Comments on: Not enough loans on Kiva?

By: Global Voices po polsku » Czy media społecznościowe pomogą utrzymać się portalom mikrokredytowym?

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:27:36 +0000

[...] Costa, autor blogu Microfinance.fm z Zurichu w [...]

By: Global Voices Online » Can social media help make microfinance sustainable?

Global Voices Online » Can social media help make microfinance sustainable? — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:16:08 +0000

[...] Costa, who blogs at Microfinance.fm out of Zürich, Switzerland: my primary interest is looking at microfinance as [...]

By: David

David — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:35:03 +0000

Hello,
perhaps I didn’t express my point correctly: my primary interest is looking at microfinance as an investment opportunity too and not as a donation.
Even in the case of Kiva the borrower has to pay interests but, at least, unless there is a default, the investor can re-use his capital or withdrawn it.
I am sure that donation and grants to not for profit institution like Wokai are important but from an investment standpoint these are not as scalable.
In the case of kiva there are more options: you can lend 4000$ and receive, if needed, part or all your investment back. In the case of wokai I can only donate
to their organisation – how they use the money is not really important from an investor standpoint. It is really not an investment.
Myc4.com is another example of an investment platform – in short “not as interesting” to the sole purpose of my research – and not to the public at large

By: alfaneque

alfaneque — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:38:00 +0000

Why Wokai is not as interesting as Kiva?
From the point of view of the lender, the loan is a donation due to legal issues, but from the point of view of the borrower, the loan acts as microcredit, and he has to return the loan.