Bear with me for a second here. (Especially Karen's relatives who think my blog drifts entirely too far from interesting stories about our lives...this post likely will just prove your point.)Many moons back, I heard an NPR interview about the emerging concept of "micro-lending," which more recently got a ton of international attention when the idea's pioneers won the Nobel Peace Prize.
I instantly loved the concept, which is to give small loans to impoverished entrepreneurs in developing countries or struggling communities. The loans (often as low as a few hundred dollars) are generally for tools or equipment that can help the entrepreneur get started or expand a small business.
Here's the strange part. When the micro-lenders won the Nobel Prize, I remember thinking how great it would be if I could help out on a project like that. But how do you get individuals in America connected with needy businessfolk in Asia or South America?
Well, I obviously wasn't the only one thinking that. Yesterday, Mental Floss posted a blog item about the Web site Kiva.org, which lets visitors lend money to countless specific business projects across the globe.
(And yes, I'm sure I shared some of your same concerns about keeping the money away from scammers. There's a ton if info in their FAQ, if you're interested.)
Anyway, just passing this on because I know many of you, like me, have little to give and are reluctant to hand money to a faceless charity. If we set aside enough to try one of these micro-loans, I'll let you know how it goes.
Be sure to browse the profiles of the entrepreneurs seeking money. There's some amazing stories there.
No comments:
Post a Comment