www.kiva.org
You can go to Kiva's website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business - like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent - and you get updates letting you know how the entrepreneur is going.
The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back - and Kiva's loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.
Part of the thrill, aside from the whole goat thing, is that I've joined the Freakgirl.com Kiva lending team:
www.kiva.org/community/viewTeam?team_id=2661
Go Team Freakgirl! You should join too, cause Freakgirl likes cupcakes.
My latest loan was to Miriama Talavalu

Thanks for joining the team and making your donations!
ReplyDeleteI just made a loan to Consuelo, whose aim was to buy fruitcake, wine and champagne. My kind of girl!
ReplyDeleteIf it sounds too good...mmmaybe...
ReplyDeleteMicrocredit: “A political economy of shame”
http://www.racialicious.com/2008/12/16/microcredit-%e2%80%9ca-political-economy-of-shame%e2%80%9d/#more-2081
~Brooke