If you want to open a small business, are concerned about borrowing from a bank, and wonder how on Earth you can get some necessary capital outside of your friends and family circle, there is finally an answer. On June 10th, Kiva.org, the organization responsible for providing +$76,000,000 of microfinance to the developing world, has expanded their operations into the U.S. market.
In the Kiva model, would-be investors check out entrepreneurial endeavors looking for funding, make a loan to an entrepreneur they’re interested in(for as little as $25), and the loan is paid back to the lender over time.
About 6 months ago, I decided to give Kiva a whirl and supported a woman starting a hair salon in Ghana. Every once in a while I go on-line and check out how she’s doing. The $25 I gave, along with 14 other gifts of $25, meant the world to this woman. It’s giving her and her family a shot at a better life. After making this loan, I did some checking around to see if a similar program existed in the U.S. To my knowledge Kiva.org is the only one organization making it easy for Americans to lend microloans to other Americans.
Maria Shriver, an ardent supporter of Kiva. org and leader of the Women’s Conference, said, “we all have the power to be Architects of Change in our own lives and in the lives of others. This partnership with Kiva.org is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to team up as a community and empower women entrepreneurs here in California and across the United States to start and sustain a small business, become more financially independent, and ultimately fulfill her dreams. By pooling our resources, a loan as small as $25 can change a life. Thanks to Kiva.org, being an Architect of Change has never been easier.”
After reading about this program, I also did a little poking around for other great opportunities to participate with Kiva.org. They have opened up their tools to allow outside developers to create Kiva apps. For example, an application called Kiva Heads allows users to browse loans on Facebook and gives you kudos on your Facebook page for the loans you make to Kiva while another app called Kiva World provides a live map of global Kiva loans in all phases and the ability to read more about the entrepreneurs with a single click any where on the map. Best of all, Kiva is working to create an app developer community on-line. Build you own app by visiting: build.kiva.org
There are now more ways that ever to do well by doing good and Kiva makes it easy for us to be a part of shaping the world as we’d like it to be, abroad and now within our own country, too.
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
I just got a Kiva gift certificate from my boss as our Christmas gift – great way to share so much of what we have with others who are not as fortunate as us. So glad it's expanding to the U.S!
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What an awesome gift to get from your boss! Speaks volumes about the philosophy of your company and the people it attracts.
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