Featured Entries
0
Last year, my plans to find the perfect Mother's Day gift floundered in procrastination. More flowers? Some chachkie that would sit on some shelf in some bathroom? Wasn't very inspiring. At about that time, Advanta was starting to explore its relationship with Kiva.org and I had one of those brilliant flashes that I wish happened much more regularly.
A Kiva gift certficate! What a great idea!!!
My mother was planning a trip to Africa and what better gift than the opportunity to browse through a long list of African borrowers and choose one. I called my brother and sister, clearly genetically pre-disposed to procrastination as well, and the three of us contributed to buy a Kiva Gift Certificate. She loved it, of course, and the gift has become the ultimate fall back for the last minute shopper (me). My father is now a Kiva lender and anyone lined up for gifts from me in the future will be as well.
Oh...and Kiva gift certificates for your best customers??
A Kiva gift certficate! What a great idea!!!
My mother was planning a trip to Africa and what better gift than the opportunity to browse through a long list of African borrowers and choose one. I called my brother and sister, clearly genetically pre-disposed to procrastination as well, and the three of us contributed to buy a Kiva Gift Certificate. She loved it, of course, and the gift has become the ultimate fall back for the last minute shopper (me). My father is now a Kiva lender and anyone lined up for gifts from me in the future will be as well.
Oh...and Kiva gift certificates for your best customers??
0
Readers are always asking Nicholas D. Kristof from the New York Times how they can help. In this short video, he recommends kiva.org to his
readers as a way for them to help fight poverty. He makes it personal by visiting the
baker in Kabul that he made a loan to. This is a great little video if you want to introduce the concept to someone unfamiliar with microcredit and Kiva.Click Here for the video on NYT.com
0
Matt Flannery, CEO and co-founder of Kiva.org was recently interviewed by the Harvard Political Review (Link Here).
It's a great interview, but the final question generated a very interesting response about the ability of technology to unlock peoples' generosity and to empower them in the face of so much injustice. The empowerment, he claims, comes from ease of use. Is it all about the user experience?
Harvard Political Review: What has Kiva taught you about the world and about social entrepreneurship?
Matt Flannery: My experience working at Kiva has taught me that people are a lot more motivated and generous than you think. If you merely provide an easy way for them to channel their social motivation, their generosity is something you can unlock; if you really tap into the source, it's really powerful. When I started Kiva, I was quite pessimistic about its potential. My mind has been changed and I've been just blown away. People were looking to reach out to other people in this way--they just didn't have the opportunity. They felt disempowered. Technology and the internet can allow normal people to feel empowered again, and that's been really exciting for me.
It's a great interview, but the final question generated a very interesting response about the ability of technology to unlock peoples' generosity and to empower them in the face of so much injustice. The empowerment, he claims, comes from ease of use. Is it all about the user experience?Harvard Political Review: What has Kiva taught you about the world and about social entrepreneurship?
Matt Flannery: My experience working at Kiva has taught me that people are a lot more motivated and generous than you think. If you merely provide an easy way for them to channel their social motivation, their generosity is something you can unlock; if you really tap into the source, it's really powerful. When I started Kiva, I was quite pessimistic about its potential. My mind has been changed and I've been just blown away. People were looking to reach out to other people in this way--they just didn't have the opportunity. They felt disempowered. Technology and the internet can allow normal people to feel empowered again, and that's been really exciting for me.
0
I was inspired by a post on Tactical Philanthropy, "Will the Kiva Card
be for philanthropists what American Express "Black" is to Hollywood?"
For those who don't know, the Amex Black Card, aka the Centaurian Card,
has held a sort of
legendary status in our culture. The oohs and ahhs of the impressed
have provided many a celebrity and high roller with the savory goodness
of immediate gratification. Flashing it in a fancy restaurant or
shwanky hotel will not only get you that corner table, but also the
"respect" that comes with being seen as a V,VIP.
The Centaurian Card...oooooo
But it's time to stick that black card in the back of your calf skin wallet, because there's a new kid on the block...and she's brown, not black. Her name is the KivaB4B credit card.
Very Nice.
