I often feel like I don't have the power or the importance to effect any change for people. But Kiva allows even people like me to directly make a person's life somewhat more manageable.
Kiva puts microfinancing to use. You choose from candidates from the most impoverished countries in the world who need just a few dollars. Then you donate some money to them. But that donation is a loan. You will get this money back, and it will have already allowed that small business owner in Africa to buy the $50 dollar machine he/she needed in order to cook food for the locals. Loan a hundred dollars to five different small businesses, and you will have effectively diminished poverty, thereby diminishing crime, thereby diminishing hate. Sure, everyone cares, but no one does much because they feel like their effort cannot change the world. But this is a direct way to make a difference, however small. It is very important we start somewhere.
