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Using Social Media for Social Good: Other Side’s contribution

15 December 2008 in Outreach by Kate | Comments

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

1 Comment = $1 to Charity

Kiva Microfunds
Image via WikipediaWe

As I mentioned last week, we’re going to be doing our own social contribution for the holiday season, and we need your help!  This requires no monetary commitment, only participation.

The Play:

  1. Add a comment below with what organization or cause you’d want me to donate to.  If you’d like to offer your reason for doing so, that would be great.
  2. Next week, we will tally up the number of comments we receive.  Each comment is then worth $1.
  3. This total will be divided in two equal parts, representing two equal donations.
  4. We will choose, at random, one of the commenters causes and donate one portion to that cause.  We’ll also ask that commenter if they’d like to describe their personal reason for donating to the cause (you can choose not to if you’d like).
  5. The other portion of the total will go towards Kiva, and organization that I donate to every year.
  6. If you’d like to donate more than a comment (a dollar amount to one or both chosen charities), by all means, feel free and contact me here. (However, the comment will still be chosen randomly for the charity!).

Why Kiva?

I’ve always been drawn to microfinancing and it’s various forms for many reasons.

  • It offers an opportunity to people who have external barriers placed on them that prohibit their ability to make a living for themselves and their family.
  • It works for the little guys.
  • Most importantly, to me, is that the process works to instill a sense of independence in the recipients that comes from owning small businesses, being responsible and accountable for their actions.  This ultimately builds stronger, more motivated individuals, stronger families and communities, and more stable environments in a way that is much more permanent and long-term.

My mom, who is incredibly thoughtful and compassionate  in terms of giving back to the community in any way that she can, gave me a “Kiva gift” for Christmas two years ago.  I thank her for bringing it to my attention.

Disclaimer 1: Kiva’s model is a loan model, which means that eventually this donation will be paid back.  I assure you that it will be continually reinvested into the organization for various entrepreneurs around the world.  I will not personally profit from this.

Disclaimer 2: There will be a limit to the amount of money that we can donate, so, if by chance we get thousands of comments, we’ll need to bring down the donation amount Hopefully everyone will still participate for the cause… and we’ll still need plenty of comments!

Additionally, please feel free to pass this along or Tweet about it!

So then, what’s your cause of choice??