Call me selfish, but I’ve never been a big fan of charity. I don’t mean things like giving time or money to help find a cure for cancer or to help the EFF to keep fighting for freedom. I’m happy to give a little to the EFF. I don’t like charity that’s just a hand out. I don’t care if its to corporations or individuals. I think its entirely counter productive and cultivates dangerous dependencies.
This is why I love the idea behind Kiva. Kiva connects people in developing nations who need micro investments with people who want to give micro investments. Each investment seeker works with a local NGO, posts a profile of themselves, thier need, thier projected repayment period and the amount of investment (rarely anything over $1000). Kiva shows you a bar of how much of their needed investment has been contributed so far.
I dropped into my new Kiva account $50 that has just been sitting in my PayPal account for months doing nothing. You probably have a few dollars sitting you PayPal as well, also doing nothing. I then looked over a number of business opportunities in areas of the world I’m interested in helping, and loaned $25 each to two latin american women trying to grow their little shops.
Check out Maria Pilco and Melvis Merchan. I know my portfolio isn’t terribly diversified, but these businesses had the shortest repayment periods, and I want to see if this really works before investing more. Remember, this ain’t charity.
I don’t know if they actually get the money (Kiva promises the businesses get 100% of your loan), or if I’ll ever see it returned. But for $50, and the amount of good a model like this could do in the world, I feel that its more than worth the risk.
Along these lines… check out Heifer International http://www.heifer.org
From the Heifer Website:
“Bringing an End to World Hunger Through Unimaginable Blessings
Today, millions of people who were once hungry will be nourished by milk, eggs and fresh vegetables.self-reliance
Families who for generations knew only poverty will be building new homes and starting businesses.
Children who once headed out to the fields to do backbreaking work will be heading into schoolrooms to learn to read.
And people who never thought they’d be in a position to help someone else will be experiencing the joy of charitable giving.
How is this possible?
With Heifer’s proven approach – almost 60 years in the making – to helping people obtain a sustainable source of food and income.”
Another good option:
http://www.equalexchange.com/csm/
From the Website:
“A great investment: Here’s why!
The Equal Exchanger CD offers you a competitive rate of return – currently an APY of 4.7%. The CD term is 3 years; the minimum investment is $1000. You could buy a conventional CD and have your money help finance a strip mall in Chicago or condos in Miami. Or you could buy an Equal Exchange CD and help finance small family farmers like Eusebio Laron Torres from the CACVRA Cooperative in Peru. It’s nice to have a choice.”
And while you’re at it… why not have all your money be used for good, while earning.
http://www.eco-bank.com/index.html
“the first commercial bank in the United States with a commitment to environmentally sustainable community development.”
http://www.domini.com/domini-funds/index.htm
“ur family of no-load socially and environmentally responsible investment products includes investment options for each major asset class (stocks, bonds, and cash), making it possible for you to build a socially responsible portfolio that fits your particular investment objectives.”
dude, these are awesome. I wish organizations like these were better able to get their message out. I suspect a lot more people would channel investment dollars their way.
Check out http://www.africaid.org partner fund program.
George,
thanks for reading, and thanks for the link.