According to the definition, microcredit consists in attributing small sum credits to small enterprises or indidivuals. The principle had been shown to work well by Bengali Muhammad Yunus and the bank he created, the Grameen Bank. For this, they receieved no less than a Nobel Peace Prize.
We could think that this is very far from us but there is a way you can participate thanks to the Internet. A web site, Kiva, offers you to also lend money (at no interest for you) to people from around the world (maybe in your own country too).
Kiva recruits small credit banks all other the world and puts them in contact with people willing to act, from US$25.
You will earn no money, I don’t. There is a small risk seeing somebody unable to reimburse (weather, sickness are common causes I could observe). But how could you not feel obliged to use a few dollars/euros to help people who have no other chance to invest in their future since they have no access to big international banks (the same ones who hesitate to lend money to people like you and me or Ben Bernanke)?
So, since 2011, I lend small sums, I get reimbursed, I lend again. Twice, the money did not come all back. Once, it took a real long time before I got repaid. But I fear I am considering this as a very small price to pay for changing a life or transforming the future of a family or a group of people.
Why wouldn’t you try too? Just go to Kiva and send them 25$ (or 50€?)
PS: Don’t worry! I will earn nothing if you click on the links here, except the small egotistic satisfaction of seeing people following my advice.
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