Weekend Update

I'm absolutely exhausted, and I've promised myself a day off today. However, it's been a long time since I've written an update so I'll just fire off a few quick thoughts.

Fiona and I have been working pretty hard for the last few weeks. I've been writing a lot of code, which is great because it'd been a long time since I'd done any serious geeking out. I never thought I'd say it, but I really missed programming. We're redoing the entire Kiva site from the ground up, and it's been a lot of fun to just zone out and build cool stuff.

Fi's been working on getting a comprehensive database of every Microfinancing Institution in the galaxy. I think right now she's got an excel spreadsheet with like 5000 MFI's on it or something. If we could get even one percent of them to partner with Kiva we'd be all set.

Yesterday we posted another 17 businesses online, and they're almost all funded already. We didn't send out a notification email this time - we were actually hoping to keep them on the site for a while - but people just come out of the woodwork. I'm not surprised though. This batch of businesses was especially dope. I mean, what's a better investment than a Honduran Cheesemaker? Talk about a sure thing.

Like I said, I've been pretty tired today. I wanted to go for a walk, but Fiona took the keys so I'm stuck inside doing pushups and posting to my blog like a little bitch. I was really hoping to get through the day without doing any computer stuff, but now that I'm looking at the Kiva site I find myself wanting to knock off some code. It's just crazy that I can sit here looking at all these pictures of small business owners all over the world and help them and their families just by writing a bit of PHP.

Now that I'm thinking about it, it's kind of strange. Seeing these barbers and cheesemakers and chokeberry farmers fills me with energy even when I think I'm totally wiped out. It really is inspiring. I've never felt like this about anything else I've ever done, and for the first time in my life I'm really proud of what I'm doing. It's a great feeling.

Posted by flow Frazao on February 25, 2006 at 07:52 PM in Kiva/VEF | Permalink