Why Loans, Not Donations?
The company that facilitates these loans, Kiva.org, is an organization that helps connect artisans around the world to lenders who can help support their ventures. The people receiving these loans are proud to run successful businesses that support their communities and are seeking a temporary loan, not a donation. However, the loans have a very flexible repayment policy and some loans are never repaid in cases where the artisan experiences hardship.
Once a loan has been repaid though, The Studio can re-deploy those funds to another artisan in need, thus the cycle of growing businesses and supporting underserved communities continues.