my trust, and money, in a transaction that loans money to a worker that they, and I, don’t really know (Kiva has changed their policy to where lenders cannot choose who they lend their money to; the loans are paid to the entrepreneurs before their stories are up on the Kiva website), and expecting these strangers to pay the loan back to me successfully. First, how does one know the entrepreneur’s work ethic and strength of moral responsibility? How does one know if they will sincerely, as Kiva believes, have a stronger drive to succeed once given this opportunity or money? One never can know what really happened with their money. For example, the scheme that took place between Kiva and Afrique Emergence & Investments (AE&I which is an African organization) shows how quickly Kiva, a fairly new (2005) non-profit group, can be unreliable. The AE&I took large sums of falsified loans from Kiva and, although the team acted quickly to prevent trouble, this is only showed the chance that they will again misappropriate funds (Gosier). I’m not trying to claim Kiva is a terrible idea and should be shut down. I agree with their objective and believe that in a trustworthy utopia it is a perfect system. However, I am paranoid about how responsible this non- profit organization is. I can’t depend on a group that promotes dignity, believing that “Partnership relationships are characterized by mutual dignity and respect” (Kiva). Their beliefs are too naïve in a world where trusting humanity is a weakness, and so this just makes them very unreliable as an organization. It just doesn’t seem to be the best group to be donating my money to so that I may help third world countries.
MLA: "Kiva." Kiva. 2005. . 8/29/10 . Gosier Jonathan . "Kiva.org Responds to Fraud." App 7/15/08. . 8/29/10 .
Kiva is a new organization to me but after watching their advertisment, not only does it seem effective but also easy. This method to improving the lives of people in third world countries will catch the eyes of not only American citizens but also the eyes of people all around the world. Kiva is a organizaton unlike anyother in the fact that most ask for donations, however Kiva only askes for money to loan. This new method of helping i believe will be more effective and more fdoner friendly. Good job Kiva for achieving a reasonable and effective method to help the less fortunate!
The reason i decided to comment on this particular blog was simply because I have never heard of Kiva before the video. Kiva is a remarkable program to help under privilege families in third world countries to become successful in whatever they are trying to accomplish. In Pedros case i learned that instead of him using cattle to help produce goods for his family it only takes twenty five dollars per home to help Pedro get a tractor to help produce ten times as much goods ten times faster. Thats not even the best part of Kiva either, Kiva is a program set up to send the money right back to you once the family you"ve helped has become successful enough to send the money back. So why not help out for only twentry five dollars you can help a family in need.
This is a reply to Jeff Kennedy Dear Mr. Kennedy, I believe you are being a little short sided in your critiques of KIVA. The individual loans are not large, but the impact is. The idea of KIVA is not to give thousands of dollars and expect your thousands back. You give a simple five, ten, twenty dollar loan that doesn't just go towards food or clothing. This is an investment for them that they use, like pedro, to further their business by buying something like a tractor if they get enough donations or something simple like a chicken that they can get eggs from and sell those or eat them to save money on food. KIVA is a MICROfinance organization, which means that it works on a very small scale. The idea is to give a little and expect that little back. Also, in response to helping other countries as opposed to our own, the idea is to make as much difference for as little money as possible. Giving $20 to an impoverished farmer in a third world will do infinitely more good than giving that $20 to a homeless person under a bridge in Dallas. And that $20 has a great chance of coming back to you. So you tell me Jeff, does spending $20 on someone in a third world country to turn their life around with a net loss of $0 make more sense than to spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to make a minuscule dent in the poverty in America? The choice is yours.
i completely agree with kiva. i see that is finally a great way to help third world countries and not feeling like your giving an arm and a leg for them. kiva is a way for you to help out and then receive your money back once they make it plus some profit. by using kiva you can make a $30 donation to a family and then once that family is back on their feet and making a profit that family will send you your donation back, it's practically no cost to you at all. using kiva helps the world see that everyone has a down time but if you put a little faith in them and you try and help then they can show you how much they can do for you in return. its your choice what you do with your money you can either donate it again or you can just keep your money and feel the pride of helping out a family in need.
I think this is an awesome organization, it has the potential to help many people. I like the fact that it lets you chose who you want to send it to, gives you a picture, tells you where they're from, and gives you an update on them. I also like the fact that you get your money back, so you can send it to another person and help them. I think if everyone just takes 25 dollars and dedicates it to helping people we can keep sending people money, get it back and send it to another person in need, we can help so many people.
