KIVA

[kashi]

Welcome to the B@A Kiva team Latoof.

Two for me this month. I picked wood for a carpenter and autopick selected cattle for Azerbaijan.

[Dingo]

Just checked out my account and had enough $ to make another loan.

[veebee]

just checked mine - it is at arpund $21 so I will top it up.

I do those "pesky" surveys through a cpl of well chosen sites and they all have the ability to convert points into dollars on your Paypal account...

A handy way to make maoney to lend to others !

[kashi]

Had a few repayments later than the others, so had enough today for another loan. Haha, I just noticed I picked the same one as you veebee.;D  Go Paraguay!

[Sean]

Just checked and I have $24.40 available  :-\

I think I might top that up to $25 so I can make another loan. Out of interest does anyone pay the voluntary Kiva fees when making loans?

[veebee]

Out of interest does anyone pay the voluntary Kiva fees when making loans?

Is that the $3 something ???

I thought that was something that HAD to be paid... if nt, I will start making a couple more loans !

[kashi]

Sean, I saw your loan to Ericka, good one.
I wonder what chicha de jora tastes like, I could do with a less potent brew, too many Coopers just about knocks me out now. Hmm, maybe I could make a shandy by adding a little Coka Sek to my chicha de jora, haha. Anyway sounds like fun dripping some of the head on the ground and saying "Pachamama, santa tierra".

For my first few loans I gave the full $3.75 donation per loan. Then I cut it down a bit and gave $2.50 or $1.25 per loan. Since the start of this year I donate $1.25 for only one or 2 loans depending on how much I have left over from my repayments after making new loans, so $1.25 or $2.50 in total per month. My total donations so far are $32.50, $20 of that was matched by a Kiva sponsor.

[Sean]

"to buy more corn flour to make chicha de jora and to buy barnyard fowl."

I wrongly assumed chicha de jora was a type of food.

[kashi]

I wasn't being critical, just thought chicha de jora sounded interesting and was sharing my interest. If you are concerned, she raises chickens too so you can just consider your loan is supporting the chicken component of her income. A lot of the loans I have contributed to are related to food production, but Kiva autopick or I have also chosen traditional brewers/small "taverns" on occasion. We don't often think about it here, but corn and any food or beverage made from it would probably be almost sacred in Peru as it has been cultivated there for so long and is such a staple.

Not everyone can be farmers or fishermen, in some countries a lot of people earn a living running small shops and stalls, some of which sell manufactured foods and other products. Sure we'd all be healthier eating only fresh foods but people still need to earn enough to live. So although I concentrate on agricultural loans, if a shopkeeper, stallholder, builder, taxi driver, mechanic, etc. needs help then I also choose them at times and so does Kiva autopick. I generally don't support loans that are not income producing as I feel it may have a greater possibility of contributing to a debt cycle.

But everyone is free to choose any loan according to their own preferences, that's the beauty of Kiva. If people need help, we are fortunate to be able to give it and should not become overly concerned with who, what or where.

[Sean]

I wasn't being critical, just thought chicha de jora sounded interesting and was sharing my interest. If you are concerned, she raises chickens too so you can just consider your loan is supporting the chicken component of her income.

I know, I was just surprised to find that it was an alcoholic drink, that will teach me not to read the loan description.  ;D

Honestly though I'm concerned about the welfare of animals oversea, but I guess we can't really help that (and people do have to eat). Although the welfare of animals probably becomes a greater priority once the community/country is out of poverty, so maybe we are helping. 

[Dataman]

I just made my 50th loan. 
Check out the hat. 
http://www.kiva.org/lend/336807
Thanks to everyone!
:aus1:

[kashi]

 Now that's a real hat! Good going on the 50 loans.

Thanks for sharing your most excellent adventures too. Your writing is excellent and painted a vivid picture but a video of you all howling would win awards. biggrin

[veebee]

Wow !! must have been a cpl of repayments wwhile I wasn't watching !!! have almost enough for two loans.... think I'll top it up (again ...) and see where I can send it.

[Dataman]

I made 3 new loans at KIVA ... did everyone do theirs? 

[Dingo]

Not enough in the account to make a loan, need to wait for a few more re payments.