http://www.kiva.org
What We Do
We let you loan to the working poor
Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you've sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.
We partner with organizations all over the world
Kiva partners with existing microfinance institutions. In doing so, we gain access to outstanding entrepreneurs from impoverished communities world-wide. Our partners are experts in choosing qualified borrowers. That said, they are usually short on funds. Through Kiva.org, our partners upload their borrower profiles directly to the site so you can lend to them.
We show you where your money goes
Kiva provides a data-rich, transparent lending platform for the poor. We are constantly working to make the system more transparent to show how money flows throughout the entire cycle. The below diagram shows briefly how money gets from you to a third-world borrower, and back!
We facilitate connections
Kiva is using the power of the internet to facilitate one-to-one connections that were previously prohibitively expensive. Child sponsorship has always been a high overhead business. Kiva creates a similar interpersonal connection at much lower costs due to the instant, inexpensive nature of internet delivery. The individuals featured on our website are real people who need a loan and are waiting for socially-minded individuals like you to lend them money.
Statistics
The following statistics are updated nightly and approved by Kiva.org for publication:
Total value of all loans made through Kiva.org:$17,986,735Number of Kiva Lenders:198574 Number of loans that have been funded through Kiva.org:27635Number of Kiva Field Partners (microfinance institutions Kiva.org partners with):77Number of countries Kiva Field Partners are located in:39Current repayment rate (all partners):99.79%Current default rate (all partners):0.21%Average size of loan for funding:$599.63Average total amount loaned per Kiva Lender (includes reloaned funds):$90.35Average number of loans per Kiva Lender:2.29