This program is very impressive in its process and design of how it works. Instead of donating your money you are loaning it out to someone in a 3rd work country that is in need and with this money the person you chose to help then can invest that money into however he/she is making their money and can then improve upon it gaining money faster. This leads to them being able to pay back the loans and can still keep making more money after and live a better life. On the other hand I agree with Jeff Kennedy on the fact you might be taking a risk although we have no idea how Kiva handles the money leading me to doubt that they would take risks with this money, but I still don't know how they set it up and I doubt I could improve it anyway. Also Jeff was right that we have poverty in our own country that we should be worried about before we start aiding other countries.
What a great idea. The message behind Kiva leaves members of well developed societies (such as ours) thinking "why not donate?". Only twenty-five dollars out of our pocket can help someone in a third world country get their life back on track, and in the end, that same twenty-five bucks comes right back to us. I find it interesting that this is the same way banks loan out money to families around the country, yet when you remove a bank (and all its fancy terms and interest rates) from the picture and are introduced to an actual human being who is in need all the sudden loaning money seems like such a humane thing to do. I do find it a little deceiving however that kiva advertises its idea as a fool proof system with the individual ending up happily ever after and being able to pay everyone back every single time. I also agree with others to the point that there are people within the united states that could benefit from such a program and that loaning our money to these individuals should be taken care of before reaching outside our boarders, yet we must remember that other countries dont offer government regulated systems such as wellfare and public housing to those in need the way our country does.
With Kiva, more people will be involved in helping others since they are simply loaning out money instead of giving it away. Some people shy away from donating money since they need money for their own financial support. Kiva allows anyone to lend out of money to those in need. Helping others in need without losing anything is a big positive about this program. Kiva’s mission is to connect people globally and lend out money so that the people in third world country can be given an opportunity. By connecting people and lending money, they believe that it will alleviate poverty in the world. I believe that Kiva is a great program, but there is one small drawback to it. People who lend out money are not 100% guaranteed to get their money back. The greatest appeal about this program is that it allows people to help those in need without losing anything themselves. But if they aren’t 100% guaranteed that they are getting their money back, it is a definite drawback. Overall, Kiva gives great opportunity for those in need by lending them money, and opportunity for people in America to feel good and help others out.
I completely agree with the idea of Kiva. It is a great way for people to give to others in need. I also like the way you dont have give a certain amount of money, you can give as much as you want or as much as you can affort. Also, in doing this your not just giving your money away, your lending it to someone who truely needs it. It gives the man a chance to succeed in life. Your allowing a man or woman in need to be successful and being able to give his or her family a better life. They will be able to eat, have drinking water, or be able to put clothes on their back. I think that this program will really take off and people all around the globe will take part. Plus it gives people who donate the satisfaction of knowing they helped someone in need and gave that person a second chance.
I cant say that I have ever heard or seen of Kiva before but I think this program has a great goal of helping the people who need it the most. This foundation has grown a lot which can be seen on the website but I think that this foundation raises some questions. I dont think people in third world countries would be able to produce a large enough profit margin to pay back the people who donated to them due to the taxes that will be payed on their income and the naturally slow growth trend that is found in third world countries. I think that it would just be better if Kiva took donations than making a promise to pay back donaters. Lastly, I think that domestic money should be used for domestic needs like fixing the economy and paying off our countries debt rather than trying to fix countries that are of no use to the U.S. I hate to be the pessimist but I am very skeptical about this program because I think they are using domestic money for the wrong purposes. The idea sounds morally right but we need to fix our problems before we fix others.
Kiva is simply an extension to the American dream, providing hope beyond our borders. Kiva's trust in humanity's generosity is an act of pure trust, and enables Kiva to serve the world in it's present state. As a past donor of Kiva, I can testify to the validity as wells as the reality of Kiva's goals. In 2 weeks, my recipient had repaid his loans and many a word of thanks. Although roughly translated, he gratitude shown brightly, and until this day, someone of my past classmates who have help in raising money to donate to Kiva have been able to keep in contact with their past recipients. Truely, Kiva promotes communication and bonding between countries. Kiva is able to rate members by their reliability, allowing donors to choose responsibility and choose to make a difference. In our present time, America is desperate in need for economic assistance. However, I believe those lie within the hands of Obama and the government, who operate government regulated programs which ultimately serve their civic duties. I believe in the potential of Kiva to shine hope upon the destitute in third world countries, spreading joy, hope, and happiness to those who live beyond our borders.
