Peer-to-Peer Philanthrophy

The whole notion of the Kiva organization really intrigued me while reading. Who would have thought that we could loan a farmer across the world money that he or she needs to continue farming, feed their families, as well as grasp the concept of borrowing and repaying a loan. People can go on their site, read a real story about a person who is trying to seek funds in order to expand their businesses and find out who you (the donor) can sign up to become a virtual lender.

The part that baffled me while reading was probably the sick reality of American selfishness to some extent. I looked on some websites to get feedback on Kiva, and responses from Americans basically summarized the notion that, "why are we worrying about other countries survival when we are in our own economic crisis. The developing countries should be lending us money, not the other way around."

These statements sadden me because I think that when people "give" money to a good cause it makes them feel as if they are contributing to the welfare of another human being. Instead of thinking of it in a selfish manner, have Americans ever contempleted the notion that maybe if they established a lender relationship with entrepenours in developing countries now, and it caught on, we would not only be investing our money, but the world would slowly but surely begin to rebuild the economny.