Kiva

I saw a story on this organization on PBS "Frontline" last week and it seems like an interesting idea. Kiva is a website (http://www.kiva.org) that partners with microfinance institutions all around the world and allows anyone with $25 to invest in a small business in a developing country. It's quite a powerful idea. By cutting out the middle-man inherent in most large organizations (not to mention the high interest rates that people are often saddled with when they borrow through a bank), you can be sure that your money is going directly to a particular person with a particular business plan. The site profiles specific people and their business plans and you can choose which you would like to lend to. Anything that fosters this kind of direct human connection is a wonderful idea...