In the parlance of our times, the KivaB4B card is the Fo-Shizzle.* (see below for important note)
But let's get down to a more objective comparison between the two cards.
Basic Overview:
The Unique Selling Proposition:
Searching online for quotes from people who use the black card, this one captures some of its flavor:
If, however, your aspirations are still more oriented towards status 1.0, there's an even more fabulous option than the black card. MasterCard's newest high end offer is an invitation only card from a Dubai Bank, Dubai First.
Intended for the super wealthy, the card has a fat diamond in the middle that I suppose you could sell if the economy hits you too hard.
For all of you who are evolving towards status 2.0, where our contribution to helping others is more prominent, be sure to consider the KivaB4B card. Just think, instead of buying that $1million private jet with a carefree swipe of your card, you could make 10,000 $100 Kiva loans.
Brown is the new Black. Fo Shizzle.
*(Important note - Snoop Dogg did NOT originate the colliquialism of adding the suffix' -izzle, -eezy, -iggedy and so forth to common everyday phrases. Although sometimes called "Snoop speak," because it was popularized by Snoop Dogg, it was used much earlier by Frankie Smith in his 1981 hit single "The Double Dutch Bus." Also note, Carnies, aka carnival workers, have used "iz" in precisely the same fashion for centuries).
The Centaurian Card...oooooo
But it's time to stick that black card in the back of your calf skin wallet, because there's a new kid on the block...and she's brown, not black. Her name is the KivaB4B credit card.
Very Nice.
In the parlance of our times, the KivaB4B card is the Fo-Shizzle.* (see below for important note)
But let's get down to a more objective comparison between the two cards.
Basic Overview:
- The Amex Black Card is a fancy black credit card that has extremely high spending limits and built in bragging tools.
- The
KivaB4B credit card allows small business owners the chance to double
their impact when making loans to entrepreneurs in developing
countries. It also provides the "Very Best Offer" in the business
credit card market. And if you use it just once, you'll go straight to
heaven (or some place nice). (Note: Advanta can't guarantee where in the heavenly realm you'll go).
The Unique Selling Proposition:
- AMEX's "Centaurian"
card is clearly trying to sell
an image of mythological power, (Centaurian refers to a race of
monsters having the head, trunk, and arms of a man, and the body and
legs of a horse). I presume that Amex is saying, "Use this card and you
can run fast and kick people." Of course, as with all credit card
offers, there should be small print...something to the effect of, "We
are not responsible for the embarrassment or the mess resulting when
you can't get into the bathroom of that fancy French bistro." Flashing
the Amex black card will feel good, but it's the same kind of "good"
feeling you get when you stuff yourself with
Cool Ranch Doritos and a Diet Coke while watching reruns of Ultimate
Fighting on TV...a bit of adrenaline, some artificial flavor, but not
the kind of feeling the Dalai Lama suggests cultivating over the long
run.
- The KivaB4B card, on the other hand, promises a more real and lasting sense of well-being. It not only offers that Gandhian sense of goodness, but it provides the immediate satisfaction that is not pre-packaged and cheap, but more like the feelings you experience when sharing a beautifully prepared meal with best friends on a porch overlooking a lake on a perfect summer evening. Do you hear the crickets?
Searching online for quotes from people who use the black card, this one captures some of its flavor:
- "Have you used the concierge service, if so what for, and have you used it for anything ridiculous:
Oh yes. Ellen show tickets." Ellen Show tickets??
- Let's compare that response with a quote from a KivaB4B card user. "Anybody can make a difference with MicroFinance. I chose to help start a pharmacy."
If, however, your aspirations are still more oriented towards status 1.0, there's an even more fabulous option than the black card. MasterCard's newest high end offer is an invitation only card from a Dubai Bank, Dubai First.
Intended for the super wealthy, the card has a fat diamond in the middle that I suppose you could sell if the economy hits you too hard.
For all of you who are evolving towards status 2.0, where our contribution to helping others is more prominent, be sure to consider the KivaB4B card. Just think, instead of buying that $1million private jet with a carefree swipe of your card, you could make 10,000 $100 Kiva loans.