Watching this video made me open my eyes to a whole new prospective on this organization. It's astonishing with only seven loans on the site Kiva was launched on October 2005 but just three years later over 50 million dollars has been passed in total loans. When giving a loan it shows the progression of the entrepreneurs as it gives the lender a sense of connection with people beyond the money transaction, showing compassion and encouragement half way around the world. By only using $25 it could help more than one person by giving them a kick start on life and the opportunity on their dream and out of poverty. When looking at this process it is amazing when you get back the money you lead and you can give it back to as many others as you please. Kiva shows fantastic ability in people and believe they can strive anything with only a loan.
Deinhammer 2 KIVA is a remarkable organization with an ingenious idea. People form developed countries can help the third world population without paying a single dime out of their pocket. In the advertisement, Pedro was loaned $25 from each person that loaned him. After that person has helped Pedro, he receives his $25 back, and has the option to aid another individual in another part of the world. The only way to help the world is if we become united, and KIVA has a brilliant idea to unite us all. This is why KIVA is amazing. KIVA has an innovative idea that will better the world economy. These aren’t just any loans, these loans change lives for the better.
Wow! How have I never heard of KIVA before?? They are providing a truly great service to the people who need it the most. The concept of micro-loans can be extremely effective in third world countries, where it can be possible to start a company for only a few hundred dollars. As is stated in their "about" page, "The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity." Its safe to say that through the generosity of KIVA (and its supporters), the lives of thousands of impoverished people have been greatly enriched.
I do have one question... what happens if the loan isn't paid back???
This was the first time I have ever heard about Kiva and I must say I am very impressed. Usually, when it comes to helping organizations, people are hesitant about donating money because they don’t know for sure that one hundred percent of their givings are actually going towards the unfortunate. Kiva organization allows people to loan money and receive it back in time. Just this week Kiva has lent over $1,000,000 and has a 98.86% repayment rate to date. Now that’s impressive. I love how Kiva allows anyone to help. You don’t have to be wealthy or anything because you’ll get your money back in a matter of time. I fully support this organization and am interested in loaning money from watching the advertisement.
Kiva is uniquoe in its approach that it allows people making donations to see how they are aiding people in need. The website (http://www.kiva.org/) specifically outlines distinct people who need help, how much money they need, and what the money will go towards to help improve their lifestlye. I really like how you can see exactly what your money is doing- instead of the majority of organizations that take your money and you never see it again or know how it's helping. For example, Ninfa Almendras, a Bolivian mother living in Cochabamba, needs to purchase feed for her cattle in order to maintain her dairy output and recieve income through milk sales in order to help provide for her son and husband. The picture and life story results in a personal connection with the people you're helping that not only serves as gratification for people who choose to donate, but it also encourages people to help... and it's obviously working with 23,536 total lenders, 1 loan happening every 11 seconds, 4,353 entrepreneurs funded, and 3,475 new lenders joining. In my opinion, this organization has great potential to change the lives of people in underdeveloped country due to the personal connections it makes with the people making loans and the ability of Kiva to repay these loans the majority of the time (currently 98.6%), thus, people can view the cash donation as an investment instead of a pure donation. Basically Kiva makes helping others easy: now it requires little time and virtually no money!
While I can see where Ryan is coming from, and I understand his skepticism, I disagree with him and fully support the organization, Kiva. The idea behind Kiva is pure and simple: giving money without actually giving money. People like Pedro can now make an honest living to support their families and ultimately help their whole economy. All thanks to the help of complete strangers who in the end are unaffected. The donors lose nothing. The recipients gain a reliable and more efficient means of doing the same work they were doing before at a faster rate. This means they can do much more work in less time. Thus more money and paid-off loans in no time. Kiva is simply the best way to help someone somewhere else with little time and little money.
I've honestly never heard of Kiva before but after watching this video, I was really impressed. Its concise advertisement made me want to learn more about the process of developed countries assisting developing countries. Since America is obviously well developed, I think many people should get involved in Kiva and the fact that it technically doesn't cost any money easily catches anyone's interest. If generally one person's loan can help out one family in a third world country, then the effect of many participants in Kiva will be huge. People loaning money to families like Pedro's is one of the greatest first steps in assisting the third world countries to have better lifestyles.
