New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof lends a baker in Kabul a small sum via Kiva.org and travels there to check out the bread and put the report on video (via the indispensable Foreign Policy blog).
As Kristof says, part of the appeal of microlending is that it isn’t charity-based. It’s a business relation.
But if it’s going to be charity, at least the money should go to the people who need it. GlobalGiving promises that “85-90% of your donation gets to local project leaders within 60 days.”
Both Kiva and GlobalGiving fit well into the microglobalization puzzle, I think.
Great post.
Here is another way to help Kiva if you like.
Use the WTF section on Technorati to raise the profile by voting for the WTF logged there.
http://www.technorati.com/wtf/kiva
Then write a blurb also if you want to add more info.
Thanks. And thanks also for the link you posted at Technorati to the Frontline report on Kiva and microcredit. It’s on the viewing list.