Is kiva ultimately a scam? I hope someone can explain this...

[Guest]

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[optimistic.bob]

Yes, Bob, what created the disconnect for you? 

I believe in small micro solutions that I can feel connected to. All this talk about legal relationships, defaulting loans, estate planning, loansharking has begun to feel too much like work. Now I need to understand the economics and local interest rates as well as  local business successes instead of trusting that these good people deserve a better living.
As Kiva grows its oversight and controls needed to change and improve but with all the success Kiva is having this small fish will look for smaller waters.

Best of luck to all lenders, borrowers and even to the nefarious MFI's

[Jill]

      I've got to take off because I've got a "teaching" commitment in a little while,
but I just read Bob's post and a few of the ones preceding it and

    I note, in myself, and feel fairly sure that
what I'm feeling is a feeling that a number of others of you are probably also feeling,

     but I'm feeling a kind of sadness, loss
at losing Bob. 
As if.... but hey, wait a minute,
the whole point was for Kiva,
and all the connections and compassion and circle-building it represented...
the whole point was that we were supposed to grow... and keep getting more and more people
to care.... along with us...
all this idealistic stuff,
something about...
that "this" is the way the world is supposed to work,
the Kiva caring way....
that we're not SUPPOSED to lose people.
It's like it hurts a little, almost as if it were a tiny death in the family.
It's all very strange.

     Anyway, Bob,
    I, and I'd guess that most of us
    wish you well, wish you the best.
    Take care,
     Jill

[Good Dogg]

We will serve no whine before its time.

[KivanSteven]

No I understand, I just didnt want you to think that I was saying, "what criticisms, what is there to criticize?" 

[AccountAbility]

I believe in small micro solutions that I can feel connected to. All this talk about legal relationships, defaulting loans, estate planning, loansharking has begun to feel too much like work. Now I need to understand the economics and local interest rates as well as  local business successes instead of trusting that these good people deserve a better living.
As Kiva grows its oversight and controls needed to change and improve but with all the success Kiva is having this small fish will look for smaller waters.

Best of luck to all lenders, borrowers and even to the nefarious MFI's

Hey, Bob.  I can really understand what you are saying.  It is hard to avoid all that stuff, especially here at this forum.  But many lenders do ignore all that and just concentrate on following a few Partners who they can relate to and who put loans on Kiva.  Some, such as Hope International, even invite direct personal participation.  In addition, for me personally, I have been watching those 1-star newly emerging Partners who can really use a hand up to get established.

In any event, best of everything to you regardless of how you move ahead, because I believe your heart is in the right place-- and sometimes you just have to follow it.

Dan

[Henry]

I can't put my hand on the answer...  I'm just not as KIVAN as I once was, I can tell it in my spirit (edit: add:  and I'm not telling my friends of KIVA anymore either, lost the interest to do that), probably mostly as a result of recent news and an education of what I now believe are inacurate data numbers presented to KIVA's members.  This along with I think KIVA's focus is on Growth, and not "Product" at the moment.

I'm hanging in, I had planned to fund $500 a month in loans.  Now, I'll just play with what's in there till it's gone.  Tomorrow could be a new day, I never say never.

[RichardF]

Bob, Dan, Henry, Jill, and Everyone Who Feels Somewhat Disillusioned,

I wish you well in whatever choices you make about Kiva.  Lending or not lending is not the issue.  Just remember you now know, if you ever doubted it, that connecting is possible.  If you did it once, you can do it again.  Just find that place inside of you where it happened and do it again.  Things like this will ebb and flow, but the River always returns to the Ocean.

[KivanSteven]

Henry you are one of the biggest contributors to kivafriends and I would hope you maintain your relationships with the people here.  i dont know you personally but I know its people like you who make the forum so much more interesting and social.  If you look at the stats there really arent more than a couple dozen people who are truly utilizing and participating in this forum on a regular basis; therefore wed all hate to see you go, but I do want to thank you and everyone else I dont know for envigorating our interests in Kiva and always reminding us why it consumed us Kivans from day one...

[Henry]

LOL, thanks for your post....   I'm still playing a manatee!  I'm swimming up Richards river, just get struck by a careless boat every now and then.  I'm sure I will be here way past others.  KIVA Friends is the biggest reason for staying in touch with KIVA, if it weren't for KIVAFriends, I probably would check my KIVA account only when I received an email from KIVA.   

Another reason KIVA should send out newsletters...to get some activity on some of the 'idle' accounts. 

KIVAFriends ROCK! 

[AccountAbility]

Bob, Dan, Henry, Jill, and Everyone Who Feels Somewhat Disillusioned,

   I speak only for myself, but I am not in the least bit disillusioned.   

Delusional perhaps, but not disillusioned. 

Dan