 Why, is the price of gasoline $10.00 in the U.K., and $4.00 in the U.S. when----? |
| when one of the companies is BP. BP is British Petrolium. You mean to tell me, that a company in your own country is price gouging you and you are doing nothing about it?... |
|
 Does Walmart help or hurt the economy? |
| sure they offer cheap products and lots of jobs, but the put a lot of other companies out of business and have questionable business practices. I hear they are boycotted in a lot of small markets ... |
|
 Wal-mart more expensive? |
| Ok, I hate shopping at Wal-mart and avoid it at all costs for many reasons (stinky people, over crowding, screaming children, unfair wages, lack of company morals.) However, when you live in a small ... |
|
 Does walmart say screw the customer? |
| why does the largest retail in america never offer choices? why do they stock aisles with unrelated products? why do they leave pallets and ladders in the way of customers? the list goes on and on ... |
|
 Why does customer service give you an attitude about bringing an item back? |
| Was it theres? Did they have stock in that item? Are they just miserable, or what? Why have an attitude when I bring something back that I paid money for that didn't work? That ******* *****... |
|
 What is Wal-Mart????? |
| I heard that name for many times.Tell me about it.I don't wanna read wiki pages.Thz.... |
|
 Does everyone hate home depot? |
| i work there, and i might be the only person people like, im a cashier, and if something rings up wrong, i just give them it for the right price, if the product has no UPC and its like under 3 ... |
|
 Is walmart really changing its name to walcost? |
| Hey does anyone know if walmart is really changing its name to walcost?... |
|
 What does plc mean? |
| its something, something ... |
|
 Are the oil companies making too much profit? |
| Just noticed the price of oil has dropped to below $100 a barrel, a drop of $50 in two months, yet fuel prices at the pump have dropped a miserly 9p a litre at my garage. I would really like someone ... |
|
 Is it fair for cinema's to treat their customers this way...? |
http://uk.movies.yahoo.c
Surely this contravenes regulations in terms of competition and customer choice?... |
|
 Selling tracksuit bottoms on ebay and the buyer asked me to Customise them what does he mean? |
Selling tracksuit bottoms on ebay and the buyer asked me to Customise them what does he mean?
Can someone please tell me , doont wnt to email him and ask may sound stupid.
... |
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Stace_01 | Is kiva.org a scam? |
I recently saw the kiva.org article on yahoo and was wondering if this was for real. If you have donated can you tell me your experience? |
 |
 
DianeR
 |
I've been a lender through Kiva.org for 3 months now. It is absolutely for real, and it is one of the most positive experiences I have had in a very long time. 2 loans I've funded have already repaid, and half a dozen more are on schedule to repay in another month. I have re-loaned the proceeds, but I know people who have taken their money out after a loan repays, so you can do either (or donate it to Kiva to cover expenses, that's welcomed, too!)
I minimize my risk by lending the minimum to a number of borrowers (although some folks prefer to lend larger amounts to fewer borrowers), and I always check out the reputation of the MFI (local microfunding institution that partners with Kiva.org) via the link on the borrower's loan request. If the MFI doesn't seem reliable to me, or if the loan is for something I don't approve of, I won't choose to lend.
I'm giving out gift certificates as holiday and wedding gifts now, and have already signed up 6 new members that I know of. It's an exhilarating feeling to be able to participate in helping someone work to improve their life and community, and when my money is repaid I can take it out if I want. It's totally worth it to me, and it is totally legit. |
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jb2333
|
I have been lending at KIVA since last December and have had about 10 loans already repaid. I got a KIVA credit within minutes of being repaid. I currently have about 40 loans being repaid now.
I have given out kiva gift certificates to family and friends and they have not had any problems either.
Kiva joins up with a microlender in a particular country, and some of them are quicker at giving out funds and paying back than others, but all of them are great.
