Every year we spend who knows how much on ‘stuff’. Stuff for ourselves during the year, and stuff for friends and family at birthdays and Christmas time. I’m not saying this is wrong, or even useless … but maybe you could consider giving one extra gift this year.

At just $25 it’s not expensive, and you can help change someone’s life.

Kiva is a non-profit site that offers microloans to people. Someone might need money to help put a roof on their house, to buy a cow or chicken, or seeds so they can plant and get food, money so they can get supplies for their shop, or even just get clean water … all things we take for granted. But it means the world to people elsewhere. Your $25 goes towards what they need.

I was introduced to Kiva through fellow Aussie genealogist, Judy Webster, who created the Kiva group “Genealogists for Families“. Judy has continued her father’s tradition of lending money to hard-working people who want support but not handouts. Your $25 can be loaned over and over again, and as it is repaid, it does more good than a one-time donation to charity. Judy created this group in September 2011, has since then it has continually grown. Currently the Genealogists for Families group has 351 members (made up of geneapeeps from all around the world) who have collectively supplied loans to 9455 people. Impressive isn’t it!

Here’s some other impressive figures …

But it’s not so much the amount lent, or even the numbers of those lent to … but rather the fact that these people have then been able to continue on with life a little easier thanks to the loan.

So while you’re out and about Christmas shopping, and wondering decorations you need to buy for the Christmas table, take a moment to think about those who need basic supplies to live, and see if you can spare $25 for them as well.

To loan to someone you simply go to www.kiva.org, choose a borrower, say how much you’d like to loan, and click on loan. After that you’ll then get payment repayments and updates each month.

Note: Anyone, anywhere can loan on Kiva. You do not have to be a genealogist. But if you are, and love the idea, why not join Judy’s Genealogists for Families group? Every loan helps.

Further information …
Kiva website – http://www.kiva.org
Genealogists for Families group on Kiva – http://www.kiva.org/team/genealogists
Genealogists for Families blog – http://genfamilies.blogspot.com/

Christmas is the time for giving, and I want to tell you about a very special gift that everyone could give, and it only costs you $25.

Kiva is a non-profit organisation that give loans to those who need it from 80 countries around the world. These needing it can request loans for education, for food, for housing, for health, for sanitation as well as livestock and chickens amongst other things. Things that we all tend to take for granted.

Note I said LOAN. This is not a donation, as you will get your money back. You simply look through the list of people requesting and you can choose by country or choose by category (health, housing, agriculture, men, women etc), and once chosen you can then click on the person, read the bio, and click on the “Lend $25” button, then go through the checkout. Your loan, together with others who choose to support this person will help change someone’s life. Once enough people support this person to reach their requested loan value, your loan gets paid back slowly, a little each month. And then you can choose to have the funds returned to you, or you can use the credit to relend to someone else.

Kiva themselves  say “Lenders crowdfund the loan in increments of $25 or more.” So you see how it works? $25 really is the gift and keeps on giving.

In September 2011 Australian genealogist Judy Webster, continued her father’s tradition of lending money to hard-working people who want support but not handouts, and to do so created the “Genealogists for Families” group on Kiva. I am proud to be a part of this group, and have helped many with loans over the past 5 years.

Since then 329 other genealogists,
from all around the world have joined the group,
lending over $206,000 for 7847 loans

the stats for the Genealogists for Families group on Kiva, as at 18 December 2016

Anyone can loan through Kiva, you don’t have to be a genealogist or family historian. But if you are, feel free to join the Genealogists for Families group, we’d love to have you join.

Further information …
Kiva website – http://www.kiva.org
Genealogists for Families group on Kiva – http://www.kiva.org/team/genealogists
Genealogists for Families blog – http://genfamilies.blogspot.com/

So while you’re out and about Christmas shopping, and wondering what ornaments to buy for the Christmas table, or how many drinks you’ll need for Christmas Day, take a moment to think about those who need basic supplies to live, and see if you can spare $25 for them as well.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

‘Tis the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse (or our cats). I’m not going to quote Christmas rhymes here, but I but it is Christmas Eve and all it quiet in our house at the moment. The cats are all sleeping, Mr Lonetester has gone to visit friends, so I’m home. And as there’s nothing decent on TV, I headed over to the Trove newspapers to see what I could find.

Now I think most of you would agree with me that commercialism is ruining Christmas. For the past month or two we’ve had to deal with the glitzy TV adverts and the glossy brochures that arrive in the letterbox, each wanting us to buy the latest electric toothbrush, blower vac, or set of $2000 earrings for your loved one. And don’t forget that you must have matching tablecloth and napkins! I mean … really?

On occasions I might blog about something other than genealogy – this is one of those times. Today I’m talking about Kiva.

As tough as times are this economic climate, $25 isn’t really a huge amount – we’ll not for most of us. And wouldn’t it be good if you could do something really good with it like loan it to someone who really, really needs help ? “You said loan right”? That’s right … you loan $25 and your money is paid back to you.

So let me tell you about Kiva …
Kiva (www.kiva.org) is a company that allows you to do “micro-loans” (ie. $25). Its tagline is “loans that change lives”, and it really does, and I’m proud to do my bit towards that.