Kiva
Kiva is a microfinance organization that helps empower people around the world, $25 at a time. Lenders are able to target their loans to entrepreneurs in over 70 countries, enabling them to go to school, expand their businesses, and supply their communities. So far, over 98% of loans have been repaid, allowing lenders to reinvest their funds into other projects on the site.
The search feature allows lenders to sort recipients by country, gender, and sector. Certain loans are eligible for a funding match for third-party organizations. Additionally, signing up through an existing user results in a $25 bonus to use towards a loan.
Kiva is a microfinance organization that helps empower people around the world, $25 at a time. Lenders are able to target their loans to entrepreneurs in over 70 countries, enabling them to go to school, expand their businesses, and supply their communities. So far, over 98% of loans have been repaid, allowing lenders to reinvest their funds into other projects on the site.
The search feature allows lenders to sort recipients by country, gender, and sector. Certain loans are eligible for a funding match for third-party organizations. Additionally, signing up through an existing user results in a $25 bonus to use towards a loan.
MercyCorps & MercyCorps Northwest
MercyCorps supports developing nations and countries recovering from natural disasters. Instead of providing short-term aid, MercyCorps aims to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Through a combination of raw materials and education, MercyCorps starts at the foundation to initiate lasting change right where it's needed most.
I love MercyCorps's gift programs: while you can give via a standard donation, you can instead opt to leaf through their virtual gift catalog and earmark funds for a specific cause you (or a recipient) are passionate about. Whether you want to help a woman in Ethiopia start a small business or train a disaster-stricken village's elders to better support vulnerable children, start a fish hatchery to feed a community or build a latrine to keep water sources safe to drink, MercyCorps provides the assistance through local agencies around the world.
MercyCorps Northwest is a branch focusing on the specific needs of the Pacific Northwest. Their emphasis is on providing microloans and grants to fund local businesses, as well as educating and counseling the owners through the start-up process. They also work with at-risk individuals in the community, including former prison inmates trying to re-enter society and refugee farmers from Bhutan and Burma.
MercyCorps supports developing nations and countries recovering from natural disasters. Instead of providing short-term aid, MercyCorps aims to alleviate suffering, poverty, and oppression by helping people build secure, productive, and just communities. Through a combination of raw materials and education, MercyCorps starts at the foundation to initiate lasting change right where it's needed most.
I love MercyCorps's gift programs: while you can give via a standard donation, you can instead opt to leaf through their virtual gift catalog and earmark funds for a specific cause you (or a recipient) are passionate about. Whether you want to help a woman in Ethiopia start a small business or train a disaster-stricken village's elders to better support vulnerable children, start a fish hatchery to feed a community or build a latrine to keep water sources safe to drink, MercyCorps provides the assistance through local agencies around the world.
MercyCorps Northwest is a branch focusing on the specific needs of the Pacific Northwest. Their emphasis is on providing microloans and grants to fund local businesses, as well as educating and counseling the owners through the start-up process. They also work with at-risk individuals in the community, including former prison inmates trying to re-enter society and refugee farmers from Bhutan and Burma.
charity: water
We often take it for granted, yet one person in six does not have access to clean, safe drinking water.
100% of donations to charity: water go directly to funding projects around the world (the company's overhead costs are covered by a separate set of donors). $1 spent improving the local water infrastructure yields between $4 and $12 for the local economy each year and having a steady supply of water allows citizens to improve their communities in other ways. A gift of a reliable water source allows communities to enrich the lives of women and children, gain self-sufficiency, and reduce illness via proper sanitation.
You can donate directly or you can pledge your next birthday; in lieu of presents that day, have family and friends fund water projects in your name. They also have a store where profits contribute to operating costs.
We often take it for granted, yet one person in six does not have access to clean, safe drinking water.
100% of donations to charity: water go directly to funding projects around the world (the company's overhead costs are covered by a separate set of donors). $1 spent improving the local water infrastructure yields between $4 and $12 for the local economy each year and having a steady supply of water allows citizens to improve their communities in other ways. A gift of a reliable water source allows communities to enrich the lives of women and children, gain self-sufficiency, and reduce illness via proper sanitation.
You can donate directly or you can pledge your next birthday; in lieu of presents that day, have family and friends fund water projects in your name. They also have a store where profits contribute to operating costs.
