Microfinance:
Lend money to people in 3rd world countries to start their own company. The best part about Microfinance is the people pay you back and get a chance to make money for themselves instead of relying on charity throughout their life. It offers a chance to build their local economy so they can someday be self-sustaining. Basically the way it works is you give somewhere from $25-$250 typically and the Microfinance bank compiles your money and other people's money to raise enough for a local mother (typically) to buy a cow, open a sewing factory, or any time of small market business. You choose who you would like to lend the money to and they pay back the money in 6 months - a few years. Most people have heard about this, but still not enough people realize how practical and easy it easy.
If you send $100 for one year and forego the $7 you could make in the stock market, you gave opportunity for someone poor in another country for $7.
.Kiva.org
98.47% repayment rate to date
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