Calling All Socially-Minded Techies; Kiva Launches API Platform

Kiva.org, the non-profit people-to-people microlending organization, is rolling out an open-source API platform for techies interested in building tools and new applications for the microfinance/microlending community. Kiva wants ‘build.kiva.org’ to become a hub for socially-minded developers who want a make a difference in the world (and create cool applications).

Here’s a list of the current APIs. Kiva advises that they are going to add more. Some examples of data developers can access through the API include:

• all of the loans at Kiva currently raising funds
• all of the entrepreneurs from Uganda and Peru which have fully repaid their loans
• the latest lending activity on Kiva
• financial nitty-gritty for any of Kiva’s loans
• the list of loans made by any one of Kiva’s lenders with a public lender page

Kiva even makes some suggestions to developers of several products that could be built from the API. Here are a few, but you can access all of the ideas through the Kiva developer’s Wiki.

• an application for iPhone or Blackberry that let’s you keep up with Kiva on the go
• service where lenders can register for alerts on new entrepreneurs they want to fund
• integration into a social network where friends can engage around each others’ activity and loan updates on Kiva
• a map that simulates the realtime transfer of funds across the globe