Kiva

This year I have been trying to handle my finances in a way that is both wise and faith based. I have made a few personal decisions that allow me to accept God's monetary blessing as well as sharing my money with those who need it more. It comes easy to simply throw my money at different charities and I do believe that there are many good causes that need finical help. But for me, this does not seem the wisest move. I have been doing a lot of reading about different ways of helping people financially and I recently have come across (via a professor) something that is really beneficial to those who have money to give, but also those need to think about the future. There is an organization named Kiva that allows you to give money to people in rough circumstances as a loan. Kiva finds people, mostly in third world countries, that have a plan for a business and need a loan to get there. All the money you give them is payed back in a certain time frame that is established when you give. The world does not need people to give more money, the world needs those who have to help those who don't establish a means of obtaining money. The business that the individuals participating in Kiva are trying to build are explained right in their profile and I really believe that this is a good use of money. This is a way on empowering people to build an independent life where they can become responsible for their own monetary issues. Also, this gives us a chance to give, but still have. The sums of money these people are asking for are not huge amounts of cash. They are asking for installments of 500-1000 most of the time. Even then, you are not required to give that much money. Through Kiva you are able to lend as much as your circumstances will allow.

To me, this is a solid method of empowering the poor to overcome their circumstances while still maintaining good finances in your own life. Right now I am trying to save for when I graduate and this fits perfectly into that plan. If I am saving my money I am not using it, so it makes to let someone else use it for a year and then have it paid back in full.

You can check it out at www.kiva.org.

He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for His Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. - Proverbs 14:31