I would like to invite everyone to join Team FSM on Kiva.
What is Kiva?
Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.
You browse profiles and decide who gets a few of your dollars.
Currently, Team FSM has 60 members and has donated over $3k, spread out over 130 individual loans. A few projects we’ve helped fund:
* Raw materials to make furniture in Peru
* Grocery Store in Cambodia
* Cattle in Tajikistan
It’s an impressive organization and the money goes directly to the individuals in need. There’s no large overhead or creepy religious missionaries involved. And keep in mind that these are loans – if all goes well the money comes back.
If this is something you’re interested in, please join our team.
UPDATE 10/4/08
Wow – in one day we added 40 new members to Team FSM and over $4000 in new donations!
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This sounds suspiciously like some kind of sellout for the FSM. I vote go somewhere else.
RAmen
ET
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A worthy cause
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I’ve joined the team, and now I’m extra proud to be a Pastafarian. Thanks, Bobby, for supporting Kiva!
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I for one think this is a wonderful thing for us to do. I especially like that there’s no creepy religious overlord dude running it.
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This is beautiful.
What a fantastic idea.
I’ve already joined up and made my first loan and to celebrate I shall be partaking in a splendid spaghetti bolognese tonight.
Possibly washed down with a couple of glasses of Rioja.
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This is a *great* idea. I’ve funded a few projects through KIVA — I’ll join the team ASAP and fund even more! Ramen!
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Thanks for the link, a very nice project.
And I know what you mean about religious overtones. I was very excited about sending Christmas presents to kids in Africa until I found out each kid was also given a Bible. There’s no reason they don’t deserve a present, but I also think they’ve got enough going on that they don’t need someone telling them they’re going to eternal damnation unless they believe in some religion they’ve never heard of.
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Yeah, Martin #7–I had to do a lot of research before sponsoring a child to make sure they weren’t being forced to undergo any brainwashing as part of their education.
I would like to make a loan to help open a noodle shop somewhere.
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Giving money in the name of the FSM. Isn’t that REAL religion, instead of PARODY religion?
(On a different topic: The cucumber is a right wing moralistic kiddy brainwashing bible bashing happy smiling uber cool singing dancing pirate. Real kids love Larry more than the FSM. He can pick things up without even having hands.)
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give me a ‘hell YESSSSS’ for KIVA.
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As of today, we’ve donated over $11,000 through Kiva.
We ARRRRRR the best!
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It’s a shame this site has not attracted more interest.
I know money is tight at the moment but if everyone could make one loan, say, every 6 months, imagine the amount of people we’d all be helping.
May His Noodlyness open everyones eyes.:-)
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