VISION
Through partnership and/or utilizing the micro-finance lending approach of Kiva.org, Kiva in Schools will make available unique opportunities for classroom-to-entrepreneur lending. Students will use the web based application to aquaint themselves with various small business people located all over the world in need of seed money.

Classrooms will chose one or more businesses to make interest free loans as small as 25 US dollars. As the students connect to the entrepreneurs through the internet with emails, chats and video conferences, they will follow the progress of the loan as the money is paid back during the school year. Afterwards students will be able to asses the over all impact of their actions and the effects upon the lives of the people touched by the loan in remote parts of the world as well as their own.

The next school year or semester the classroom can then choose another up and coming individual or group to loan the money to, continuing the cycle of helping and learning together.

GOALS
Through their own creative decision making, students have a chance to see how their active, hands on involvement effects people in less privileged situations. Starting at a young age, children learn to participate in the global community in a positive manner by helping others create their own solutions. They are enriched with the satisfaction that comes with helping others, and continue this pattern of service as they mature into compassionate adults. In addition, practical lessons are learned about such subjects as economics, financial responsibility, accountability, cultural and community development, and meeting one's personal and professional goals. Students will gain a greater understanding of the world around them as they get to know how people in other countries live and work and how that relates to their own community.

METHODS
Kiva in Schools plans to develop materials to help teachers meet their existing curricular requirements. The program can be tailored for use in various age- appropriate or subject-specific settings from early education on up to collegiate studies. Kiva in Schools will also help provide seed monies to schools that meet certain financial guidelines or programs to assist classrooms to raise their own depending on the socioeconomic demographics and desires of particular schools and regions.

CURRENT NEEDS:
Kiva in Schools is in an active development stage and currently has needs in these areas:

Curriculum and Program development
(Individuals with communication or educations background or interests)
(Internship opportunities or scholastic program coupling)

Volunteers for operations support
(Community support hours can be acquired)

Program Stimulus funding

Assistance and Support to establish 501-C status or "umbrella-ing" under existing Non-Profit

Grant writers to help pursue program underwriting.

JOIN OUR KIVA LENDING TEAM!
Start now by joining our Kiva Lending team and begin lending today. While we continue to develp the program you can explore connecting to others on the team and share information and ideas! Just visit http://www.kiva.org/team/kivainschools - It's free of course and if you are a first time lender and join soon you'll get a FREE $25 loan credit!

CONTACT:
Russ Smith
info@KivaInSchools.org
347-850-2254