Thankfully I have already received an internship for the summer but over the past few weeks I have been receiving a large amount of emails and other information about the various ways to network.  Our society as a whole is constantly being pounded with more and more information.  This may seem bad but it is definitely helpful in certain circumstances…such as networking for a job.  My question to any of you bloggers is this — Which social networking tool is most effective to network for a potential career?

The breakthrough of the Internet in the last 20years has had a huge impact on society and has brought with it huge possibilities including opportunities for organizations such as Kiva.org.

This kind of non-profit organization owes its existence to the power of the internet.  Kiva.org uses the power of the internet to facilitate one-to-one connections that were previously prohibitively expensive.  Kiva.org creates interpersonal connections similar to child sponsorship but at much lower costs due to the instant, inexpensive nature of internet delivery.  It is an open platform where communication can flow freely between the developing and developed worlds.

It is obvious that the internet comes with it great power and I thought it was fantastic to see that there were special programs launched to help non-profit professionals use the internet more strategically.

Convio Inc. is the leading provider of software and services to help nonprofits use the Internet strategically to build strong relationships with constituents for driving fundraising, advocacy and other forms of support.   They run programs that teach participants how to;

·         develop a robust Internet plan

·         conceptualize online fundraising campaigns

·         Efficiently perform online fundraising programs, regardless of the platform or technology provider

·         Those already working online will learn how to strategically take their programs to the next level.

“While the Internet has become an integral part of the marketing and fundraising strategies for many nonprofits, our conversations with people in the industry show that there is a gap in the practical, hands-on education needed to succeed,” said Vinay Bhagat, Founder, Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of Convio, Inc.

Kiva.org has shown that combining a longing to make a difference and the internet can do life-changing things.

Kiva means Unity in Swahili, and the idea of unity is central to Kiva. Matt and Jessica Flannery started Kiva, because they felt like they had found a “call to action,” while in Africa. For many entrepreneurs in Africa the major problem with starting a business was that there was not enough access to capital. So to help fix this common problem, Kiva was born.

I has never heard of Kiva before my initial glance at this site. At first I actually was a little confused to see the word “loan” in the description. After doing some research on the company and its vision I was really impressed. An exceprt from an article in the L.A Times summed up Kiva’s idea perfectly; “Through Kiva, anyone with $25 and an e-mail address can make a loan to a small entrepreneur in a developing country.” How simple is that?

I know that to college students 25.00 can seem like a large amount of money, but I know that many students feel like they are not able to make an impact on the world outside of the bubble because of the hindrances of the college lifestyle. Through Kiva, even College students can make a difference with 25.00!

It would be great to see campus organizations, such as fraternities and sororities becoming involved with Kiva!

Kiva is a website that provides loans to entrepreneurs in developing nations.  Anyone can give these people loans, and they make a huge difference for these people and their economy. Some people ask “why should i loan money to these people in developing nations when i can put it in the bank where it is safe and even make interest?”  

When you put your money in the bank or even invest it in “safe” federal bonds, you are recieving miniscule and even decimal amounts of return for your investment.  you wont “make” any money if you loan it to an entrepreneur on Kiva, but you will be making a big difference to them. A woman named Rose Atheino said “Today I’m a very respected women in the community. I have come out of the crowd of women who are looked down upon. Due to the loan that I received… you have made me to be a champion out of nobody.”  your loan makes a big difference in the life of someone who needs the money.

Kiva is not the answer for developing nations to get out of poverty, but by funding individual entrepreneurs, anyone can help make a difference in the lives of these people trying to get thier small business’ runnining.  Kiva- Loans that change lives.

Kiva, it’s a non-profit organization that allows people to lend money to low-income entrepreneurs in developing countries. Lenders can choose specific entrepreneurs based on Kiva’s listings. The problems for most people who want to make an investment are insufficient funds, generally because most people are looking for large sums of money when seeking investors.

Kiva just requires a minimum of $25 to make a difference across the world. Many entrepreneurs in under privileged countries don’t need a lot of money to get their business running. Most people invest money on Kiva view it as an investment, but not as a monetary one. People view it as an investment in a sense as helping make the world a better place and can do more good helping people through this than most other things.

Though Kiva doesn’t guarantee pay back, this has not stopped people from investing. Sense launching in 2005, the number of loans has reached $62,696,435, with 457,405 active lenders. Kiva has also successfully impacted 89,748 individuals who otherwise may not have been able to run their company resulting in the families not received the proper nutrition and care.  Though there is no agreement for pay back it is clear that people still want to make a difference, even if it is in a small way.