At the moment I am "ploughing" through a book called "The International Bank of Bob," by Bob Harris.
Hired by ForbesTraveler.com to review some of the most luxurious accommodations on Earth, and then inspired by a chance encounter in Dubai with the impoverished workers whose backbreaking jobs create such opulence, Bob Harris had an epiphany: He would turn his own good fortune into an effort to make lives like theirs better. Bob found his way to Kiva.org, the leading portal through which individuals make microloans all over the world: for as little as $25-50, businesses are financed and people are uplifted. Astonishingly, the repayment rate was nearly 99%, so he re-loaned the money to others over and over again.
After making hundreds of microloans online, Bob wanted to see the results first-hand, and in The International Bank of Bob he travels from Peru and Bosnia to Rwanda and Cambodia, introducing us to some of the most inspiring and enterprising people we've ever met, while illuminating day-to-day life-political and emotional-in much of the world that Americans never see. Told with humor and compassion, The International Bank of Bob brings the world to our doorstep, and makes clear that each of us can, actually, make it better.
I can't remember how I "found" this book, but it sounded interesting enough and I had never ever heard of a Kiva loan. It is a wordy book I am finding, and have still not finished it. It is interesting enough though and Bob himself has had an interesting life with lots of life experiences. You also learn about other people's lives. I found the chapter on Bosnia and Rwanda both informative and very moving: the suffering that people had to go through because of wars is hard to imagine.
I had a peek at the Kiva.org site and have to say that to is very interesting. I have not set up a Kiva loan but think that in the future it is something I would like to do. Not 100% sure who at this time would get "our/my" money. I do how like how the loans start at $25 so very affordable.
As I said earlier I am around three quarters of the way through the book. Has anyone else either heard of or read this book? Also is anyone familiar with the Kiva loan systems?
2 comments:
I have heard of the concept before.
I had never heard of Kiva either but looked it up at charitynavigator.org and it has a real good rating. I have heard of these micro-loans several times, though.
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