Tales of Seven

Kiva: Senegal

I continue to be a huge fan of Kiva with a most recent loan going to the Jeg Diam Group from the small west African nation of Senegal. This business approached Kiva to request a loan for purchase of equipment for processing fruits and vegetables and is just one of thousands of businesses Kiva has helped succeed through micro loans. Fantastic idea and fantastic charity.

(Shown below: The Jeg Diam Group)

"Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty and is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend to unique entrepreneurs around the globe."
 

Smile Train

A new favorite charity, Smile Train offers operations to children with cleft lips free of cost. A small contribution can have an unbelievable impact on the entire course of a child's life.

If you haven't already seen it, the 'Smile Pinki' documentary paints an inspiring picture of the impact these operations have, following a child from village to hospital and back home again.

Kiva Update - Spotlight on Cambodia

As an update to a post on Kiva.org Microloans, (a non-profit that enables people to make small loans to businesses in developing countries) some of the first businesses to which I loaned money have  just paid off their loans and there is now opportunity to reinvest that money in other businesses.

I'm happy to see (and just invested in) businesses in need in Cambodia.

Cambodia is still in difficult recovery from years of killings under the Khmer Rouge where nearly 2 million people lost their lives (in a country with a current population of just 13mm), and millions more forced out of their homes under the guise of 'social reform'. And they continue to struggle under a government that prevents free speech and participates in undisguised corruption.

As I recently traveled in Cambodia, I found the people to be wonderful and gracious hosts, and the last to make complaint about their history. I'm glad to see wonderful organizations like Kiva reaching out to provide some assistance.

(My Kiva portfolio)

HeroRat

Hurrah for simple innovation.

HeroRat is the brainchild of one man who has a love of rodents and a mission to make the world a better place. After working in Africa and encountering many landmine victims, he came upon the idea of using rats to sniff out landmines. They are lightweight (won't set off mines), highly trainable, and easy to raise and maintain.

He is currently running numerous programs to de-mine areas around African villages and schools. Learn more or Adopt a Rat at their website. Next time someone asks you which charities you support, this will be a good one ;).

Charity Navigator

I've always wished to see some of the rigor of for-profit businesses brought into the world of charities, with the end goal of greater impact for every dollar raised. Seeking a tool that could help me identify particularly effective charities, I came upon Charity Navigator, a site that does an impressive job reviewing the effectiveness of over 5000 charities.

I particularly liked some of their Top Ten lists, and found a great, new charity I intend to support (The Animal Welfare Institute) in their '10 Charities Worth Watching' list.

 

Loans to the Developing World: An Update

As an update to my recent post on Kiva.org Microloans, (a non-profit that enables people to make small loans to businesses in developing countries) the first businesses to which I loaned money have already begun to make their first payments 1 month after they received their loans.

I'm also happy to see that Kiva has also started to list businesses in need in Iraq, and have added two to my portfolio of loans. While they note that the loans are riskier in such a volatile region, it seems only appropriate the world continues to find any way it can help a people who continue to bear the most severe burdens of war.