Brown is the new Black. Fo Shizzle.
*(Important note - Snoop Dogg did NOT originate the colliquialism of adding the suffix' -izzle, -eezy, -iggedy and so forth to common everyday phrases. Although sometimes called "Snoop speak," because it was popularized by Snoop Dogg, it was used much earlier by Frankie Smith in his 1981 hit single "The Double Dutch Bus." Also note, Carnies, aka carnival workers, have used "iz" in precisely the same fashion for centuries).
0
Amey Stone on 'WalletPop' has an interesting post about the Kiva card. She points out that it is unique as a cause related marketing effort specifically for small businesses. She quotes, "There is a huge opportunity here for small businesses to
gain market share and take on the big boys in whatever sector they are
working in through smart cause marketing efforts..." She highlights a few tips on how small companies can benefit from cause
marketing:
- Don't just support your own pet cause.
- Do it in a way that will provide real benefit to a cause
- Don't think that you can charge more.
- Start small.
0
In addition to about 8 other blogs to which she contributes (and one of the cooler names ever), Britt Bravo's 'Have Fun * Do Good' Blog has a great post linking to podcast interviews with 30 social entrepreneurs and changemakers. From my past life as an activist in San Francisco, it was fun to see, as part of her list, some friends and other faces I recognized well. One of the interviews is with Jessica Flannery, co-founder and board member of Kiva.
Click Here for the podcast.
Hopefully, KivaB4B will be flying so high next year that one of our team will make it on her distinguished list. Click Here for the post.
Click Here for the podcast.
Hopefully, KivaB4B will be flying so high next year that one of our team will make it on her distinguished list. Click Here for the post.
0
Last week in Philadelphia, Advanta threw a party to celebrate the official launch of the KivaB4B program. It was official and it was fun. The food and drinks were flowing and Senerita and Senio, our honored guests from Samoa, performed a traditional Siva dance. In addition to Senio and Senerita, we had a truly royal showing. Dennis Alter, the Chairman/CEO of Advanta and Ami Kassar, the Chief Innovation Officer, joined forces to welcome both Matt Flannery, CEO/Founder of Kiva and Premal Shah, Kiva's President. Here's the red carpet photo of some of the VIP's.
From left to right:
Premal Shah, Senio and Senerita Mataomile, Dennis Alter, Karil Daniels and who's that uber-handsome guy on the far right??? Ami Kassar.
Although Karil and Senerita met earlier in the day (see the post below), the official meeting at the event was historic as it was the first time that a Kiva borrower came to the US to meet a Kiva lender.
Finally, the highlight of the evening for me was Advanta's presentation of a $100,000 check to Kiva. Not everyone realizes that Kiva takes no cut from the transactions between borrowers and lenders. They are a nonprofit dependent on external funding. I was thrilled to see the big check and enjoyed watching Premal fold it up and put it in his back pocket.
From left to right:
Premal Shah, Senio and Senerita Mataomile, Dennis Alter, Karil Daniels and who's that uber-handsome guy on the far right??? Ami Kassar.
Although Karil and Senerita met earlier in the day (see the post below), the official meeting at the event was historic as it was the first time that a Kiva borrower came to the US to meet a Kiva lender.
Finally, the highlight of the evening for me was Advanta's presentation of a $100,000 check to Kiva. Not everyone realizes that Kiva takes no cut from the transactions between borrowers and lenders. They are a nonprofit dependent on external funding. I was thrilled to see the big check and enjoyed watching Premal fold it up and put it in his back pocket.
0
Pierre Omidyar is the mastermind of eBay - and, of course, is a multi billionaire. He also operates Omidyar Network, which is known as a "philanthropic investment firm."
No doubt, Omidyar is a major supporter of microfinance. So, today he announced that Omidyar Network will donate $9 million to Unitus, which is an organization that focuses on financial services for those people living on less than $2 a day (which is about 3 billion or so). To this end, Unitus partners with a variety of microfinance institutions (MFIs)
The goal for the $9 million:
"Unitus will continue to support a rapidly growing portfolio of start-up and early-stage MFIs in developing countries by employing its proven acceleration model. Using this model, in 2007 Unitus partners grew seven times faster than the industry average, as measured by the total number of clients added. Since 2001, Unitus and its partners have reached more than 3.5 million of the world's poor, making it one of the fastest growing MFI networks."
