There is a non-profit movement that I was introduced to some time ago, and which I am greatly supportive of, that serves to spread freedom and self reliance far more than any donation possibly can.
The organization is called KIVA.
KIVA's goal is to provide sources of finance where traditional US style loans are not available (in third world countries where governments are shaky at best, and there is no such thing as a stable economy). But these sources of income are not hand-outs... they are hand-ups.
KIVA is a micro-lending company, where you are allowed to invest in a third world entrepreneur $25 US dollars at a time. These are not donations, but loans that will be fully paid back to the lender over the agreed to contract time. The risk is low, but the benefits are enormous... especially for the individual obtaining the loan.
These loans represent a new head of cattle, new inventory in their store, expansion of a privately owned business, betterment of the lives of the lender and the improvement of the society around them.
There is a new front on the global war on poverty. It is the spread of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... the spread of freedom. Not by toppling governments, but by emboldening people to live better lives and provide a future for their families.
What better way to use $25 than to spread freedom and hope?
And remember... you'll get that $25 back... so reinvest!
I currently have three loans out that are being repaid: One to a cattle farmer in Tajikistan who wanted to buy new cattle in the winter, when prices were down; One to a woman in Lebanon who wanted to expand inventory in her western style clothing store; and One to a group of women in Uganda who wanted to expand their charcoal sales business.
I challenge my readers to provide one $25 loan, and leave a comment telling me what your investment went towards, and who it helped. I know I get about 30 unique visits a day... if 1/3 of my readers made one loan today, we could help change the lives of 10 folks directly and hundreds or thousands indirectly.
How will you help?
This is a brilliant program! I just gave a bunch of money to Mery Corps, but I'm going to check this out next time I have some money to give away.
ReplyDeleteYoung: You are not "giving away" money. You are lending it for a period of time with 0% interest. By the time the loan is repaid, you have 100% of your money back.
ReplyDeleteWell, since you are giving up your money for a year and running a good risk of defualt I'd say that comes pretty close to giving it away.
ReplyDeleteActually, the default rate on KIVA loans is extremely low. If you did any amount of research instead of posting where you are doing little more than trying to piss me off, then you would appreciate the benefit of microlending through KIVA.
ReplyDeletePiss off. I don't need comments from pesky little children on my blog.