Reddit, I keep seeing these commercials for Kiva; is there anything I should know before I decide to give it a shot?

Kiva

Basically, Kiva allows you to finance micro loans to people in developing nations. From it's website, it advertises a "98.97% Repayment rate for 239,049,225 in ended loans." It also comes with what seems to be a sufficient amount of warnings for the potential to lose your money (typical loaner risks).

The website makes it incredibly attractive, but I was wondering if there was anything I should know before I decide to involve myself. Are there better services like this? Does Kiva have some negative reputation attached to it's name? Our their return rates altered in any way?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Typo's