Deki FAQ
My Account and Lending Process
Do I have to have a Deki account to lend money?
How do I lend?
What happens after I lend?
How do I deposit funds into my account and lend them later?
Can I lend less than £10?
Can my company create an account?
Do I have to use PayPal?
Will I get monthly updates on my entrepreneur?
How long will it take until I get my money back?
Will Deki notify me when my loan has been repaid?
Does the entrepreneur receive 100% of their loan request?
Other Questions
Why does Deki only feature lenders from Togo, Ghana, Malawi and Nepal?
How does microfinance help fight poverty?
Who bears the exchange rate risk?
Do I have to donate to Deki to use the website?
Where do my donations go?
How else can I get involved?
Not found what you're looking for
Do I have to have a Deki account to lend money?
Yes, in order to lend money or buy a gift voucher you need to create an online account with Deki. It is easy and takes only a few minutes. Create your account now
How do I lend?
In order to lend you first need to create a Deki account. Click 'Lend' at the top of our home page. You'll be taken to a list of entrepreneurs.
Select who you'd like to support and how much to lend from the drop-down menu. Click 'Lend Now'.
To support another entrepreneur - click 'View more entrepreneurs'.
View your Basket: here you can change your loan amount, remove an entrepreneur and add/edit an optional donation to Deki.
You'll need enough funds in your Deki account to make the transaction - you will be directed to PayPal to add money to your Deki account. You don't need to have a PayPal account - you can use a debit or credit card and you will see this option once you click 'Pay via Paypal' button.
You can make an optional donation to Deki to cover our administration costs. If you'd rather not donate, please delete this amount and press 'Update'.
After your PayPal transaction, you'll be directed back to your Deki lending cart, where you will need to confirm your order.
What happens after I lend?
Deki keeps you updated throughout your loan. You can check any time by clicking 'My Account'. Here you'll be able to see how much has been repaid.
Once a repayment has been made you have three options:
- Re-lend funds - if you have less than £10 credit you can always top-up.
- Donate the repaid amount to Deki.
- Withdraw the funds via PayPal.
How do I deposit funds into my account and lend them later?
- Log into your Deki Account.
- Click 'My Account'.
- Click Add Credit and follow the steps.
Can I lend less than £10?
£10 is the minimum loan amount. Due to transaction fees, Deki cannot administrate loans less than this.
Can my company create an account?
Yes! You can create a company account in the same way as an individual. Simply use your company name as your username and enter it in the 'first name' box. You can also upload the company logo. Featured lenders appear on the home page, so people can see that your company invests in people overseas.
Do I have to use PayPal?
You don't have to use PayPal to make a loan. When directed to PayPal login page there is an option on the page to continue paying by credit card.
Will I get monthly updates on my entrepreneur?
No, our field partners are small organisations with limited resource and they often have to travel far to collect repayments from the entrepreneurs, to take their photos, etc. Their internet and phone access is often not reliable. We encourage them to send in updates on their entrepreneurs as often as they can and we have collected a number of success stories. Nevertheless, regular progress updates on every single entrepreneur are not currently realistic. We hope you understand this. Regular repayments from your entrepreneur are a good sign that their business is doing well.
How long will it take until I get my money back?
Most Deki loans are repaid within 6-18 months.
Will Deki notify me when my loan has been repaid?
Yes, you will receive a monthly update detailing repayments of your entrepreneur(s) and giving an overview of your Deki account balance. You will also receive an email once your loan has been fully repaid.
Does the entrepreneur receive 100% of their loan request?
Yes, the entrepreneur gets 100% of the money they requested, no charges will be deducted from the loan.
Why does Deki only feature lenders from Togo, Ghana, Malawi and Nepal?
We are a young charity and currently we only have field partners in these countries. We select our field partners carefully to ensure that we reach the people most in need (ie people who don't have access to bank loans) and that additional support such as business advice and training is provided. We are in the process of getting more field partners on board so there will be entrepreneurs from other countries soon.
How does microfinance help fight poverty?
In right circumstances microfinance is a very powerful tool in helping people who live in poverty or earn a low income. It provides them with capital to start or expand their business and is more secure and sustainable than many aid projects. Microfinance clients are usually self-employed microentrepreneurs who typically operate small businesses such as food shops, market stalls, repairs services, clothes making or agriculture related activities. Microfinance is not appropriate for the extremely poor who struggle with their basic needs such as food or shelter. They will benefit from grants and there are other charities that focus on helping them. Go to microfinance page to find out more
Who bears the exchange rate risk?
Loans by you are ultimately provided to entrepreneurs in local currencies. Similarly, repayments to you are translated back into British Pounds using the prevailing exchange rate. Deki will cover any minor fluctuations and at different times this could work for or against Deki. Any money made by Deki will be used to enable us to reach more borrowers. However, if there is a major loss due to currency fluctuation Deki may be forced to pass this on to the lender. Therefore due to fluctuations in exchange rates, repayments may be less than scheduled. Read more in our Terms of Use
Do I have to donate to Deki to use the website?
No, donations to Deki are entirely voluntary. We are very grateful for any donations you can make as Deki is a charity and charges no commission or interest on the loans. A lot of the work is done by volunteers. Your donation will help us keep the website going and expand into other areas where people's lives can be changed with microloans.
Where do my donations go?
Deki is a charity and charges no commission or interest on the loans. Your donations will help us keep the website running and offer better support to our field partners so that we can make loans to a greater number of entrepreneurs. Donations will also help us expand into other countries where access to microfinance and training can make an enormous difference to people's lives.
How else can I get involved?
There are several ways to get involved! If you work with schools we have a schools package offering fun and engaging ways to teach about international development and poverty. If you have a business, get in touch to ask about a business account. You can spread the word about Deki or nominate us as your company charity. Read more about how to get involved
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Have another question? Please contact us