Tired of the crowds, the stuff made in China and the thought that your gift will not be appreciated? I have a humble suggestion.

A few years ago, my family surprised me with a birthday party. I got presents, but I could not possibly tell what they were now five years later, except for one. There is one that hasn’t let me forget it or forget the friend that gave it to me.

What I received from this friend was a gift certificate from a group called Kiva. Kiva is a group that serves as an intermediary to loan money from us directly to entrepeneurs in emerging comuntries. These loans are very small – $25 does it. Those getting the loans use it as start up money for some enterprise that not only will make them money but may also be the seed for a business that could employ many. It is literally one of the best good will opportunities Americans have.

My friend gave me a $25 gift certificate. That $25 has been turned over dozens of times in dozens of loans to help many entrepreneurs create small businesses and employ hundreds no doubt. I have just received notice that my most recent loan has been repaid, thus I am able to loan that $25 back out again. That $25 has actually created hundreds of dollars in loans and I still have the $25. How cool is that?

Here is how it works from the Kiva Website:

How does a loan change a life?
Billions of people around the world don’t have access to typical banking services. Sometimes providing just 1 small loan to people in poverty can be enough to help them become profitably self-employed and financially stable. These loans are not donations, they’re almost always paid back to you. By giving someone a hand (not a handout!) you are helping them help themselves to a better life.

Will I receive interest on my loan?
Kiva does not pay interest to our lenders. Kiva’s loans are not an investment and are not recommended as an investment.

How will I receive repayments?
As repayments are made on your loan, you will receive an email notifying you that funds were deposited into your Kiva account as Kiva Credit. You can sign into your Kiva account to re-lend your funds, donate them to Kiva, or withdraw them to a PayPal account.

Will I receive updates about the borrowers I have loaned to?
You may receive updates throughout the loan term about the progress of the borrowers you’ve supported. We encourage our Field Partners to write updates on a regular basis. As we want to support our Field Partners in their primary function of working with and supporting the borrowers on the ground, we do not require journals to be sent. You can check the journaling rate of a given Field Partner by going to their profile page.

If you want to give a gift that is going to make the recipient have a pleasant thoughts about you several times a year for many, many years a gift of a Kiva certificate wil fit the bill. I know that I frequently remember Chris, my young friend who really surprised me with such a thoughtful gift.