Go to Kiva.org.

 

Read what it does.

 

Join team Nerdfighters. or not.

 

Help get an aspiring business owner started.

 

People say "the World sucks today".  Here is how YOU can make the world a better place one family at a time.

 

 

I have made 3 loans to little construction guys on 3 continents.  At $25 a piece it's not going to make a huge difference in my life, but it makes a significant impact in theirs.  When they repay the loans I will loan it again to someone else.

 

Also, if you are starting a small business, you could get a 0% micro loan from Kiva Zip.  See the Zip tab at the top of the Kiva home page.

I have been on this for a couple of years and HIGHLY recommend that

everyone take a look.

That's a good program.

I have either loaned or given money to people start up or save a business.  I was befriended when I first went into business, needed 5k or I was out.  A local scrap dealer who I sold my material to gave me the money to keep going, I never forgot that.

Like Snook, I've loaned cash to several business owners in the past, and invested both time and money into others.  Almost all of them have paid me back in full, and then there were some who didn't make it.  I can't feel bad about any of the "lost" money I had in those cases as the owners all lost way more than what I did. 

 

This sounds like an interesting concept that I'm going to have to spend some time studying. 

 

Just the thought that there are people in the world whose potential success can be funded for less than what it costs for a single day of fishing is both mind boggling and humbling at the same time.

Wow, very interesting... It's very insightful to me.