kiva.org

Ever wanted to donate money to the developing world but didn't know how to do it?

Ever thought that if you did in fact donate if your money would reach its intended destination, or if it would be tied up somewhere in the middle covering administrative or other costs?

Ever had $25 in your pocket and thought: "Hmm... I could really go for a beer (or three) right about now, but I bet there's a lady in Togo that needs help purchasing yams to resell at her local market"?

Maybe your thoughts were more in tune with a Samoan woman looking to expand her food stall, or a Tajik shoe salesman looking to restock his inventory for the winter.

Wherever your mental meanderings may take you, allow them to focus for a moment on kiva, a non-profit organization that offers a mechanism for you to loan money to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world. As such, you can provide affordable working capital for the poor (money to buy a sewing machine, livestock, etc.), thus empowering them to earn their way out of poverty.

Kiva is a relatively new and hopefully sustainable way to combat global poverty, while giving you a window into the plight of (really) small businesspeople around the world.

Even if you decide not to donate, it's still worth a peek. Just click the banner below.