Anything Goes! (topic for stuff you just want to mention or point out)

[Guest]

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[miGIRLS]

I'm also shying away from home repairs. I had a guy here today doing some work on my house so those are the house repairs I'm funding for now. I have also been wary of Eastern Europe, but took the leap today and made my first Eastern Europe loan - for Sergei in Ukraine.

I think I'm holding that area to a higher standard. The new borrower, Sergie, has a good write up as an established client of HOPE Intl. - Ukraine. If you care to check him out or help him out, the link is:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=12252

I know, I was suppose to wait until July to make any more loans, but I couldn't resist. I tried. I went about 4-5 days! Woo hoo. There should be a warning when signing up that Kiva lending is addictive!

KLA

[AccountAbility]

I do sound like a broken record since I find myself repeating myself.   The concern about the home repair loans is that it contradicts the banner headline on the Kiva main page.  "Kiva lets you lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world--empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty."  The key for me is "entrepreneur" and "lift themselves".  Both are referring to putting income production into the hands of the poor by lending them the capital to accomplish this. 
It's possible that an entrepreneur might use loan proceeds to make a repair on his house, but the write-ups usually do not explain how that relates to the above goal.  Tell me how this helps an entrepreneur increase his income production and I will listen--and maybe lend.

[RichardF]

Here's an example of a home improvement loan that helps improve a business for a group of entrepreneurs who participate in an online shop! 

The quilt group of Miss Thu. 

[Henry]

I wish I had been in on this loan.  These ladies appear to be doing great things. It did confuse me at first glance, then i researched the website.  The confusion was why the need for a loan? the website says they gave $24,000US to vietnam plus last year to help local issues.  Alas, i reread the website and discover how they operate their business.  This loan was made to one individual Group leader in a village that is near vietnam-quilts. I read where the group leaders go for one week to drop off their quilts and pick up new orders then return to their group and familys.

I'm currently waiting for vietnam-quilts to provide me with my total purchase for two quilts plus shipping.  Can't wait to receive them!   

[Kevin]

About home repairs: the recent group are from a town in Mexico that appears to have had a lot of home robberies. Surely you can see the relationship between preventing theft and staying out of poverty.

Home ownership is in the foundation of economic stability for the community as a whole. A safe, clean, well kept home increases property values. Plus the people who live in such homes are in a better position, physically, psychologically, and financially, to work.

[Diane R]

On another thread they were talking about arts-related loans, and look at this one: Ballet Grabas, in Chad!

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=12556

They're looking for money to replace costumes and instruments for their performances.

I love Kiva. 

[Henry]

Regarding GROUPS on KIVA

First, and please read this twice...  I'm not pointing at any group.  Read it again please!

These are concerns I've thought of today:

Group that collects money from other than Family and Close friends, Church.

       No control over funds staying at KIVA.  Example. I get a bunch of people to give me $100's of dollars and I show for a year or so that It's all in KIVA doing what 'the charter' is.  Then when people forget about it or write off the donation, i pull the money out and buy a boat!

      On some sites I've looked at, there is no application that shows where the money "MIKE?" gave went to help "Muso Malana buy a goat".  Without methods of control, there is no method to verify a group is being honest.

      Why are groups needed.....  i just don't see the reason for most of them.


Other than a bunch of bad karma for the group, how would BAD PRESS reflect on KIVA? Could KIVA be liable in anyway?  Could one bad apple ruin what I consider a great thing.

Now, you people who like to bash!  Remember i'm just seeking others thoughts. 

Looking forward to this thread!

[Henry]

Anyone here extremely good at Visual Basic - need help with a macro in MS excel.
(Macro that will require input from user, this input will be a webpage, that input is placed in the filename box on the Data/Import External Data/Import Dat form, then it continues to run)
This is a KIVA project for me, that if I get it to work will be happy to share.

[AccountAbility]

Regarding GROUPS on KIVA

First, and please read this twice...  I'm not pointing at any group.  Read it again please!

These are concerns I've thought of today:

Group that collects money from other than Family and Close friends, Church.

       No control over funds staying at KIVA.  Example. I get a bunch of people to give me $100's of dollars and I show for a year or so that It's all in KIVA doing what 'the charter' is.  Then when people forget about it or write off the donation, i pull the money out and buy a boat!

      On some sites I've looked at, there is no application that shows where the money "MIKE?" gave went to help "Muso Malana buy a goat".  Without methods of control, there is no method to verify a group is being honest.

      Why are groups needed.....  i just don't see the reason for most of them.


Other than a bunch of bad karma for the group, how would BAD PRESS reflect on KIVA? Could KIVA be liable in anyway?  Could one bad apple ruin what I consider a great thing.

Now, you people who like to bash!  Remember i'm just seeking others thoughts. 

Looking forward to this thread!

Since AccountAbility got put in the list of "groups" I guess I can add my two cents.  I think it would be a bad thing for Kiva to give any official sanction to a group.  What you envision resembles somebody knocking on doors, saying they are collecting for the Cancer Society, without any credentials.  Who knows where the money might end up.  But many of the "groups" already exist and have their own ways of trusting each other.  Some seem to give the log--on passwords to everyone in the group .  The groups really are all over the map.

The reason why they are interesting in "Kiva friends" is that instead of one person or family getting excited about Kiva, a whole existing group gets excited together.  Many keep track of the progress on their portfolios and share it with the group.  If the Monday night poker group wants to pull $25 out of the pot each evening to sweeten their Kiva portfolio, I'd say more power to them.  And if three of the guys go home and start their own portfolios, then I'll cheer even more.   I left us in the "groups" even though I thought it was a stretch to think of us that way, mainly to share one way that a business might get going on a portfolio.

Anyway, that's my take.

[optimistic.bob]

I think somebody needs to read this article on 8 Practical Tips to Cure Your Internet ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) 


 http://zenhabits.net:80/2007/06/8-practical-tips-to-cure-your-internet-add-attention-deficit-disorder/