Kiva is NOT a scam. Its the only charity paypal supports by waiving fees. |
|
spouse
 |
Kiva is a small but growing entity that is channeling small amounts of money (as little as $25) from many people to help those in other countries who are trying to improve their lives without depending on charity. You get to choose who you loan to, based on where they are, who they are, what they are going to use the money for, when they will pay it back. The vast majority of borrowers pay back on time and in full. You receive no interest, just the knowledge that you are making a HUGE difference in the life of a family or a community. And once you are paid back, you can get your money back out or reloan it, helping yet another person with the same money.
While you can read about the mechanics of the process on kiva.org or kivafriends.org, you should make a decision whether to participate or not based on your ability to live without the funds for a while, possibly forever. But know that whatever you lend is helping the borrower in ways you'll never fully know - your $25 may help her business enough that her kids can go to school, or enough that she can afford to put a solid floor in her house, or enough that she can employ another person and affect THEIR life.
I hope to see you on the kivafriends site - you can ask direct questions there and get answers until you are comfortable making a decision as to whether or not to lend.
I bid you peace.
- m |
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Jill, A KivaFriend
|
You're absolutely right to ask questions, first, Stace_01. The Internet is full-to-bursting with unscrupulous sites inviting people to pour their hard-earned money down bottomless holes. It's really important to be careful.
But is Kiva.org a scam? Well, if it is, it's got me, a retired lawyer and certificated teacher, and nearly a hundred thousand other lawyers, teachers, truck drivers, CEOs, farmers, military personnel, doctors, religious leaders, waitresses, IT people, bartenders, actors, scientists, university professors, homemakers, elementary and other school level classrooms, business owners, and others from all over the world incredibly happily bamboozled. And this is just the beginning.
For me, Kiva is one of the most hopeful examples I have ever seen of people from every walk of life, economic level, cultural background and a wonderful diversity of geographic locations coming together. People are drawn to Kiva just out of decency and empathy, attracted by the opportunity it offers to become part of an all-embracing compassionate world-wide circle.
We come, we lend, we stay, we get our loans repaid and we lend, again and again, merely for the purpose of trying to give a better chance in life to people, to complete strangers, actually, who, because of "fate" or some inscrutable toss of the dice were not graced with the same opportunities and good fortune that we were.
It is enormously satisfying. And, as an unanticipated and treasure-laden side benefit, I have learned so much about so many different, wonderful things since becoming a part of the Kiva circle.
I have been with Kiva since last fall and intend to remain with Kiva as it becomes, I am very much hoping, almost a kind of world movement. I have already invested in lavendar fields, a worm farm, three stone crackers, beekeepers, a couple of young African women I'm trying to help stay away from prostitution, a guy who has started a mushroom growing business in his cellar, a one-time famous theater-dancer whom the vagaries of life reduced to a spare parts peddler, a number of people trying to help fight off AIDS, a taco stand, a bookstore in Kenya, and a Nigerian (maybe would-be) rock star, among others.
"My people", the struggling, dreaming hopeful entrepreneurs I have been trying to help, are in over thirty countries, including in Sierra Leone, Kenya, Haiti, Iraq, Mexico, Indonesia, Peru, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Afghanistan -- just all over.
So, I would encourage you to take a chance. We're a pretty happy satisfied bunch. Long Live Kiva! |
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Steve
|
This is authentic. I have been a lender since Nov 2006 - see www.kiva.org/lender/steve8782 and remain convinced it is not only genuine but truly an exciting vehicle for change. Yes, a borrower might sway you with stories of extreme hardship, or a photograph in a particularly primitive setting. And yes, like in for-profit business there is a mathematical risk of failure; I lick that problem by diversifying and relying on local partners to identify earnest borrowers.
The payoff is on several levels; the process is fun, the lender gets a high degree of control, and unlike a donation this is a LOAN. You can help a succession of people with the same pool of capital. Also, the prospect of repayment is a motivating factor for borrowers to spend wisely, so I gain the sense that my money is making its maximum impact.
Several of my loans have completed and I have that money ready to loan to the next business that captures my imagination. Seeing Kiva in action over the past year has strengthened my commitment.