ReplyDeleteKIVA is an organization in which people from 1st world countries (U.S.A) lend money to people from third world countries in order to assist the third world people financially. Although I believe the general idea is good, I am not sold on the fact that the people lending their money will receive their money back. In third world countries, there are many financial uncertainties due to the countries economic instability and possible government corruption. Therefore, the people that donate and expect to be recompensed are taking a risk. As a result, the advertisement needs to mention that there is not a 100 % guarantee that the people donating will receive their money back.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that needs to be considered is the fact that there are thousands of poverty stricken homes in America. I am not trying to discourage to third world countries, but why donate to other countries when we cannot even take care of our own. Thousands of poverty stricken Americans need financial aid just as much as the citizens of the third world countries. Therefore, Americans should consider where we invest our money before sending it off to the third world countries.
The idea of loaning money to people in need rather than donating it is remarkable. Kiva is an amazing organization because it gives people the opportunity to help other people in third world countries without putting a damper on their own bank account. Another reason Kiva is so incredible is because it takes the money that is loaned and multiplies it and gives it to many more people around the world who need it. For example, when you donate $25.00 to Pedro you are only helping Pedro, where if you were to loan that $25.00 dollars to Pedro, you would soon be payed back and then given the opportunity to help out another person in need without having to pull another $25.00 out of your own bank account. Another good thing about Kiva is that it still gives you the sence of accomplishment that you did something good for the world, and you get to keep your money too! With this being the first time I've heard about Kiva, I was very intriguied and I think that with more promotion that Kiva would be an even more incredible organization. The idea that people would never be at a loss of their money would encourage to want to help out more, which in the long run would better the entire world and its economy.
ReplyDeleteCourtney Warren
ReplyDeleteDeinhammer 5
After watching the video, Kiva seems like an awesome organization that is helping out our world today. There is nothing better than people helping out those less fortunate than themselves and Kiva allows one to do just that. I was looking at the Kiva website and was suprised to see that $1,565, 450.00 was donated just this week to the cause. It is a comforting feeling to know that there are people out there who care enough to donate their money to help out those in third world countries, especially with the economic struggles everyone is experiencing. America is a very well off country no matter what kind of recession we are in; if more people knew about Kiva and were willing to help, a lot more would benefit and things would look brighter. Kiva seems like a great organization and after watching the video it makes me want to send money to help out more people like Pedro.
Like Greer, I had never heard of Kiva either, but now that I have learned more about it, it seems like an innovative idea that will ultimately benefit the world. It is not only a good thing morally, but also economically. By loaning a small portion of money to someone less fortunate, we can help to jump start their business. As their business grows, they start contributing more and more to their economy. As their economy strengthens, they will become a better trading partner for countries like the United States. The relationship is symbiotic; both parties gain and in the long run, the benefits are even greater. Kiva allows people who are stuck in a never ending rut of poverty to escape and prosper and the best part is the loaner does not lose a cent. The only problem I would have is the reliability of the monetary transactions. How can one be certain that their money will make it to the intended recipient or that their money will ever make it back to them? There is always the chance that the loan will do the recipient no good and they will stay in their rut and not be able to pay back the loan, so they end up worse than when they started. However, further research shows that 90% of the time, the loans are repaid in full; although, on some occasions a small portion of the loan was not repaid. . For the most part Kiva seems like a reliable, innovative way to help those less fortunate prosper without having to make a major sacrifice. They are loans that could completely alter someone’s life.