0
Professor Muhammad Yunus is the pioneer of the microfinance industry. His Grameen Bank has provided more than $6 billion in loans (over the past 30 years).
Last year, he was a speaker at the Skoll World Forum. Here's a YouTube video:
0
My head has stopped spinning and I've finally settled down after traveling with Senerita and Senio. After one day in Los Angeles, we were on a plane to Philadelphia for the official launch of the KivaB4B program, (The launch party itself deserves a few pictures of its own, so I'll save that for another post). When we arrived in Philadelphia, we had a few hurdles to get over. For example, the escalator was a bit daunting, although the moving walkway was a treat.
Here's Senio braving the escalator. Senerita chose the steps.
After a dinner with Ami and Darren from Advanta, we set off the next day for a tour of the city with Karil Daniels, the independent filmmaker who was one of the original lenders to Senerita on Kiva. This was actually the first time that a Kiva borrower came to the US and met a Kiva lender. Karil met us for breakfast, camera in hand, documenting the occasion. After spending time talking and getting to know each other, the four of us took a trip up a skyscraper (the tallest building in Samoa is five stories), visited beautiful Rittenhouse Square and then set off on a journey to Fabric Row.
And then Fabric Row with Karil:
And the fabric shop:
Senerita was in heaven as she chose fabrics to bring back to Samoa. Senio stood outside and waited like a typical husband.
After I left Philadelphia, Senerita and Senio decided they really wanted to go see a Wal-Mart...Independence Hall didn't seem to capture their imagination. Combined with a Phillies game the next day and Senio's fascination with 75 channels on the hotel TV, they had a full course meal of American culture before leaving Philadelphia.
After a mass at St. Peter's Cathedral, they headed up to NYC with my brother as escort and took the requisite trip to the Statue of Liberty and the chachke stands in Chinatown to buy knock-off "gold" watches. This evening, they'll be attending SPBDs (Southern Pacific Business Development) fundraiser. I'll be picking them up tomorrow afternoon at the airport in LAX. Tomorrow evening, they'll meet up with Senio's brother who lives in Compton with his daughter, son-in-law and grandchild. After nice hotels and big city tours, their week in Compton should give them a much fuller picture of the extremes in America.
Here's Senio braving the escalator. Senerita chose the steps.
After a dinner with Ami and Darren from Advanta, we set off the next day for a tour of the city with Karil Daniels, the independent filmmaker who was one of the original lenders to Senerita on Kiva. This was actually the first time that a Kiva borrower came to the US and met a Kiva lender. Karil met us for breakfast, camera in hand, documenting the occasion. After spending time talking and getting to know each other, the four of us took a trip up a skyscraper (the tallest building in Samoa is five stories), visited beautiful Rittenhouse Square and then set off on a journey to Fabric Row. 
Here's Senio and Senerita in Rittenhouse Square on a truly spectacular spring day.
And then Fabric Row with Karil:
And the fabric shop:
Senerita was in heaven as she chose fabrics to bring back to Samoa. Senio stood outside and waited like a typical husband.
After I left Philadelphia, Senerita and Senio decided they really wanted to go see a Wal-Mart...Independence Hall didn't seem to capture their imagination. Combined with a Phillies game the next day and Senio's fascination with 75 channels on the hotel TV, they had a full course meal of American culture before leaving Philadelphia.
After a mass at St. Peter's Cathedral, they headed up to NYC with my brother as escort and took the requisite trip to the Statue of Liberty and the chachke stands in Chinatown to buy knock-off "gold" watches. This evening, they'll be attending SPBDs (Southern Pacific Business Development) fundraiser. I'll be picking them up tomorrow afternoon at the airport in LAX. Tomorrow evening, they'll meet up with Senio's brother who lives in Compton with his daughter, son-in-law and grandchild. After nice hotels and big city tours, their week in Compton should give them a much fuller picture of the extremes in America.