A Gift that Keeps on Giving

For Lex's second birthday, my friend Julie gave him a Kiva voucher. Kiva is a wonderful, award winning, and highly regarded non-profit with a "mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world."

Since Julie gave us this gift, I've increased the amount of money we have circulating in Kiva (although I wish it was more) and I am constantly lending $25 to people all over the world, running all sorts of businesses, and the common thread is they all just need a small amount of money to flourish. I tend to sponsor women entrepreneurs, but you can sponsor men and groups too - the great thing is you read the profiles and select where your money goes based on who resonates with you. You also have an option to contribute towards Kiva's operating expenses, but it's not compulsory.

As you can probably tell, I think this is an amazing organisation and it allows me to contribute to a greater good - something important to me. So as Christmas is coming up, I thought I'd help spread the word for anyone looking to do something a little different, and perhaps buy Kiva vouchers for friends and families for Christmas.

No pressure of course, but if you need to buy something for someone who has everything, or you're just sick of the whole commercialisation of Christmas, or the holiday season for my non-Christian friends, here's a way to help and give a really special gift that definitely keeps on giving.

Just sharing the love.

Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea