Visiting???

[Guest]

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[felicity]

I have lent some money to someone that is in a town/city that I am now planning to visit on a holiday. Is it possible to visit or is that not the done thing?

[moonfish]

I have lent some money to someone that is in a town/city that I am now planning to visit on a holiday. Is it possible to visit or is that not the done thing?

I don't know the "politically" correct answer but my suggestion would be to drop by and see how things go.  Presumably you will have a language barrier anyway so things probably would not go far anyway.  If no language barrier, then just strike up a conversation and try to ease in the word Kiva and take it from there.

Just my thoughts 

[moonfish]

Also - I see you are new here so 2 things:

(1) 

and (2) boy have  a got a deal for you 

You put $15 in your SPCA and I'll put up $25 in a loan of your choice. see the link

http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,2261.20.html


Cheers, Mate 

[Sengbe Pieh]

Hi Felicity,

Welcome to Kiva Friends!! 

I think it all depends on the MFI's (lending institution) policies & staff. Most are working with limited resources, both financial & personnel wise.

That being said, there is a Kiva lender I am aware of, Tom from Front Royal, Virginia here in the States,  who did visit some of the entrepreneurs he loaned to in parts of Central America.

Here is the link to his Lender Page on Kiva: http://www.kiva.org/lender/tom.  You will find the link to his blog on this page where he talks about his experiences.

And here is the link directly to his blog: http://baddogpip.blogspot.com/2006/12/mifex-neighborhoods-tres-trinitaria.html

I hope this helps. If I were you I would contact the MFI directly & ask them what they think.

                                                                                                           

Thanks,

                                                                                                                                             

Geoff

[moonfish]

And here is the link directly to his blog: http://baddogpip.blogspot.com/2006/12/mifex-neighborhoods-tres-trinitaria.html[/left]

I hope this helps. If I were you I would contact the MFI directly & ask them what they think.

                                                                                                           

Thanks,

                                                                                                                                             

Geoff

I just took a quick look at his blog - impressive.  Thanks for sharing that with us 

[Diane R]

KivaFriend Wood Fairy Glenda has visited some of the entrepreneurs she supports in Uganda.  She went through the MFI to arrange the visit. 

I think the correct thing to do is to contact the MFI in the area you're visiting ahead of time, let them know your interest in visiting either specific entrepreneurs or any of their clients, and go on the visit with them.  Dropping in randomly on someone might not be the best idea.

--Diane.

[felicity]

Thanks for your thoughts, I have emailed World Relief but have not had a response. I certainly wouldn't drop by if I wasn't expected, nor would it be possible for me to find her, as I only have a province. I am surprised more people didn't have a response to my question

[chetorba]

I am planning a trip to Nicaragua and have the same question.  Have you had any more replies or learned anything new?  Thanks so much for any input.

[felicity]

Hi, I can't remember as it was a while ago but I was basically told they have no arrangements for visiting at this stage for a couple of reasons. It would require so much manpower to put it all into place & because the loans are so small there would be way too many people wanting to visit. I took this to mean that if you compare it to World Vision (who I believe do arrange visiting) you are not sponsoring one child on your own for a number of years but making a very small loan over a short period. I suppose the other aspect is: would you like the bank to come & see how you are going with that car they lent you the money to buy?!!! My thoughts only, not Kiva.

[Wood Fairy Glenda]

Welcome, Felicity, and hi, All
     Just noticed this topic, so went back via Search and found my original posts and the following discussions after my wonderful Uganda trip.  Here are the URLS, for anyone interested:
     http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,458.msg10483.html#msg10483
     http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,458.640.html

     Yes, before I went on that trip I had direct email contact with the microlenders who were very gracious and welcoming.  I was helped to find the email address by somebody in Kiva, but that was well before Kiva got so busy.  Quite probably they are far too busy now to respond to correspondence of the kind I sent them originally.
 
     (Incidentally, Kiva has cancelled partnership with SAO recently. I was very impressed with the personnel there, and especially that they made a special trip to find and interview the two women I told them about.  They're also the organization that lent to Florence and her great school.  All of the loans I had with them were paid regularly and fully.  I don't know what happened, but I'm still sad about it. )

     I'm going on another Habitat for Humanity trip, this time to Ethiopia, this November.  Sure wish we had loans to that country too,  but instead of visiting Kiva folk after the work is done, I'm trying to arrange visits with 3 of my sponsored children who live in that country. Wish me luck!