KIVA

so my brilliant friend Karisse (there's a link to her blog Musings on the right) has introduced me to Kiva.
Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. it is an organization that allows people with opportunity to lend to those seeking it in other nations. You can pick any person or group of people, and choose how much you want to lend to them. by lending to them, you help them start a business that they otherwise would not be able to do. they set up a re-payment system, whether in one lump some or monthly installments, and when you are fully paid back, you have the option to use that money to help another budding business. most of the businesses come from countries where the economy and government make it difficult for entrepreneurs to make a living.

I feel like this is one way I can help by sharing with others the insurmountable blessings and opportunities i have been given. I factored what it costs me to buy one coffee a day (the coffee room here is just too irresistible), plus happy hour at claim jumpers (a few of us have a standing date on wednesday nights), and matched that to help someone.

theres a cool story with how i chose my person. i was browsing the website, seeing what exactly it involved, and decided i wanted to help, but had to leave it for later as there was work to be done. i was at a thai restaurant getting dinner with my friend melany, and i asked God who i should pick. i felt like he told me patience, and i was like, "okay God, ill wait." when i got home, i started looking at all the different entrepreneurs in africa, since i knew that i wanted to help someone from there. (i love africa, my soul just agrees with the spirit of the people there!) a few people in, i saw my person. her name was patience! Patience Emmanual to be exact. (and i love the emmanual part, since that means 'God with us.") heres the information on patience:








" Patience Emmanuel lives in the town of Igbelerin, in Lagos State, Nigeria. She sells hair products and hair pieces for a living, and also does manicures and pedicures. She spent two years studying this trade before going into business on her own in 2006. Patience is 30 years old, married and has five children. She needs a loan of $1,200 to buy products and hairpieces to sell to her customers, and wishes to extend her thanks to Kiva and to her lenders. "


so thats my girl. this is just one way that we can end human trafficking, because most people that are trafficked live at or below the poverty level. by helping people rise above that, we are helping them have a chance at a better life. this is just one small way that proves that one person really DOES make a difference.

my hope is that after every time my loan is repaid i can double it to help others. my other hope is that this might inspire you to go take a look at the website :)