This week, Kiva is feeling inspired by a story from one of our lending teams! Kiva’s Lending Team, The Peace & Justice Academy has been lending through Kiva since 2009 and to this date they have funded 60 loans totaling $1,475!
Randy Christopher and Kimberly Medendorp started the school in 2009, and shortly began implementing Kiva in the classroom. In the beginning, Randy asked each of the students – and there were only ten that first year – to bring in $2.50. He made it clear that they were not to ask their parents for the money. They could scrounge it out of the couch cushions, use their birthday money or sell bottles and cans to raise it, but they could not ask mom. The students got their $25 together and all of them contributed to the discussion of who should benefit from their first loan. That was 60 loans ago!
The school found that Kiva is the perfect teaching tool. Every loan recipient’s story teaches a lesson in geography, culture, finance, history, economics and more. Kiva loves these students’ entrepreneurial spirit and their creativity around fund-raising. This year, as part of a lesson on the ins and outs of business, the boys and girls built competing lemonade stands and raised another $200 for Kiva.
To lend on Kiva visit kiva.org/lend or to start your own lending team, visit kiva.org/community
Ideas with Impact
These are interesting and valuable ideas, organizations, research, and books I've come across on the great digital highway.
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The Peace & Justice Academy uses Kiva as a teaching tool
