Friends, I write this post to share with you something I am really excited about. I believe that we need to help each other as much as we can. I believe we need to do this on a global scale, and we need to do it now. Especially with the economy in such crisis. I watched the Obama Inauguration Kick Off today, and was again moved by our amazing capacity to reboot as a nation. Coming from South Africa as I do, I can share with you that around the world, people are watching and longing for a successful Obama Presidency, and an American economic recovery. Our fiscal health impacts everybody.
Well I am a huge fan of Micro Banking, first described by Professor Muhammad Yunus in his book Banker to the Poor, and I set as a goal to participate in micro banking as a contributor, fund raiser, lender as best as I could in my lifetime. I had hoped that once I retired from PT I would be able to help people, especially in the third world, self actualize. But with the world wide economy so dire, I felt that I needed to act now.
Well I recently discovered KIVA.org - an amazing organization that allows a person to donate $25.00 and once it is re-payed, loan it again and again and again indefinitely. KIVA has a process of bringing together viable entrepreneurs with potential lenders and in a few short years, KIVA has grown from 7 loans on their website to over $50,000,000 successfully loaned out, to now, with one loan a second being made, and over 16,752 lenders made a loan this week alone.
I am inviting you to join KIVA.org, and to make a small contribution to see how it works. If you are like some of my friends, you will find it an amazing way to contribute directly to someone in need with no overhead to speak of, all your contribution reaches the intended person. You can set up teams, like my team here. Or you can join a team (you are welcome to join my team if you like), or you can donate as an individual.
Please consider joining KIVA.org, make loans to people you select in the part of the world you select, at the rate of lending you select, and help a person achieve a happier life. In my humble opinion, doing so will help you feel good as well.
Thanks,
Neil
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