How a Portland woman became a banker to the world

...that was the lead-in on today's radio story on KXL! They ran 2 different versions of the story, 40 seconds each. Give a listen and then click on over to Kiva to make a loan today! Looks like Tahmina in Tajikistan still needs $525 to fully fund her loan. By the way, Kiva has also been featured on Oprah.

Audio file 1
Audio file 2

[to listen, click each of the links above, then click "play" button]

Becoming an international financier

I wrote recently about my first Kiva loan. This week I made 4 more loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries! I got some money for my birthday (thank you, Poppy!) and decided to loan it out to others who can make great use of it. I loaned $25 each to: Elizabeth's group in the Dominican Republic, Heng Yath in Cambodia, a group of 11 women farmers in Samoa, and Tahmina Azizova in Tajikistan. And, I got a notice that Edina in Tanzania made her first loan payment. Once she pays it all back (3 more months) I will be able to loan the funds out to someone else. I just think Kiva is fantastic -- a really innovative use of technology that allows you and me to do good things in the world. Give it a try!

My first Kiva loan

I made my first Kiva loan today! I loaned $50 to Edina in Tanzania for her fabric and sarong business. Edina is 29 years old, and is married with 2 young sons. Her business currently makes a profit of $45 per month, and she requested the loan so she can open a shop for her business.

It seems to me that Kiva is an innovative, practical way to do micro-lending that is only possible with the technology we have today. It directly connects people with a few extra dollars (from all over the world) to people in developing countries who can really use that money. And it's not a gift -- the recipients are expected to pay the loan back, and default rate is very, very low. And the best part -- when Edina pays back her loan, I can loan my original $50 to another entrepreneur of my choice. I can keep recirculating my original capital over and over again, for as long as I like! Or I can withdraw it, if I prefer.


Kiva has gotten a ton of great press lately. Here are a few highlights:

'Revolutionising how donors and lenders in the US are connecting with small entrepreneurs in developing countries.'-- BBC

'If you've got 25 bucks, a PC and a PayPal account, you've now got the wherewithal to be an international financier.'-- CNN Money

'Smaller investors can make loans of as little as $25 to specific individual entrepreneurs through a service launched last fall by Kiva.org.'-- The Wall Street Journal

As of this writing, 13 people (including Greta Van Susteren of Fox News) have loaned Edina a total $625. She still needs $725 to fully fund her loan request. As you can see by these numbers, when each person lends a small amount, it can make a huge difference for a family in the developing world. With just $25, you can make a loan and change someone's life. Will you?

Going to Haiti

Haiti is the poorest country in our hemisphere, and I will experience it first-hand in March.

Why am I going to Haiti?

To raise awareness of the dire situation there. Almost half the country is illiterate. One in eight children will die before age five. 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. 80% -- can you imagine? If I tell everyone I know about my trip, more and more people will learn about Haiti and its plight. Awareness is the first step to change.

To raise money for one solution. The Louverture Cleary School, a free, Catholic boarding school near Port-au-Prince, is offering hope for Haiti. A US-based non-profit, The Haitian Project, operates the school, which educates, feeds, and houses 350 of Haiti’s brightest – and poorest – students each year. The students are being educated to stay in Haiti and rebuild their country as a place where justice and peace thrive. As part of my trip, I am committed to raising at least $1,000 for the direct support of the school.

To bring much needed supplies. It is very difficult to get supplies to Haiti. Shipments are regularly delayed or intercepted at the port. For example, a large shipment of supplies for Mother Theresa’s orphanage in Port-au-Prince was held up for six months for unexplained reasons. Our volunteer team will be bringing all of our personal items in carry-on bags so that we may dedicate our baggage allowance for bringing supplies necessary for the school and the students.

To personally help in whatever small way I can. Past volunteer teams have installed solar panels, built playgrounds and gardens, constructed a new dormitory, and helped in a myriad of other ways. Our team will be assigned a project upon arrival so that we, too, may help the school and students to succeed in their mission.

What can you do to help?

Spread the word. Read this article (“Haiti’s rising food prices drive poor to eat mud”) and pass it on to at least one other person. Check out http://www.haitianproject.org/ to find some hope that together we can make a difference.

Donate to the Haitian Project. This is the easiest way to help. It costs $950 to educate, feed, and house one student for a year. $175 will buy enough books and supplies for one student. $143 will buy food for one student for the entire year. Any amount you can give – more, less, or in between – will immediately be put to good use at the school. (The funds I am raising are for the direct support of the school, not my trip expenses.)

Donate supplies. Within the next few weeks I should have a list of supplies that the school would like us to bring. If you would be willing to donate supplies – or donate money toward the purchase of supplies – please give me your email address so that I can contact you as I have more information.

The Haitian Project operates by a simple and powerful motto:

"What you receive as a gift, you must give as a gift." -- Matthew 10:8

I ask you to please reflect on the many gifts that we in this country enjoy, and consider sharing some of them with our neighbors in Haiti. If you would like to help, or just receive a report on my trip, please fill out this form and return to me at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.