These are moneys that you and I have contributed as microloans through Kiva.org. (Here's a former report to shareholders.)
Well, I just looked on Kiva.org and see that we have our entire corpus of $450 ready to re-invest. All our previous micro-loans were repaid fully and on time. A modest amount of money was contributed to Kiva.org for their overhead.
So it's time to relend to different borrowers. Please remember: we lend to real people, living valid lives, in color.
Who has given so far?
These charitable readers of Net Cotton Content: John H., Rachel M., Emily W., Emily R., Michelle J., Julie M., MaryEllen S., Abbie B., Michelle Y., Andrea B., Nick C., Joe S. — and your humble writer.
Average gift size to date = $35.
Recommended gift size for you (see below) = $18.
Shall we up the ante?
Before we place our loans, I invite all readers of Net Cotton Content to add to our peacechest.
To contribute, send a donation to artieisaac@gmail.com through PayPal.
PLEASE NOTE: your donation is not tax deductible, because it's going to me. (I guess I'm legally entitled to your tax deduction when I take your money and magnanimously contribute it to Kiva.org. What a guy.) But I'm not producing that kind of audit trail for you. So give or don't. No receipts. Just a good feeling.
After the first of the year, I'll report on the loans made with our money.
What a nice person you are. And how lucky you are to have a little money to share with strangers, transforming their lives.