Contrast Kiva with, for example, UNICEF. Kiva makes it possible to trace the path of your donation, to the extent that such tracing is realistic (and it largely turns out to be more along the lines of “you funded a certain MFI” rather than “you funded a certain person”). UNICEF doesn’t even seem to have a breakdown of how much money is going to each continent. We definitely can’t find information on questions like (a) What specific projects are you funding? (b) What is your role in each? (c) What new projects are planned, and where? (d) How is each project going, whom is it affecting, and how?
There are no strange patterns in UNICEF’s numbers because there are no numbers. There are no contradictions because there is no concrete information. And the intent here isn’t to single out UNICEF – it’s merely one of the vast majority of international aid organizations about which we know essentially nothing.
If you’re not an Objectivist, you might consider adding The GiveWell Blog to your RSS.
I don’t invest in companies that don’t provide detailed financial reports. Why would I give to a charity that doesn’t provide detailed financial reports.
Any outlays not being reported on rigorously are probably being wasted at best, outright stolen at worst.
I’ve lended to Kiva and found it rewarding. I feel like I’m doing my part to spread capitalism to the developing world. I’ve lended to about 5 people and have always been paid back.
“If you’re not an Objectivist, you might consider adding The GiveWell Blog to your RSS.”
Uh…I consider myself an objectivist (small “o”) and I would add GiveWell to my blogroll, if I had one. Nothing wrong with an honest, open path to charity, as long as people realize it’s my money and I don’t owe it (in some cosmic or ideological sense) to others.
It really comes down to promoting certain values and therefore supporting certain people, groups, or causes. I have a Chinese-born daughter; I give money to Chinese orphans. I like them. I know that those orphanages are filled with kids who have wonderful potential, but who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in a less-than-nurturing environment. I don’t see this as being in contradiction with radical individualism.