Loans that Change Lives ~ Kiva.org

The January Series is back at Calvin College this month. We have several

talks that we have attended already. Today, we have an offer we are preparing

and the wind chill is -18 Degrees. I decided to stay home and listen live to the

1 hour presentation by film director, Robert Rooy, on Microfinance - Changing

lives in Poverty. Robert has filmed all over the world for non-profits so they

can tell their stories via film. He is an accomplished director and donates his

off time to helping non-profits film in remote locations.

He recommends Kiva.org as a means to donate to microfinance small business

opportunities for poor people all over the planet. This system really works.

So I checked it out and I am now helping Mujeres Unidos Group in Peru.

I will get monthly updates on their progress, whether they pay the loan back

and just how it helps their lives. Ain't the internet great?

You get to choose where your money goes, and you get updates on how

they are doing. Paypal makes the payment easy and safe.

Please go to Kiva.org and take a look. You can donate as little as $25.

You could make a difference in someone's life today.

For the price of a lunch for the two of us, we can actually

help people rise out of poverty.

7/24/09 - UPDATE: We have been paid back for our first loan, I have reinvested the

money into another women's coop, and made another loan, also. Currently, I have

loaned money to entrepeneurs in Peru, Kenya, and Afghanistan.

Grand Rapids Ada Real Estate ~ Westbrook Realty

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