Learning about the World through Microloans

One of the projects that I've begun to engage my students in is studying the world through microloans that we are making through Kiva.  We've spent the better part of the past 8 months raising money, studying countries, and selecting entrepreneurs that we are willing to support with loans ranging anywhere from $25-$100.  We've even created a Lending Team---called Team Kids Care---designed to encourage other classes to join us in our efforts. 

If you're interested in helping us to raise funds to loan out to the developing world, click here.

This page will contain any handouts and materials that I develop to support our microlending efforts. 

Complete Kiva Lending Packet

Project_Kiva_Activity1.pdf

This document contains 20 pages of resources designed to support Kiva classroom lending projects.  Readers will find activities that encourage students to study developing nations and the characteristics of quality microloans.  Rubrics for making lending decisions are included, as are templates for creating persuasive speeches about microlending projects.  Many of the individual resources listed below are included in this packet. 

Kiva Loan Rubric

Rubric_KivaLoans.pdf

This document contains a collection of questions that students should consider before making Kiva loans.  It encourages students to think about three main criteria for a good Kiva loan:  The characteristics of the country where the loan will be made, the characteristics of the entrepreneur looking for support, and the characteristics of the loan term and field partner who will be managing our money!

Mini Lesson on Loaning to Women

Kiva_Women_Loans.pdf

In many countries, women do not have equal access to public sources of credit as men even though women entrepreneurs are more likely to remain in their communities and to improve the lives of their neighbors as men entrepreneurs.  This mini-lesson encourages students to think through the pros and cons of making microloans to women.

Mini Lesson on Loaning to Groups

Kiva_Group_Loans.pdf

While making loans to individuals is often exciting to young lenders because there is a real sense of helping someone directly, often group loans are safer because all of the entrepreneurs in a group loan promise to support one another and guarantee complete repayment on a loan.  This mini-lesson encourages students to think through the pros and cons of making microloans to groups.

Mini Lesson on Giving Gift Cards

Kiva_Gift_Card.pdf

One of the more interesting Kiva opportunities for student lending teams is giving a gift card to another class that might be interested in setting up their own Kiva lending projects.  While doing so gives away control over hard-earned funds, it can also expand a lending team's impact by starting other student-led lending efforts.  This mini-lesson encourages students to think through the pros and cons of giving Kiva gift cards to other classes.

Mini Lesson on Country Profiles

Kiva_South_America_Stud.pdf

Instructionally, microlending carries great "bang for the buck" in social studies classrooms because it provides a great incentive for studying more about the countries of the developing world.  Our required curriculum, for example, expects students to learn about life in South America---one of our world's poorest contintents.  This mini-lesson encourages students to collect information about life in each of South America's countries before making lending decisions. 

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