They did a bit on TV about this program where you can lend money to people in third world countries to start or axpand a business. Your money goes as a loan which you get back and can re-loan or withdraw. (There is no interest, it's for a good cause). Anyways, if you have some extra money and want to do a good deed have a look: http://www.kiva.org Just for the record I am not affiliated with the site, there are no referral bonuses, nor do I gain i any way whasoever. I just though it was a good idea and thought I'd share.
They were featured on Frontline PBS and IMHO they are not, but regardless, that's up to you to decide. Have a look at their FAQ, it should answer a lot of questions. http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=about&action=faq
They've been around since April 2002 so probably not scammers, although I have no personal experience with them. A couple more articles from earlier in the year: http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/17/pf/kiva_microfinance/index.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4759122.stm It doesn't take much money to make a big difference. I made a mental note last spring to try this out, but it seems I lost the note-pad. Thanks for the reminder Roman.
Thanks Roman for posting the initial thread about Kiva. You have introduced to the forum users a way to get connected to something worthwhile, yet in a very practical manner. One does NOT have to be a Nobel Peace Prize winner to engage in microfinance and use it as a tool for poverty alleviation! I would suspect that anyone capable of using an internet forum would have some awareness of the risks of e-commerce. I would also hope that people making financial decisions rely on more than just what they've read online. Having said that, Kiva.org does provide a lot of resources for anyone who wants to learn more about microfinance in general. The staff at Kiva (and lowly volunteers like myself ) are always more than happy to answer any inquiries that may arise. One great way of getting introduced to the idea of Peer-to-Peer lending is by exploring the social networking capabilities of our portal. Some of our micro-loaners have made their profiles public, allowing anyone to see their loan portfolio, the status of each of these loans and even (if they've chosen to do so) a mini-bio/pic/blog link. This generates an amazing dialogue not only between the loaner and borrower (who can now see where the individual loans are coming from) but even amongst loaners who share the same affinities (such as geographical location)! This emerging Internet is truly amazing in how it can connect people. Regards, Tim (volunteer with Kiva.org)
No problem, it seemed like a unique and worthwhile idea. I loaned some money and it has now been dispersed to the person so hopefully the recipient will do well. Roman
I wrote already in another thread that the direct help is much better than just send money to nowhere. If you want to help do it in person.