Loans from the BSM community have touched the lives of 177 people all around the world, including Laura, a fisherman from the Philippines; Veronika, a clothing vendor from Samoa; Agasef, a farmer from Azerbaijan; and Nazih, a water distributor from Lebanon.

The BSM community knows Kiva well through the Common Basket program and gave $6,125 since joining the non-profit, micro-loaning website in December 2009. These funds were evenly distributed among each class. “Every class has a little more that $600 dollars to donate,” said math teacher Dan Bowler, who helps lead some of the Kiva assemblies.

Each class formed an informal Kiva Committee that anyone can join and help choose who will receive the loans. “These committees meet on a rolling basis, and we put out announcements whenever money is available to be donated,” said Mr. Bowler.

The funds from the graduating senior class transfer to the new seventh graders at the beginning of each school year. “Seniors have given $1100 over the past two years, using almost every single dollar twice,” said Mr. Bowler, referring to the classes of 2010 and 2011.

In total, Kiva and its donors loaned $165,245,850 to poverty stricken entrepreneurs all around the world since its birth in 2005. These entrepreneurs use the micro-loan to build their business, paying back the lenders in the process.