ReplyDeleteHana Lee
ReplyDeleteDeinhammer/3
The Kiva group seems to be an inspiring and good natured organization that believes in their slogan: “loans that change lives.” Although I support the intentions of the organization, I have difficulty believing in the organization itself. For the first part, I noticed that in the video it mentioned that if one pays 25 dollars to an entrepreneur or “Pedro,” they will be reimbursed once Pedro works off the loans; then the money will then be paid back to the lender. This is a very unpredictable transaction because, Kiva’s naively believes that “People are by nature generous, and will help others if even the opportunity to do so in a transparent, accountable way” and “The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity” (Kiva). These two ideas that the team upholds are very compassionate about humanity, yet they are also unwise. I feel uneasy in putting my trust, and money, in a transaction that loans money to a worker that they, and I, don’t really know (Kiva has changed their policy to where lenders cannot choose who they lend their money to; the loans are paid to the entrepreneurs before their stories are up on the Kiva website), and expecting these strangers to pay the loan back to me successfully. First, how does one know the entrepreneur’s work ethic and strength of moral responsibility? How does one know if they will sincerely, as Kiva believes, have a stronger drive to succeed once given this opportunity or money? One never can know what really happened with their money. For example, the scheme that took place between Kiva and Afrique Emergence & Investments (AE&I which is an African organization) shows how quickly Kiva, a fairly new (2005) non-profit group, can be unreliable. The AE&I took large sums of falsified loans from Kiva and, although the team acted quickly to prevent trouble, this is only showed the chance that they will again misappropriate funds (Gosier). I’m not trying to claim Kiva is a terrible idea and should be shut down. I agree with their objective and believe that in a trustworthy utopia it is a perfect system. However, I am paranoid about how responsible this non- profit organization is. I can’t depend on a group that promotes dignity, believing that “Partnership relationships are characterized by mutual dignity and respect” (Kiva). Their beliefs are too naïve in a world where trusting humanity is a weakness, and so this just makes them very unreliable as an organization. It just doesn’t seem to be the best group to be donating my money to so that I may help third world countries.
MLA:
"Kiva." Kiva. 2005. . 8/29/10 .
Gosier Jonathan . "Kiva.org Responds to Fraud." App 7/15/08. . 8/29/10 .
Kiva is a new organization to me but after watching their advertisment, not only does it seem effective but also easy. This method to improving the lives of people in third world countries will catch the eyes of not only American citizens but also the eyes of people all around the world. Kiva is a organizaton unlike anyother in the fact that most ask for donations, however Kiva only askes for money to loan. This new method of helping i believe will be more effective and more fdoner friendly. Good job Kiva for achieving a reasonable and effective method to help the less fortunate!
ReplyDeleteThe reason i decided to comment on this particular blog was simply because I have never heard of Kiva before the video. Kiva is a remarkable program to help under privilege families in third world countries to become successful in whatever they are trying to accomplish. In Pedros case i learned that instead of him using cattle to help produce goods for his family it only takes twenty five dollars per home to help Pedro get a tractor to help produce ten times as much goods ten times faster. Thats not even the best part of Kiva either, Kiva is a program set up to send the money right back to you once the family you"ve helped has become successful enough to send the money back. So why not help out for only twentry five dollars you can help a family in need.
ReplyDeleteThis is a reply to Jeff Kennedy
ReplyDeleteDear Mr. Kennedy,
I believe you are being a little short sided in your critiques of KIVA. The individual loans are not large, but the impact is. The idea of KIVA is not to give thousands of dollars and expect your thousands back. You give a simple five, ten, twenty dollar loan that doesn't just go towards food or clothing. This is an investment for them that they use, like pedro, to further their business by buying something like a tractor if they get enough donations or something simple like a chicken that they can get eggs from and sell those or eat them to save money on food. KIVA is a MICROfinance organization, which means that it works on a very small scale. The idea is to give a little and expect that little back. Also, in response to helping other countries as opposed to our own, the idea is to make as much difference for as little money as possible. Giving $20 to an impoverished farmer in a third world will do infinitely more good than giving that $20 to a homeless person under a bridge in Dallas. And that $20 has a great chance of coming back to you. So you tell me Jeff, does spending $20 on someone in a third world country to turn their life around with a net loss of $0 make more sense than to spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to make a minuscule dent in the poverty in America? The choice is yours.
i completely agree with kiva. i see that is finally a great way to help third world countries and not feeling like your giving an arm and a leg for them. kiva is a way for you to help out and then receive your money back once they make it plus some profit. by using kiva you can make a $30 donation to a family and then once that family is back on their feet and making a profit that family will send you your donation back, it's practically no cost to you at all. using kiva helps the world see that everyone has a down time but if you put a little faith in them and you try and help then they can show you how much they can do for you in return. its your choice what you do with your money you can either donate it again or you can just keep your money and feel the pride of helping out a family in need.
ReplyDeleteI think this is an awesome organization, it has the potential to help many people. I like the fact that it lets you chose who you want to send it to, gives you a picture, tells you where they're from, and gives you an update on them. I also like the fact that you get your money back, so you can send it to another person and help them. I think if everyone just takes 25 dollars and dedicates it to helping people we can keep sending people money, get it back and send it to another person in need, we can help so many people.
