Progressive Democrat Issue 73: INTERNATIONAL FOCUS

I will include every week an update on KIVA’s loan needs. KIVA has expanded their efforts greatly. For a while online publicity gained them more lenders than they could match to businesses in need of loans. They have made a huge effort to find new partners in more nations and now have more businesses in need than they have lenders. Time to redouble OUR efforts to get these loans filled!

Currently, there are about 13 loans to businesses in East Africa that need filling. Remember, these are loans, so you will get the money back eventually. And you can start by loaning as little as $25. I keep getting updates on the loans I have made and I am amazed at how much a small loan can matter to these small businesses.

To loan, please go here to find the small businesses that are growing.

But everyone knows that I think the KIVA effort will not work in isolation. We need to combine these wonderful and very effective loans with other actions that help preserve the environments within which these communities exist. But right now East Africa is still facing a huge food shortage due to drought earlier this year. People are starving, as reported in this BBC article.

Please help Oxfam help East Africa get over this crisis!