New Milepoint Lending Team [general info]

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Even this review attempts to imply something that is not so. The Kiva partners almost always fund loans directly and sell parts of those loans to Kiva members. That is disclosed in each such loan by the words "prefunded" or some such. That is the microlending and sovereign risk loans work. There is nothing either strange or mysterious about it, but if words can be used to describe it perjoratively some people will do that.

The Field Partners are what make the whole thing work. Otherwise many loan requests would be scams. Charity Navigator gives KIVA a four star (its highest) rating. Next month I will be back in the lending business and by May (i just started in March) I expect to see repayment start. I intend to keep all repaid money in play and slowly grow my investment in other people's dreams.

If you want to help promote Kiva to other milepointers just go to Kiva, do not sign in, select Community, select milepointers and copy the URL, which will take people directyl to the milepinters on Kiva join button.

Alternatively you can just copy and past mine.

I am off to a good start in April. The map showed five lending possibilities in Israel. All seemed worthy. I picked two and made loans of $25 each. I will follow them and if not fully funded by mid-month will loan more.

When I joined using a link posted here, IIRC from the OP in this thread, I thought I was automatically signing up as part of the MP team and was distressed to discover that kiva had just signed me up as an individual member. After several emails to them, MP now shows up in the team column on the loans in my profile but everything doesn't seem to be fixed yet....

Team stats as of today at ca 20:30 GMT:
Number of Team Members: 55
Number of Loans: 442
Number of Loans per Member: 8.0
Total amount loaned: $20,350
Since we reached 55 members by the end of March, I've made my contribution of $1 per team member.

Sorry for the missing/unclear information, the first post has now been updated. It seems Kiva does not allow anyone to register directly with a team, you have to join Kiva first, then join your preferred team. The link in my signature points to the first post.

New month, new loans.
I'm in for $50.
Anyone else want to lend a hand ?

Just made a $25 loan to a fish lady named Moth in Cambodia.

Very nice, but please tell the truth: did you notice or pick this loan partly because of her name?

Newbie Question.

My loan says it will start being repaid in May 2011. What day in May would this be most likely to happen?

Haha, maybe! My method of picking is very non-scientific. For her, I like the name and the fact that she was a fish lady (my favorite person from my Singapore trip). My last loan was to a guy running a kimchi factory and needed to buy plastic baggies. I like the quirky stuff.

Also, I'm planning on hitting every country as I loan out money.

I'm not as diversified as I should be, with two of three loans to the poultry and egg industry in Ecuador, but the third is at least very different. These were the ones that appealed to me when I signed up.

HI tenmoc, if your loan says payback is May 2011, you will receive your payment or or near April 15 most of the time. Generally 90% of payments are received on the 15th of the month prior.

At least you picked a name that you can remember and pronounce, I have some with 5-6 syllables per name!
The last time I looked Kiva had loans in 40-50 countries. Last year, I consciously searched out each and every country that was available. Right now I have 44 countries in my portfolio.
Good luck!
There are plenty of interesting and quirky loans to be made!

Are we losing our momentum?
Today's stats as of 16:00 GMT:
Number of Team Members: 55
Number of Loans: 447
Number of Loans per Member: 8.1
Total Amount Loaned: $20,500

I have been waiting for responses to my last offer, but I received only two, both asking me to wait, so I have. My money ois going to another team in the meantime. I think we should have been fairly aggressive to seek new members, and shoudl ask more people for matching and/or goal-based gifts.

For everyone, following conversations with some very crucial stakeholders I make the following pledge:

During April, beginning immediately I will match every new milepointer loan to Kiva during April up to a maximum of $15,000. That makes a total of $30,000 in new Kiva loans if everyone else lends $15,000. For any others among us who can make matching or goal-oriented offers please do so. The starting point for the match will be $20,500.

We can make April twice as successful as March! Let's do that!

I just made 3 loans. I'll try to make another couple before the end of the month.

... it seems we have a challenge on our hands!

I'll add $15,000 in new loans for April as our current goal. To reach $15,000 in new loans to be matched by jbcarioca, we need more team members, so please join the team!

Just so everyone understands that will mean our goal is actually $30,000 as far as Kiva is concerned.

Thanks. Were all three for animal husbandry? It is good to know you're here.

I can't even remember what they were for as it was more than 12 hours ago. My mind is going. Think one was for some guy who wanted to do the paperwork that would give recognition to his legal studies. Thought that was worthwhile.

If you want to help promote our April drive I suggest adding comments to your signature page as I have done.