ReplyDeleteGarrett Quick
ReplyDeleteDeinhammer/7
This program is very impressive in its process and design of how it works. Instead of donating your money you are loaning it out to someone in a 3rd work country that is in need and with this money the person you chose to help then can invest that money into however he/she is making their money and can then improve upon it gaining money faster. This leads to them being able to pay back the loans and can still keep making more money after and live a better life. On the other hand I agree with Jeff Kennedy on the fact you might be taking a risk although we have no idea how Kiva handles the money leading me to doubt that they would take risks with this money, but I still don't know how they set it up and I doubt I could improve it anyway. Also Jeff was right that we have poverty in our own country that we should be worried about before we start aiding other countries.
Sam Ornell
ReplyDeleteDeinhammer 6th
What a great idea. The message behind Kiva leaves members of well developed societies (such as ours) thinking "why not donate?". Only twenty-five dollars out of our pocket can help someone in a third world country get their life back on track, and in the end, that same twenty-five bucks comes right back to us. I find it interesting that this is the same way banks loan out money to families around the country, yet when you remove a bank (and all its fancy terms and interest rates) from the picture and are introduced to an actual human being who is in need all the sudden loaning money seems like such a humane thing to do. I do find it a little deceiving however that kiva advertises its idea as a fool proof system with the individual ending up happily ever after and being able to pay everyone back every single time. I also agree with others to the point that there are people within the united states that could benefit from such a program and that loaning our money to these individuals should be taken care of before reaching outside our boarders, yet we must remember that other countries dont offer government regulated systems such as wellfare and public housing to those in need the way our country does.
With Kiva, more people will be involved in helping others since they are simply loaning out money instead of giving it away. Some people shy away from donating money since they need money for their own financial support. Kiva allows anyone to lend out of money to those in need. Helping others in need without losing anything is a big positive about this program. Kiva’s mission is to connect people globally and lend out money so that the people in third world country can be given an opportunity. By connecting people and lending money, they believe that it will alleviate poverty in the world. I believe that Kiva is a great program, but there is one small drawback to it. People who lend out money are not 100% guaranteed to get their money back. The greatest appeal about this program is that it allows people to help those in need without losing anything themselves. But if they aren’t 100% guaranteed that they are getting their money back, it is a definite drawback. Overall, Kiva gives great opportunity for those in need by lending them money, and opportunity for people in America to feel good and help others out.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with the idea of Kiva. It is a great way for people to give to others in need. I also like the way you dont have give a certain amount of money, you can give as much as you want or as much as you can affort. Also, in doing this your not just giving your money away, your lending it to someone who truely needs it. It gives the man a chance to succeed in life. Your allowing a man or woman in need to be successful and being able to give his or her family a better life. They will be able to eat, have drinking water, or be able to put clothes on their back. I think that this program will really take off and people all around the globe will take part. Plus it gives people who donate the satisfaction of knowing they helped someone in need and gave that person a second chance.
ReplyDeleteRyan Meade
ReplyDeleteDeinhammer, 3rd
I cant say that I have ever heard or seen of Kiva before but I think this program has a great goal of helping the people who need it the most. This foundation has grown a lot which can be seen on the website but I think that this foundation raises some questions. I dont think people in third world countries would be able to produce a large enough profit margin to pay back the people who donated to them due to the taxes that will be payed on their income and the naturally slow growth trend that is found in third world countries. I think that it would just be better if Kiva took donations than making a promise to pay back donaters. Lastly, I think that domestic money should be used for domestic needs like fixing the economy and paying off our countries debt rather than trying to fix countries that are of no use to the U.S. I hate to be the pessimist but I am very skeptical about this program because I think they are using domestic money for the wrong purposes. The idea sounds morally right but we need to fix our problems before we fix others.
Kiva is simply an extension to the American dream, providing hope beyond our borders. Kiva's trust in humanity's generosity is an act of pure trust, and enables Kiva to serve the world in it's present state. As a past donor of Kiva, I can testify to the validity as wells as the reality of Kiva's goals. In 2 weeks, my recipient had repaid his loans and many a word of thanks. Although roughly translated, he gratitude shown brightly, and until this day, someone of my past classmates who have help in raising money to donate to Kiva have been able to keep in contact with their past recipients. Truely, Kiva promotes communication and bonding between countries. Kiva is able to rate members by their reliability, allowing donors to choose responsibility and choose to make a difference. In our present time, America is desperate in need for economic assistance. However, I believe those lie within the hands of Obama and the government, who operate government regulated programs which ultimately serve their civic duties. I believe in the potential of Kiva to shine hope upon the destitute in third world countries, spreading joy, hope, and happiness to those who live beyond our borders.
