While delving into some data science communities I had hear of Kaggle many times over and had even created an account, but it wasn't until I got an email about a dataset of Kiva loans that I actually got interested. First of all, what is Kaggle? Kaggle is a platform for predictive modelling and analytics competitions in which statisticians and data miners compete to produce the best models for predicting and describing the datasets uploaded by companies and users. - Wikipedia Essentially it is a data science playground where you can access data, do analysis, look at other peoples analysis and enter competitions. If you submit an analysis then all your code is available for others to see which means you can 'be inspired' techniques you see others using and also makes it easier assist others when they need help. So what about Kiva? Kiva Microfunds is a 501 non-profit organization that allows people to lend money via the Internet to low-income entrepreneurs