How young can you be to email with others around the world

[Guest]

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[ETonesMus]

Hi
I would like to make a loan in the name of my 2 nieces and I'd like the loan to be repaid back to them.  They are 11 and 13.  Do you think they will benefit from this experience?  Is it safe for them to email with people around the world?
Thanks,
Tony

[Henry]

keep them away from that guy named Henry!  he will have them shopping with their family's credit card! for the KSClub! 

( great gift! )  My 1 year old neice won't be on the internet for a long while, but she will ultimately benefit from my KIVA account.  Whatever the value is when she gets old enough to handle (or I go first) will be hers. I think of it as my 'fun' savings account for her .

But to answer your question, there really isn't that much email contact 'going out' that is direct between "the account holder" (THEM) and the world.  We get Journal updates which can be read on their account pages.  BUT, my suggestion as with anything regarding the internet and children that age....shouldn't go unmonitored or supervised by an adult.

[Wood Fairy Glenda]

Tony - as for young people emailing to unknown people around the world, this is not a problem with the way Kiva lenders communicate with Kiva borrowers.  All is done via the Kiva site.  No personal email addresses are used and communication with borrowers is done via the local microlending organization which does not have access to their personal information either.
     I think it sounds like a great idea, and, in fact, am about to send a Kiva calendar and two gift certificates to a niece and nephew. The only thing is, they will not necessarily get feedback from the borrowers, no matter how circuitous the route.  Some of the microlenders are very good about sending updates and others are not.  It's very difficult for some of the organizations to do. So, don't get their hopes up too high about receiving messages from the borrowers.  They will be able to check things like when the loan gets to the borrower and when payments are made.  If they're lucky they might get an update, but don't count on it.

[Soriak]

That seems like a lovely idea

There's no e-mail exchange with any entrepreneur, just the ability to post comments if one so desires. (I haven't come across many yet)

I imagine they already have an e-mail address, but if not you may have to help set one up for them. It may be prudent to make them aware that they should not e-mail anyone their home address and inform their parents if someone is asking for any personal information. Although it's important not to overestimate the dangers of any online activity - even if you posted everything there is to know about yourself, it's still far less dangerous than actually leaving the house.

[KivanSteven]

Etones, I think they would definitely benefit from the experience.  I have a 7 year old that I have already introduced to Kiva, (of course right next to her on the internet every single second!) and she really enjoys reading about the people in other countries and picking out the people she feels she would like to help and would benefit the most from our loan.  In fact as far as kids go, your nieces are probably at the perfect age range to get started in something like this.  Kiva is great for teaching geography, culture, lifestyle, social reality and perspective, activism, compassionism, and its very engaging and fun.  Id also encourage them to explore both the kiva.org and kivafriends.org site because both sites make the loaning process and experience all the more understanding and exciting.

Im mentioning to my daughters teacher, as well as my aunt who teaches grade school, about raising enough money through bake sales or car washes, for example, to fund a couple short term loans, being 6 months or less, and making a project out of it...The classes which are small, could be broken up into groups of three and each group could take the $25 allotted to them to make a loan to the person of their choosing.  (Even better if a class of 15 could raise enough money for each student to help fund a loan personally).  They would monitor the loan, especially during periods of scheduled repayments and journal entires (which would make the idea all the more enriching), compare and contrast the loans funded by the class, and upon the completion of the loan they can each write a report about the process, the objective, the causes and reasons for it, the effect, outcome, and their overall opinion...of course for my daughters 2nd grade class that would not entail much elaboration, but I think getting Kiva into the classrooms would be a highly HIGHLY successful venture, especially if they ever get the journals more active.

[QueenOfHearts]

Hi Tony.....

My account will be going to my grandchildren eventually and one is listed on the account now (second is due to arrive any day now).  While Samantha is only three, I do not feel it is too young to instill a feeling of responsibility on her part to help others.  She comes with me when I shop for Toys for Tots and has gone with her mother to prepare food baskets for the poor here in Camden.  She may not fully understand but I am hoping it will all sink in slowly and she will grow up with an awareness well in place before she even knows otherwise.  She sits next to me at the computer while she helps pick out "who Grammie is going to help today".  She likes looking at the pictures and I read the stories to her.  Some of my loans we have picked together.  And Samantha already has her own email account (what can I say, her father is an IT) but she has no idea its there.  Everything with Kiva goes through my email for now but as everyone has mentioned, those email addresses are not shared.  They are even hidden here on Kiva Friends as a privacy protection to the members.  At ages 11 and 13, your nieces can post comments if they wish but that is far as any "connection" would go.  I think it is a great idea to introduce them to one means of helping "their world".  Kids that age so soon get self centered a little dose of what this world is really about would be a very good thing.

