Kiva (organization): Difference between revisions
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Kiva allows [[microfinance]] institutions around the world, called "Field Partners", to post profiles of qualified local [[entrepreneur]]s on its website. Lenders browse and choose an entrepreneur they wish to fund. Kiva aggregates loan capital from individual lenders and transfers it to the appropriate Field Partners to disburse to the entrepreneur chosen by the lender. As the entrepreneurs repay their loans, the Field Partners remit funds back to Kiva. As the loan is repaid, the Kiva lenders can withdraw their principal or re-loan it to another entrepreneur. |
Kiva allows [[microfinance]] institutions around the world, called "Field Partners", to post profiles of qualified local [[entrepreneur]]s on its website. Lenders browse and choose an entrepreneur they wish to fund. Kiva aggregates loan capital from individual lenders and transfers it to the appropriate Field Partners to disburse to the entrepreneur chosen by the lender. As the entrepreneurs repay their loans, the Field Partners remit funds back to Kiva. As the loan is repaid, the Kiva lenders can withdraw their principal or re-loan it to another entrepreneur. |
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Lenders' funds are transferred to Kiva through [[PayPal]], which does not collect its usual fees in this case.<ref>[http://www.kiva.org/about/help/questions?subtopic=Completing%20the%20Payment%20Process#question2 Kiva FAQ: When I pay through PayPal, is PayPal taking a fee?]: "Kiva.org is the first organization PayPal is supporting by providing free payment processing."</ref> It is possible to pay by credit card through PayPal's website, even without a PayPal account, but a PayPal account is needed to withdraw funds.<ref>[http://www.kiva.org/about/help/questions?subtopic=Completing%20the%20Payment%20Process#question1 Kiva FAQ: Do I have to use PayPal?]</ref> Field Partners charge interest to their borrowers, although Kiva claims to keep track of how much interest is charged and will not work with those charging unfair interest rates.<ref>[http://www.kiva.org/about/ |
Lenders' funds are transferred to Kiva through [[PayPal]], which does not collect its usual fees in this case.<ref>[http://www.kiva.org/about/help/questions?subtopic=Completing%20the%20Payment%20Process#question2 Kiva FAQ: When I pay through PayPal, is PayPal taking a fee?]: "Kiva.org is the first organization PayPal is supporting by providing free payment processing."</ref> It is possible to pay by credit card through PayPal's website, even without a PayPal account, but a PayPal account is needed to withdraw funds.<ref>[http://www.kiva.org/about/help/questions?subtopic=Completing%20the%20Payment%20Process#question1 Kiva FAQ: Do I have to use PayPal?]</ref> Field Partners charge interest to their borrowers, although Kiva claims to keep track of how much interest is charged and will not work with those charging unfair interest rates.<ref>[http://www.kiva.org/about/faq/#Do_Kivas_partners_charge_interest_to Kiva FAQ: Do Kiva.org’s Field Partners charge interest to the entrepreneurs?]: "Our Field Partners are free to charge interest, but Kiva.org will not partner with an organization that charges exorbitant interest rates."</ref> Kiva lenders do not receive any interest because Kiva is not registered with the US Government as a broker.<ref>[http://www.kiva.org/about/faq/#Do_I_get_interest_on_my_loan Kiva FAQ: Do I get interest on my loan?]: "Providing interest to our lenders is legally complex and we hope to provide this option soon as the regulations of the US Government allow."</ref> |
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==Organization and team== |
==Organization and team== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://www.kiva.org Kiva] - Official web site. |
*[http://www.kiva.org Kiva] - Official web site. |
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*[http://www.deki.org.uk Deki] - A similar person to person micro loan organisation based in the UK. |
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*[http://www.mftransparency.org Microfinance Transparency] |
*[http://www.mftransparency.org Microfinance Transparency] |
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*[http://www.LeagueofVirtue.org League of Virtue] - LoV is a non-profit network and life-change strategy to help ordinary people build micro-giving concepts into a sustainable lifestyle. |
*[http://www.LeagueofVirtue.org League of Virtue] - LoV is a non-profit network and life-change strategy to help ordinary people build micro-giving concepts into a sustainable lifestyle. |
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Revision as of 06:37, 25 July 2009
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. |
| File:Kiva.org logo.svg | |
| Founded | October 2005 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Matt Flannery Jessica Jackley |
| Focus | Economic development |
| Location | |
Area served | World-wide |
| Method | Microcredit |
Key people | |
Employees | 34[1] |
| Website | www.kiva.org |
Kiva Microfunds is an organization that allows people to lend money via the Internet to microfinance institutions around the world (including the United States) which in turn lend the money to small businesses.[2] It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in San Francisco, supported by donations from its users and through partnerships with businesses and other institutions.[3] On June 10, 2009, Kiva announced the enabling of loans to small businesses in the United States, the first developed country selected by Kiva.
