Kiva

We want to introduce all of you to an awesome organization that we have really enjoyed over the past year.  Kiva.org, is an online peer-to-peer lending site to support microfinance and microentrepreneurs all over the world.

Here's how it works.  You create an account, put money on it, browse the site for someone you want to loan money to (in $25 increments), click a button that transfers the funds, wait a couple of months and the money is returned to you.  At that point you can either have it transfered back into your bank account, or you can lend it out again.  Kiva has a 99% repayment rate and has facilitated 170 million dollars of loans to date.

Mandy and I have used this site multiple times.  We've invested in people living in towns we've lived in or traveled to.  Our current loan is to this group from Jinja, Uganda (A town we would travel to for delicious food located on the headwaters of the Nile).

It's really easy, lots of fun, and a great way to make a significant impact.  The best part is that you can do it over, and over, and over.  At least 99% of the time :)