If you're read your April 2012 edition of the Rotarian, you already know about microcredit from the interview with Muhammad Yunus. 

LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman is putting his money to work well outside the tech venues of Silicon Valley—and getting regular folks involved.

The angel investor and partner at Greylock Ventures has put up $1 million for 40,000 individual $25 loans to would-be entrepreneurs through Kiva, Inc.com reported today. He isn’t doling out the loans himself. Instead, users of the site where individuals can make microloans to developing-world entrepreneurs can sign up for and use Hoffman’s and other "friends of Kiva" money.

Kiva is a microloan company that disperses $25 payments mostly in developing nations where even such small amounts presumably go further than in developed nations. Since it's founding in 2005, Kiva has dispersed $295 million in loans at a 98.94 percent repayment rate. Once the loan is paid back, Kiva keeps the money in an account as "Kiva credit" that can then be reloaned to a new developing-world entrepreneur.

“The most successful ventures depend on that initial spark from angel investors,” Hoffman tells Inc.’s Jeff Haden. “Kiva's model gives us all the ability to connect and make change possible for entrepreneurs around the world who have opportunity but lack capital."


Here's a link.  If you click it (and are a first-time user, and also if the funds haven't already been spent) you can donate $25 of Reid Hoffman's money.  It's fast, easy, and satisfying.  You might even be inspired to do more. 

Click here to go to KIVA and set up

Hurry, this started with 40,000 loans.  At press time, there were only a few thousand remaining.