Steve - Chicago |
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CJean
|
I have been a lender for 6 months, it is a great way to help by giving a hand up. Kiva has had growing pains but is essentially run very efficiently and professionally by volunteers.
I also use the kivafriends.org website it is full of great info. Lots of really smart people out there. |
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Richard F
 |
Short answer: Nooooooooo! Kiva is NOT a scam! >;-o)
Check out:
* http://www.kiva.org/about/press/
* http://www.mixmarket.org/en/supply/supply.show.profile.asp?token=&ett=1926
* http://www.kivapedia.org/
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiva_%28organization%29
* http://www.kivafriends.org/
* http://www.myspace.com/kivaloans
* http://www.change.org/nonprofit_page/nonprofit_home/16338
The list goes on and on...
Here's my wife's and my lender profile:
* http://www.kiva.org/lender/richard4681
Kiva is an innovative Web2 approach to microfinance for businesses in developing countries. It's on the cutting edge of integrating person-to-person online lending as a way to help reduce worldwide poverty through sustainable international development. Yes, it has its growing pains, but its heart and actions are in the right place. The best way to learn about Kiva is to try Kiva. These loans change lives, maybe even yours! ;-) |
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Jackie S
|
I have been a Kiva lender for several months now and I did my homework before joining. Their web page is full of value information answering most questions. The staff is always available for clarification and further questions. It is an easy and safe web page to participate in. This organization started as a grass roots enterprise and has grown to lending $10 million dollars all over the world in little over two years. While there is risk involved, being able to lend $25 at a time minimizes that risk. Kiva has been working very hard to give to their lenders as much information as they can to make informed decisions as to whom and where their money goes. Kiva gives each lender the power to lend to another individual which is very personal and very rewarding. Your money doesnt go into a huge pot but to your choice. Journal entries from the field personnel helps to keep you informed as to how your borrower is doing with their new found capital. While Kiva is a very young organization, it is growing and improving each and every day. And kivafriends.org is a community of kiva lenders who gather together for fun and discussion. It is a very caring and open community where all members from all walks of life, all age groups and many countries outside of the US unite to talk about how we can help Kiva to become even better.
I will also be giving out gift certificates to Kiva to friends and family this holiday season. It is a gift that keeps on giving as you can keep relending your money every time it is repaid.
While I continue my favorite charties here closer to home, I have found that this type of lending to help the poor of the world is very rewarding. We may be US citizens (or whichever country is your home) but we are all citizens of the world. |
|
MUCK
|
Yes, it is for real. It is just a new approach to a concept that has been in existence for almost 40 years. That the world community sees value in microfinancing as a tool to end poverty was demonstrated clearly in 2006 when the founder of the Grameen Bank, Muhammed Yunus, received the Nobel Peace Prize. For more information read Muhammad Yunus book "Banker to the Poor" or Jeffrey Sachs "The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities of our Time". |
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mpp009
|
No. It is not a scam. |
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CHARITY G
|
It's legit. You may not always get your money back but the amount is so small it really doesn't matter. Give "donations/loans" away for holidays. |
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WF Glenda
 |
I joined Kiva this February and absolutely love it. I get a great feeling of satisfaction from being able to help in this way. I have many loans in many countries and already have been paid back in full for several (immediately lent the money to another person in each case). I have arranged to visit 6-8 of the people I've lent to in Uganda when I travel to that country in September. I already feel that I know each of them and that each is a friend. Check out kivafriends.org. Without joining you won't have all the benefits of the site but you'll get a good feel for how the lenders feel about the Kiva organization. Viva Kiva! |
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joveesasha
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No input I think you're able to check this on line. |
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tenjacks
|
I have been a lender for about 3 years and have had my money paid back by lenders which I have re-lent to Kiva borrowers. Kiva is not a scam but I have found recently that the number of borrowers have diminished considerably and Kiva has given no explanation for this. There has also been an increase in the number of borrowers who wish to use the money for personal reasons rather than to start or fund businesses. I find this disappointing. Kiva needs to explain or it will lose my support. |
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