Riding For KIVA

OK, I will admit that this little jaunt around the country is an extremely selfish thing to do. However given that I can't find a job, it would seem that it is the right time to do it... but then it has been nagging me... that there should be a way to do more with this 20,000 mile trip than just get my head in a better space. I have followed several travelers in real time, the PoorCirculation Trip Around the World was a great story and a inspiring tale in many ways.

I have been somewhat lucky in my life in that I have not wanted for much. I'm in no way rich, and have lived off of mac and cheese plenty of times, but in the global scale of things, I, like most of my fellow Americans, have it pretty good. Of course this could all drastically change over the next year.... by this time next year most of us could be standing in bread lines and starving to death, thanks to the greedy bastards that ran rip shod over the global financial system!

Last summer I joined a group called KIVA. You will note the banner off to the right, that will take you to the KIVA website. KIVA is a micro financier organization that allows me to invest a small amount of money, for me it is around $275 total, that makes a large difference! I get to choose who I loan to and how much of my funds I want to loan to them. KIVA takes care of the process and I get to help someone in a less fortunate circumstance get on their own feet.

In order to assuage my guilt on this trip I will be promoting and talking about KIVA to people that ask. I will get some stick-on lettering to adorn the bike, with the www.KIVA.org logo. I also am going to have some small cards printed up to hand out to anyone that shows an interest. What will nto be happnening is me gathering crowds and preaching... if they ask, we will talk... if they don't I get more time for taking pics and enjoying some sights and sounds.

Look at KIVA. Consider the benefit to the microfinancier system and what it can do to help those that want to help themselves.