Kiva

Kiva has opened up more opportunities.

If you're unfamiliar with Kiva, its a novel concept that allows us to loan money (as small as $25) directly to desperately poor individuals in third world countries who are trying to start a business. Many of these people just need a few hundred dollars to start a sewing, cleaning or cooking business that would make them "rich" in their country. You get to read about the people who want loans and you can decide who you want to loan money to and how much money you loan. The recipients ("entrepreneurs") are screened by real financial institutions and repay the loans within about a year. Once its repayed, you can find someone else who needs a loan.

If you're wondering if you'll make money off the interest, don't even click the link. This is to help others. But instead of just donating money to something and never seeing it again, you can actually see the money helping someone, then with that same money, you can help someone else. Its a very cheap and selfish way to help others! :) You get to see the good things happening and feel good about yourself. And what other organization lets you use your same donation over and over? With everyone else, once you give it, its gone and you can't claim to donate it again. Not with Kiva. You can resuse the same money.

If you come back later and can't find this post, Kiva is in our Links section.