Thursday, May 22, 2008

What is SRI? Part V: Microfinance



A recent development gaining a lot of attention both within and beyond the SRI community is microfinance or microcredit. Offering small loans or grants to people in developing countries can free them to engage in entrepreneurial activity and allow economic vitality that is rooted in local knowledge to emerge from the ground up.

Microlending is also a great way for anyone interested in SRI to become involved with minimal financial commitments. Through organizations such as Kiva, for instance, instance, you can help someone across the world meet their goals of buying an animal, expanding a fruit stand, or something else very concrete – and you can do so for as little as $25.

Right Sharing of World Resources
is another option for those interested in a program with a Quaker background and focus. RSWR is "a program of the Religious Society of Friends supporting grassroots projects for economic development and offering educational materials for the study of the lives of the poor, the lives of the rich, and the spiritual meaning of both."

No comments: