Sunday, November 7, 2010

$100,000 a month through Kiva.org!


Praise the Lord! Recently, UOB has been approved to raise $100,000 a month through Kiva.org. This limit has doubled in several months! It is an indication that Kiva is happy with the way UOB operates and the way UOB is helping the poor.

To those who are new to Kiva.org, Kiva.org is a web portal that provides millions of individuals around the world an opportunity lend a small amount of money to the poor around the world through implementing partners like UOB. The loans are coming to implementing partners at a zero interest rate and if the loans are not collected, the individual lenders bear the credit write-off. Implementing partners have to post a photo with a brief description of who the borrowers are and what they do. Collectively, individual lenders send their funds to Kiva.org that in turn forwards the funds to implementing partners. You as individual lenders can choose whom to lend to, in which country and through which implementing partners. I was a Kiva lender before I came to Rwanda and it is a great platform for anybody who is willing to lend a small amount of money indirectly. The amount could be as low as $25, if I am not mistaken. Please check it out at www.kiva.org.

Normally, we post the stories and raise the funds in 2-3 days. It takes several more days until we actually receive the funds, but nonetheless it is a tremendously fast speed and it reflects the widespread interest of people around the world in helping the poor.

We honor and praise the Lord who has been gracious to us at UOB and to Rwandans. They deserve an opportunity to graduate from chronic poverty particularly as they go through an unbelievable process of forgiveness, healing and reconciliation among people after the 1994 genocide. Be merciful, Lord! - Jeffrey

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