Dec 20, 2015, 4:45 am
Last edit by: wilsnunn
The FlyerTalk Lending Team on Kiva:
improving lives a small loan at a time.
Kiva.org is the not-for-profit microlending organization that networks people willing to lend to small entrepreneurs in developing nations using available technology and international networking / collaboration, and how Kiva.org had become an approved FlyerTalk charity thanks to TalkBoard's approval June 29, 2008 <link> It is listed on the FlyerTalk Cares page.improving lives a small loan at a time.
"Kiva is a grassroots project started by a team with a big idea: one-to-one, real-time lending to the poor via the Internet. Currently, we take no cut of the loan you make through our site -- 100% goes to the entrepreneur. We suggest a 10% donation, in addition to your loan, to help us cover our costs. Kiva is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and your donation is tax-deductible for US taxpayers." (Suggested donations for administrative overhead, low though that is, are not required - you may lend 100% if you so choose.)
As of 15 May 2016 it was 607 FlyerTalk lending team who have lent $2,209,175 in 37,092 loans! And now as of 30 June 2019 it is 941 members who have lent $6,415,775 in 71,722 loans!
Our motto is: "We loan because: We want to fight global poverty while earning miles."
This is tangible evidence Flyertalk Cares! There are likely other FlyerTalkers on Kiva who have not joined - if you are one of them, do so now to show your and FT's support and involvement. If you haven't lent yet, check it out - you may want to join up. For the low-income entrepreneurs on five continents who are requesting loans, microlending is significant - and it takes a lot of drops to fill the bucket. (Read on to see updates!)
Now, we can see this sophisticated network link resources from those who can lend (no interest, sorry!) with those who are needy, worthy and screened by local NGOs and have a need to start / expand their small business to enhance their and their families' survival. And, using PayPal and your FFP/FFG linked card or account, you can earn miles or points with many loans!
FlyerTalkers are lending, and fulfilling one of FT's seminal values, that of "paying it forward."
Read more about Kiva.org, who supports and enables it (Intel, Google, Paypal, Intuit and many others,) and see if you have $25.00 (or more) you can lend someone deserving in a land you have visited and enjoyed (or not.)
This is how it works:
Add your experiences here, or if you haven't joined... won't you consider joining the FlyerTalker Lending Team?
You can see who the latest FT borrowers are (some still possibly needing loans) here
For ease, you can click here: Subscribe to FlyerTalker Lending Team on Kiva.org
FlyerTalker Lending Team on Kiva.org!
Apr 1, 2019, 4:28 pm
#1336
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: ATL
Programs: UA, DL, HH Silver, IHG plat
Posts: 32
It's been ~8 months or so since my last stats, so I'll update them for those thinking about getting involved with Kiva and those currently participating:
Started in Dec 2015.
Amount Lent: $12,150
Amount Defaulted: $14.90
Amount of Currency Rate Loss: $0.41
Total losses: $15.31
$15.31 / $12,150 = 0.0012600823 or 0.126%.
US inflation for the same time period was 6.22%.
So, I've made 432 loans, got the chance to help out at least that many people, and earned ~48k UR points for $15.31. Not as great of an average as before, but still one heck of a deal. I would have liked to hit Kiva a bit harder during this time period, but life gets in the way at times. Hoping to do much more this year.
Defaulted loans: 2 total.
1) $25. Total loan was $8050 in Rwanda. Debtor paid back $22.95, thus $2.05 loss. I'm not upset about this one.
2) $50. Total loan was $500, in the Philippines. Debtor paid back $37.08, thus $12.92 loss. Annoyed by this, but still they paid back 74% of the loan, so I can't be too upset.
Started in Dec 2015.
Amount Lent: $12,150
Amount Defaulted: $14.90
Amount of Currency Rate Loss: $0.41
Total losses: $15.31
$15.31 / $12,150 = 0.0012600823 or 0.126%.
US inflation for the same time period was 6.22%.
So, I've made 432 loans, got the chance to help out at least that many people, and earned ~48k UR points for $15.31. Not as great of an average as before, but still one heck of a deal. I would have liked to hit Kiva a bit harder during this time period, but life gets in the way at times. Hoping to do much more this year.
Defaulted loans: 2 total.
1) $25. Total loan was $8050 in Rwanda. Debtor paid back $22.95, thus $2.05 loss. I'm not upset about this one.
2) $50. Total loan was $500, in the Philippines. Debtor paid back $37.08, thus $12.92 loss. Annoyed by this, but still they paid back 74% of the loan, so I can't be too upset.
thanks
Matt
Apr 16, 2019, 1:32 am
#1337
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: ONT
Programs: AGR, UA, AA
Posts: 476
A lot of folks are using Kiva to dump office store gift cards. Often the local Office Depot or Staples have Visa/Mastercard gift cards for "free" ($15 off two $200's, or in the case of Staples outright no fee). I find waiting in line only to receive rejection at the Walmart (to buy money orders with them) nonproductive and doing this at home while watching a baseball game better. I've stopped doing this as interest rates have risen and I'm not spending down the number of points I have, so my last loan was made in October, but good to see folks still doing this.
