Jase just sent me important news about Kiva -
Kiva in the NY TimesI have to say - I'm feeling traumatized. Here at BellaOnline we send them *millions* of free ad views every month. I actively support them myself, I save up money to donate and then I carefully choose the person I want to give it to. I read their profiles, and go through page by page. I want to make sure I'm really doing a good job of choosing the perfect person.
And now they're saying it all goes into a lump fund, sent out to banks???
Not only does it seem I've been wasting my time, and that my money could be funding people I feel strongly against, but also I feel the Kiva organization has been incredibly deceptive in what they are marketing!
I am seriously thinking of taking all the Kiva ads down and focusing on the other groups we support. It's not that the ads would go to "waste" - there are plenty of other charities who need our attention.
I was *so* enamored of the Kiva model, and I am feeling very disillusioned.
What are your thoughts?