ReplyDeleteWatching this video made me open my eyes to a whole new prospective on this organization. It's astonishing with only seven loans on the site Kiva was launched on October 2005 but just three years later over 50 million dollars has been passed in total loans. When giving a loan it shows the progression of the entrepreneurs as it gives the lender a sense of connection with people beyond the money transaction, showing compassion and encouragement half way around the world. By only using $25 it could help more than one person by giving them a kick start on life and the opportunity on their dream and out of poverty. When looking at this process it is amazing when you get back the money you lead and you can give it back to as many others as you please. Kiva shows fantastic ability in people and believe they can strive anything with only a loan.
ReplyDeleteDeinhammer 2
ReplyDeleteKIVA is a remarkable organization with an ingenious idea. People form developed countries can help the third world population without paying a single dime out of their pocket. In the advertisement, Pedro was loaned $25 from each person that loaned him. After that person has helped Pedro, he receives his $25 back, and has the option to aid another individual in another part of the world. The only way to help the world is if we become united, and KIVA has a brilliant idea to unite us all. This is why KIVA is amazing. KIVA has an innovative idea that will better the world economy. These aren’t just any loans, these loans change lives for the better.
Wow! How have I never heard of KIVA before?? They are providing a truly great service to the people who need it the most. The concept of micro-loans can be extremely effective in third world countries, where it can be possible to start a company for only a few hundred dollars. As is stated in their "about" page, "The poor are highly motivated and can be very successful when given an opportunity." Its safe to say that through the generosity of KIVA (and its supporters), the lives of thousands of impoverished people have been greatly enriched.
ReplyDeleteI do have one question... what happens if the loan isn't paid back???
This was the first time I have ever heard about Kiva and I must say I am very impressed. Usually, when it comes to helping organizations, people are hesitant about donating money because they don’t know for sure that one hundred percent of their givings are actually going towards the unfortunate. Kiva organization allows people to loan money and receive it back in time. Just this week Kiva has lent over $1,000,000 and has a 98.86% repayment rate to date. Now that’s impressive. I love how Kiva allows anyone to help. You don’t have to be wealthy or anything because you’ll get your money back in a matter of time. I fully support this organization and am interested in loaning money from watching the advertisement.
ReplyDeleteKiva is uniquoe in its approach that it allows people making donations to see how they are aiding people in need. The website (http://www.kiva.org/) specifically outlines distinct people who need help, how much money they need, and what the money will go towards to help improve their lifestlye. I really like how you can see exactly what your money is doing- instead of the majority of organizations that take your money and you never see it again or know how it's helping. For example, Ninfa Almendras, a Bolivian mother living in Cochabamba, needs to purchase feed for her cattle in order to maintain her dairy output and recieve income through milk sales in order to help provide for her son and husband. The picture and life story results in a personal connection with the people you're helping that not only serves as gratification for people who choose to donate, but it also encourages people to help... and it's obviously working with 23,536 total lenders, 1 loan happening every 11 seconds, 4,353 entrepreneurs funded, and 3,475 new lenders joining. In my opinion, this organization has great potential to change the lives of people in underdeveloped country due to the personal connections it makes with the people making loans and the ability of Kiva to repay these loans the majority of the time (currently 98.6%), thus, people can view the cash donation as an investment instead of a pure donation. Basically Kiva makes helping others easy: now it requires little time and virtually no money!
ReplyDeleteWhile I can see where Ryan is coming from, and I understand his skepticism, I disagree with him and fully support the organization, Kiva. The idea behind Kiva is pure and simple: giving money without actually giving money. People like Pedro can now make an honest living to support their families and ultimately help their whole economy. All thanks to the help of complete strangers who in the end are unaffected. The donors lose nothing. The recipients gain a reliable and more efficient means of doing the same work they were doing before at a faster rate. This means they can do much more work in less time. Thus more money and paid-off loans in no time. Kiva is simply the best way to help someone somewhere else with little time and little money.
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