Microfinance

[Lolly]

http://www.kiva.org/

I just found this and I think it is an excellent idea.

Watch this for the explanation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlAHwP7W4xo

Would anyone here consider giving a loan? There's a 98.99% return rate. ^_^

[EvangelionZeta]

Oh my god this looks like an amazing program.  Haven't had a chance to look at the video, but at least according to The Economist microloans are so, so very important for assisting development.  Didn't realise you could do this to help out!

[Lolly]

http://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers?feature=watch

This is also relevant ( Although, only from about 1.45 onwards)

[tram]

Oh my god this looks like an amazing program.  Haven't had a chance to look at the video, but at least according to The Economist microloans are so, so very important for assisting development.  Didn't realise you could do this to help out!

How have i not talked to you about microfinance EZ!? (also lols that you becoming a real debater and referencing the economist in casual conversation)

Microfinance is an excellent way to help alleviate poverty, it has some seriously good benefits, but it can also go really wrong if it's not managed properly. If you want to give, KIVA is definitely the way to go. If you're planning to go to Melbourne Uni we have a club dedicated to providing consulting advice to micro-finance institutes. If you're interested here is an article that I wrote about my experiences when I went to Cambodia in the middle of the year, it was such an eyeopening experience

http://benews.unimelb.edu.au/2012/giving-a-helping-hand-in-cambodia/

This is also a cool little video about microfianance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmWtm5w43pA

It's main problems lie within communicating to borrowers the concepts of borrowing money and saving to repay it (sounds simple to us, but it's a totally foreign concept to lots of people living in poverty).