In September 2007, I made my first loan through Kiva, a nonprofit that matches micro-lenders in the developed world with entrepreneurial borrowers in the developing. I remember being slightly nervous and disoriented when I clicked on the $100 I was lending Dr. Sykes Ally, a pharmacist in Tanzania. Dr. Ally repaid on time. And I have been making loans ever since.

Since 2007, I have made 17 loans of different sizes through Kiva, 11 of which have been fully repaid, 5 of which are in repayment, and 1 which defaulted. The defaulter did manage to repay 40% of the original principal.

Kiva says that my portfolio default rate is 3.74%, more than the average user's 1.76% (so much for my acumen as a micro-banker). However, I am fairly certain I am still ahead of Countrywide's mortgage default rate by a comfortable margin. My personal portfolio and lender page is at Kiva here. I recommend the experience and Kiva highly.

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