Queen

[KivanSteven]

Very well said Queen, and you can never be too young to learn the basic premise that any child can understand, that its good to help people.  Kids are a blank chalkboard, only whatever you place upon them cannot be so easily removed with the mere swipe of an eraser...your effort is an inspiring one Queen.

[Diane R]

Ahimsa Steve, you've mentioned your daughter in your lender profile: does she ever help you make your loan choices or learn about the people you partner with through Kiva?  It seems this would be such a personal and lasting way to help a child learn a way to care for others respectfully.

--Diane.

[KivanSteven]

Funny you ask because today I was going to set up an account for her so she could make her first loan all by herself...I take care of the paypal work, but she can navigate the kiva site well enough to find the entrepreneur of her choice...shes still a little young to understand it all financially and certainly has more on her mind than anticipating the pay back of the loan for the next 6 months, but you are correct, it really introduces a child to things we to may have learned as children in a more general way, but certainly not so directly and involving like this.  So if you see a loan from a 7 year old whose name is Syrenitee, thats her.  Ill probably throw a couple in there with my own funds for her to choose, track and watch as well, hopefully making it a bit more engaging for her, ya know, receiving a couple re-payments at various times each month rather than one...Ill also hopefully find a few loans with her through an MFI that has a great journal record, while encouraging her to post her own messages.  Are you familiar with any MFIs off the top of your head that have a decent or somewhat consistent journal record or at least update record?

EDIT:  And you guys can all just call me Steve, its more personal that way.

[Eli]

Very well said Queen, and you can never be too young to learn the basic premise that any child can understand, that its good to help people.  Kids are a blank chalkboard, only whatever you place upon them cannot be so easily removed with the mere swipe of an eraser...your effort is an inspiring one Queen.

One of my favorite quotes fits so well here:

In the end, we will conserve only what we love.
We will love only what we understand.
We will understand only what we have been taught.
                           ~Baba Dioum, Senegal

[eliztravels]

Your quote does fit so well, here, Eli.  Generosity is a learned behaviour.  It's not just by the example of others and the direct involvement orchestrated by family, teachers, etc.  Many learn it in times of need, when they must rely on the generosity of others.  Then when they can, they give in return.  It's the "widow's mite"  biblical story again: the poor give proportionately more than the rich. 

Great to hear these stories of ways to involve the younger generation. Any involvement of children at any age in any act of charity or generosity is a good thing, as far as I am concerned.  I've very proud of my elder daughter who takes my six-year-old grandaughter to volunteer at the food bank.  Also, when they vacation in the underdeveloped world they make a donation after their return home to a charity in the country they visited, and involve her in the choice.  Once she asked to donate to 'horses' in Mexico and it took some doing to find a cause that fit the bill! 

When my grandson Felix was born in June this year his grown cousin in Australia  started a portfolio for him with shares in Felix Resources, which by coincidence was just listed on the stock exchange the day of his birth.  For Christmas I will be giving him The Other Portfolio, (see Kiva lender Felix in Guelph, Canada)  which will generate a different kind of returns! 


eliz

[KivanSteven]

This is turning in to a great thread concerning the involvement of children in making the world a better place...but not only that, these things help make them into better people as well.  Thanks for sharing Eliz...I have family in Guelph by the way.

Another great idea for young children, especially those just learning to read and write better, is to help find them a pen pal.  I used a sponsored child in Guatemala as her pen pal and though the wait for a reply can be a couple months at times, its very exciting for her to have a glimpse into what life is like in another part of the world.

[eliztravels]

Hey there, Steve.  Look me up the next time you're in Guelph.

Please keep those stories of kids 'n Kiva coming!

And how about a t-shirt saying "I'm a Kiva kid"

[KivanSteven]

I know that area is quite populated, but does the last name Dawe ring a bell?  Thought Id give it a shot...and Id buy my daughter a Kiva shirt like that...hop on over to kiva and cafepress and recommend that.

[thisdaydreamer]

I think Kiva is a wonderful way to teach kids about the rest of the world - not only about how much we have in our own countries, but also about the cultures that are so different from our own.

It's also a way of helping others that is very personal. We get to learn something about the people we help (one of the reasons why we all give, I'm sure!) and I think that kind of knowledge about the people getting the loan makes it much less abstract and strange for kids.

[KivanSteven]

Something else we can all work on in the future is a pamphlet of sorts that is specifically geared towards teachers and the classroom..."Kiva for Kids" or "Kiva in the Classroom" it could be entitled...people have brought this up before...ideas for introducing Kiva in the classroom and utilizing the loaning process to teach a variety of things could be emphasized, such as through classroom reports, projects, group loaning, etc...weve already emphasized how beyond instilling compassion, Kiva also helps teach geography, culture, social awareness, money management, etc..if done correctly this could be an excellent tool to mail to classrooms, or place in main offices at local schools...in addition with Kiva's approval they may offer a downloadable/printable version of it from their website...Premal himself has made quite enthusiastic statements in the past about the possibilities of seeing the Kiva model taught in classrooms of all ages.

