What a concept! Solicit funds from well-intentioned people from around the world to make small, low interest, loans to small entrepreneurs who want to begin start-up businesses in third-world countries. How have they fared? To date, over 675,000 lenders from 192 countries have made some 170,000 loans. These loans totaled over $121 million dollars with the average loan amounting to just $399. The rate of repayment is over 98 percent.

This amazing “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” approach undertaken by Kiva caught our attention three years ago Kiva is a non-profit microcredit facilitating organization that makes use of the Internet and a roster of vetted Field Partners throughout the world to connect lenders and entrepreneurs.