An Organization We Love: Kiva

As a small business ourselves, we are a big believer in the concept of people creating their own opportunities. We try and support other small, local businesses by using their services and buying their goods, as well as belonging to organizations like Cambridge Local First and the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.

Another way we choose to support small businesses is through Kiva. If you've never heard of the organization, you should check it out. Its a facilitator for microloans all over the world. Kiva connects microfinance organizations, or field partners, on five continents to lenders through their website. The field partners distribute 100% of the money to those who have sought loans. Kiva explains the whole process much better here, including information on due diligence, risk, etc.

We just lent $25 each to four people/groups. There is a group of furniture makers in the Dominican Republic, a man with a motorcycle trasnport business in Kenya, a security service provider in the US and a man with a construction transportation service in El Salvador.'

We'd like to try and make our loans to individuals and groups that have some connection to what we do, but we haven't come across any moving businesses on Kiva so far. The security service provider really has no connection to moving, but we liked that he's right here in our own backyard, so to speak.

As we provide more loans, we'll post updates. Our profile page on Kiva will also show updates on the success of the loans and any new ones we help fund. Kiva has their own twitter account as well.

image courtesy of businesspundit.com