Brought over from another thread where it didnt belong:

having worked with my daughter on Kiva I can see the impact it has on her...even she gets excited when we are about to see someone online, read their story and "pick them".  Teachers on KF could play a huge part in this too...It would be something directed towards the teachers, however, since they could more easily reach their students in masses than any of us could...and besides, most kids at first wouldnt have the initiative to check it out, but a lengthy project is something else altogether, its mandatory.  I sound like a dictator now, forcing Kiva upon the kids, but hey thats the option and responsibility of the teacher.   Anyways, it would give a general overview of what kiva is, what kiva does, how it originated, a couple entrepreneur and loaner examples, past publicity, pleasing graphics and pictures, fun and appealing, easy to follow and understand, exciting and insightful, provocative and enlightening...it would not be a step by step, "this is what to do in the classroom" type of theme...introduce the teachers to some options and possibilities, give them some background, structure, and outlook, but let them be creative and determine how best to introduce the kiva concept to their classroom.  Besides I think outlining ways to use Kiva in the classroom in detail would make it more a boring and tiresome instructors manual rather than an open field introduction to the vast possibilities...Teachers are always looking for new methods of teaching and I can just see the lightbulbs all lighting up...and youre right Jill, for probably the third time Ive mentioned this week, Kiva teaches an immense amount which makes it go hand in hand with a learning environment. 

Since this is something Kiva.org speaks so optimistically about, Im sure like the calendar it would have to be run by them for approval, but if they are thoroughly pleased, they might even offer a downloadable or printable version of it on their site.  As for getting something like this out to the teachers thats something else altogether and there are numerous options for doing that, some more expensive than others, and some more time consuming than others, but thats for another time.  Like you, I do believe teachers are one of the best kept secrets to unleashing Kiva to the younger generations...most arent going to hear about it the way we all did, they dont watch Frontline or Oprah, or read about Bill Clinton, they dont read the newspapers or most if any of the enormity of articles and press around the world that has been posted here on KF.  Our access to them is through the teachers, its plain and simple as that.  And this isnt about dollars or members, its about education and preparing them to possess the abilities to tackle and weed out poverty when their time comes to step up to the challenge...and if Kiva can be a protagonist when it comes to objectives such as these then I feel an initiative to infiltrate classrooms with at least knowledge of Kiva, should be undertaken.  A teacher with knowledge and insight of Kiva is an incredible weapon.

[KivanSteven]

Keeping with the kids theme guys, another KF alerted me to what sounds to be a terrific book for kids... its called "Children Just Like Me" and another I found is called "Children Just Like Me: Celebrations" both authors being Kindersley.

http://www.amazon.com/Children-Just-Like-Anabel-Kindersley/dp/0789402017

http://www.amazon.com/Children-Just-Like-Me-Celebrations/dp/0789420279

I found them for a $4-5 a piece on half.com and ebay.  From what I can ascertain from reviews it is a highly recommended book.

[Karen in Jax]

My 10YO granddaughter and I make our decisions together.  We have a map, we read the profiles, discuss them and make our choices. 

My 14 YO son is not interested (but would be if anyone is seeking a loan for a basketball court or cyber cafe) and my 28 YO son laughed at me and told me I'd never see a dime of my money again.  This is me every time I forward him a payment update from Kiva ->   

[KivanSteven]

Good for you Karen...maybe show him how successful your loaning is and it will change his mind a bit.  I was told by a family member recently that it was "stupid."  Sometimes you are up against the people closest to you, but in a sense thats good because those are usually the people you can have the most profound impact on.

[Steff]

"My 14 YO son is not interested (but would be if anyone is seeking a loan for a basketball court or cyber cafe) and my 28 YO son laughed at me and told me I'd never see a dime of my money again."
 
Glad to hear that someone else's grown children did not inherit the empathy gene from their Mom.  My 27 year old daughter would be happy to fund a local shopping mall if she could get things there for free.  My younger son (34)thinks he is poor although he can pay $1000 a month for rent.  My older son (40) will spend any amount of money on his own children, and to be fair he does contribute alot to cancer research.  But third world people struggling to make enough to eat every day hold no interest for them. My Kiva loans are just another "cute" thing that their Mother does, like belonging to the Sierra Club.  I love them all dearly but wonder how I raised three children with no social awareness.  I am working on my grandchildren but it is an uphill battle.
Steff