May 1, 2019, 2:08 am
#1339
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,413
A third of the way through the year...let’s see how we’re progressing:
931 team members
$6,071,200 in loans funded
69,223 loans made
:-: Congrats on breaking the $6 MILLION milestone! :-:
931 team members
$6,071,200 in loans funded
69,223 loans made
:-: Congrats on breaking the $6 MILLION milestone! :-:
Aug 4, 2019, 6:06 pm
#1340
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: YOW
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 582
Have known about Kiva for years now, but only just pulled the trigger yesterday and funded my first few loans! Have joined the FlyerTalk Kiva team and starting attributing my loans there. While I'm nowhere near the amounts others here have loaned out, I'm looking forward to increasing my contributions and participating more! 
Aug 6, 2019, 9:52 am
#1341
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Have known about Kiva for years now, but only just pulled the trigger yesterday and funded my first few loans! Have joined the FlyerTalk Kiva team and starting attributing my loans there. While I'm nowhere near the amounts others here have loaned out, I'm looking forward to increasing my contributions and participating more!
Nov 15, 2019, 9:01 am
#1344
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: TPA/SRQ
Programs: Hyatt Explorer, Marriott Titanium, AA Plat Pro, UA Silver, Avis Plus, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,692
Hey Jeff, just went to the link you sent and it was already funded. So I funded a few more while I was there.
Thanks for setting this all up!
Thanks for setting this all up!
Dec 10, 2019, 8:37 am
#1345
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: IND, ORD
Programs: AA Platinum, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 134
I lend money on Kiva each month, usually funded with GC's purchased during Staples and Office Max promos. Its a nice little extra MSing avenue that also helps people out in the process. One thing that I've never paid much attention to is the Lenders Leaderboard. Last month we were #4 and this month we are currently #6 . This year alone we have funded $2,224,000 in loans. I must say those numbers are freaking awesome for a team that has less that 1000 members. So to all the FT'ers that lend on Kiva, cheers to you and let's keep doing what we do. Im sure every borrower is much appreciative of the loans that we help fund. Happy Holidays Everyone!!
Dec 25, 2019, 1:18 pm
#1346
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,413
Almost end of the year (and decade)...here's how the team's doing:
990 team members
$7,638,125 in loans funded
80,527 loans made
We just broke the $6 million milestone in May, and we're already chugging along nicely toward $8 million! Hope we get to welcome our 1000th member soon. :-:
990 team members
$7,638,125 in loans funded
80,527 loans made
We just broke the $6 million milestone in May, and we're already chugging along nicely toward $8 million! Hope we get to welcome our 1000th member soon. :-:
Dec 25, 2019, 10:00 pm
#1347
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Almost end of the year (and decade)...here's how the team's doing:
990 team members
$7,638,125 in loans funded
80,527 loans made
We just broke the $6 million milestone in May, and we're already chugging along nicely toward $8 million! Hope we get to welcome our 1000th member soon. :-:
990 team members
$7,638,125 in loans funded
80,527 loans made
We just broke the $6 million milestone in May, and we're already chugging along nicely toward $8 million! Hope we get to welcome our 1000th member soon. :-:
Jan 20, 2020, 12:40 pm
#1348
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cambridge, MA
Programs: AAdvantage EXP
Posts: 278
Does anyone know how kiva decides when a loan will move from delinquent to default? I have one that's been "paying back delinquent" for the past 7 months (final repayment scheduled for July 1, 2019, only part repaid, no action since). I'm not too upset - this would be my first default out of 72 loans if/when it happens, and my $1.55 is likely making more of a difference for someone in the current situation in Lebanon than it would back in my hands. I'm just curious how the decision is made that there's no more hope of getting paid back.
Jan 22, 2020, 10:37 am
#1349
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Does anyone know how kiva decides when a loan will move from delinquent to default? I have one that's been "paying back delinquent" for the past 7 months (final repayment scheduled for July 1, 2019, only part repaid, no action since). I'm not too upset - this would be my first default out of 72 loans if/when it happens, and my $1.55 is likely making more of a difference for someone in the current situation in Lebanon than it would back in my hands. I'm just curious how the decision is made that there's no more hope of getting paid back.
Jan 24, 2020, 12:55 pm
#1350
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Somewhere in Florida
Posts: 2,605
At ~$250k/month, it won't take long at all to reach $8M. Also, a quick glance of the stats, I think we might have the highest $ per member out of any of the teams out there.