How it works
Kiva allows microfinance institutions around the world, called "Field Partners", to post profiles of qualified local entrepreneurs on its website. Lenders browse and choose an entrepreneur they wish to fund. Kiva aggregates loan capital from individual lenders and transfers it to the appropriate Field Partners to disburse to the entrepreneur chosen by the lender. As the entrepreneurs repay their loans, the Field Partners remit funds back to Kiva. As the loan is repaid, the Kiva lenders can withdraw their principal or re-loan it to another entrepreneur.
Lenders' funds are transferred to Kiva through PayPal, which does not collect its usual fees in this case.[4] It is possible to pay by credit card through PayPal's website, even without a PayPal account, but a PayPal account is needed to withdraw funds.[5] Field Partners charge interest to their borrowers, although Kiva claims to keep track of how much interest is charged and will not work with those charging unfair interest rates.[6] Kiva lenders do not receive any interest because Kiva is not registered with the US Government as a broker.[7]
Organization and team
Kiva was founded in October 2005 by Matt Flannery and Jessica Jackley.[8] The couple's initial interest in microfinance was inspired by a 2003 lecture given by Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus at Stanford Business School. Jessica worked at the school and invited Matt to attend the presentation; this was the first time he had heard of microfinance, but it served as a “call to action” for his wife. Soon after, Jessica began working as a consultant for the nonprofit Village Enterprise Fund, which worked to help start small businesses in East Africa. While visiting Jessica in Africa, Matt spent time with his wife interviewing entrepreneurs about the problems they faced in starting ventures and found the lack of “access to start-up capital” was a common theme. After returning from Africa, they began developing their plan for a microfinance project that would grow into Kiva, which means “unity” in Swahili or "nice" in Finnish. [9][10] Kiva is run by a team with experience in microfinance and technology.[11]
Publicity
- Nicholas D. Kristof wrote about the organization in "You, Too, Can Be a Banker to the Poor", New York Times, March 27, 2007. [12]
- Former US President Bill Clinton exhorted the students of Brandeis University to use Kiva in a speech given on December 3, 2007.
- Frontline[13] and The Oprah Winfrey Show had segments devoted to Kiva.
- Kiva is mentioned in Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, by Bill Clinton.
- League of Virtue LoV—a non-profit network and life-change strategy to help ordinary people build micro-giving concepts into a sustainable lifestyle—showcases Kiva as a critical part of what it call “sustainable human compassion.”
- "Lending hope over the Web" Los Angeles Times archive article, October 18, 2007
- The founders were on the Oprah Winfrey Show November 2007 "Oprah Features Kiva Founders".
- "Kiva PR Director Fiona Ramsey" was interviewed on "CBC Radio One's, SearchEngine".
- Greta Van Susteren is a supporter of Kiva and has made loans through the organization. [1][14]
- Ernst & Young is helping Kiva with $1m of in-kind resources to help improve the transparency of its micro-lending process [15]
- Author Bob Wood is an advocate for Kiva Loans. [16]
- Economist Dambisa Moya recommends Kiva in her book Dead Aid
- Leena Rao The Inevitable Anti-U.S. Backlash Has Started On Kiva
- Cassidy: Kerfuffle at Kiva
Interest rates
According to its web site, Kiva quotes interest rates as the "self reported average rate charged by the Field Partner to the enterpreneur."[17]
As of July 17, 2009, the average interest rate charged by all Kiva partners is 23.28%. The following table shows the interest rate charged by a sampling of field partners.
| Field Partner | Region | Interest Rate % | Correct at |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMK | Cambodia | 30.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Aqroinvest Credit Union | Azerbaijan | not stated | 2009/06/25 |
| Ariana Financial Services Joint Stock Company (AFS), a partner of Mercy Corps | Afghanistan | not stated | 2009/06/25 |
| Asasah, a partner of Save the Children | Pakistan | 20.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| BRAC Tanzania | Tanzania | 20.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| FECECAV | Togo | 18.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Fund for Thanh Hoa Poor Women (TCVM), a partner of Save the Children | Vietnam | 19.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Fundación Agrocapital, a partner of ACDI/VOCA | Bolivia | 20.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| IMON International | Tajikstan | 33.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Manuela Ramos / CrediMUJER | Peru | 35.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Microfinanzas PRISMA | Peru | 58.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| MLF MicroInvest, a partner of ACDI/VOCA | Tajikistan | 10.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Pearl Microfinance Limited | Uganda | 30.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Prisma Microfinance | Nicaragua | 15.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Regional Economic Development Center (REDC Bulgaria) | Bulgaria | 1.00 | 2009/06/25 |
| Senegal Ecovillage Microfinance Fund (SEM) | Senegal | 10.00 | 2009/06/25 |
Statistics
As of July 17, 2009, Kiva has distributed $81,993,335 in loans from 527,583 lenders. A total of 117,409 loans have been funded. The average loan size is $413.11. Its current repayment rate is 98.61%.[1] According to Alexa, Kiva's website ranks in the top 15,000 websites on the Internet.[18]
The total costs of running Kiva in 2008 totaled $4.7M. During 2008, the user base released about $37M to low-income entrepreneurs listed on the Kiva website. So, for every dollar spent on operations, Kiva lenders sent about $8 for loans. Kiva has 35 staff members.[19]
Sample loans
- 51 year old fisherman with three children in Azerbaijan
- 12 years of experience
- Seeks 12 month loan for $725 USD in order to purchase a refrigerator
- Has already successfully repaid two prior microloans
Loan to expand restaurant business
- 27 year old seeks financial independence
- Desires $475 USD loan to improve existing restaurant
- Has already successfully repaid one previous loan
Criticism
Some people, including microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus, argue that the interest rates of many microcredit institutions are unreasonably high. In his latest book[20] he argues that microfinance institutions that charge more than 15% above their long-term operating costs should face penalties.
Kiva defends the interest rates of its lenders, however, saying its field partners provide much better rates than local alternatives, but must charge what they do because "the costs of making a micro-loan in the developing world are higher versus larger loans in the West."[17]
In July 2008 Kiva discovered that fraud had taken place with one of their 112 lenders[21], an African organisation based in Cote d'Ivoire. They suspended activities with the organisation and after an investigation followed by the negotiated repayment of loans they cut all ties.[22]
In 2009 Kiva enabled the lending of money to US borrowers. Many Kiva lenders have voiced criticism of the decision to make loans to developed countries, pointing out that even the poor in the US enjoy many advantages over those in undeveloped countries, including access to basic education, police and fire protection, clean water, electricity, and an array of social programs and charities unknown to the vast majority of other Kiva borrowers..[23] In July 2009 a web site critical of the decision was created by Kiva lenders unhappy with the perceived message of funding loans to US borrowers.[24]
References
- ^ a b c Kiva facts
- ^ "What We Do" on Kiva.org
- ^ "Supporters" on Kiva.org
- ^ Kiva FAQ: When I pay through PayPal, is PayPal taking a fee?: "Kiva.org is the first organization PayPal is supporting by providing free payment processing."
- ^ Kiva FAQ: Do I have to use PayPal?
- ^ Kiva FAQ: Do Kiva.org’s Field Partners charge interest to the entrepreneurs?: "Our Field Partners are free to charge interest, but Kiva.org will not partner with an organization that charges exorbitant interest rates."
- ^ Kiva FAQ: Do I get interest on my loan?: "Providing interest to our lenders is legally complex and we hope to provide this option soon as the regulations of the US Government allow."
- ^ "Kiva Background" on kiva.org
- ^ Flannery, Matt (2006). “Kiva and the Birth of Person-to-Person Microfinance.” Innovations (2:1/2): 31-56.
- ^ "Web-Based Microfinancing" New York Times
- ^ KIVA Staff
- ^ Kristof column
- ^ Frontline story about Kiva
- ^ http://www.kiva.org/lender/greta5691
- ^ "Ernst & Young and Kiva.org to Work Together to Increase Transparency of Micro-Loans to Entrepreneurs in the Developing World"
- ^ kiva.org
- ^ a b Kiva Help - Interest Rate Comparison
- ^ Alexa.com - Kiva.org traffic details
- ^ Kiva Blog - Contours of a Crisis (II) - 2009-01-07
- ^ Muhammad Yunus and Karl Weber. Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism. PublicAffairs, New York, 2007
- ^ http://www.kiva.org/about/partners/
- ^ http://www.kiva.org/about/aboutPartner?id=53
- ^ "Kiva Lending Team: Unhappy Kiva Lenders". Kiva.org. Retrieved 2009-07-11.
- ^ See http://www.unhappykivalenders.com/.
See also
External links
- Kiva - Official web site.
- Microfinance Transparency
- League of Virtue - LoV is a non-profit network and life-change strategy to help ordinary people build micro-giving concepts into a sustainable lifestyle.
- Unhappy Kiva Lenders - A web site established by Kiva lenders to protest the decision to fund loans to US borrowers.
- Interviews:
- Stories:
- Videos: