Microloans via Kiva
You've probably already heard about microloans. If not then in a nutshell its a small loan to poor entrepreneurs who despite needing the loans most, face the toughest credit terms (interest rates of 3 digits are not unheard of). If you need one read up an introduction here.
So I was doing some research and found an organisation with some great press: kiva.org
It marries the net with microloans so you can loan directly to a person on the site and then track his/her progress.
And if you have a good experience (which from the record looks likely at > 97%) and get paid back you might feel encouraged to reloan that maoney to a 3rd person and so the same money may help multiple people over time.
Here is some info if it interests you:
The site: www.kiva.org.
Premal Shah, the president on Riz Khan's show here.
Column by Nicholas Kristof here (BTW he is a great "feet on the ground" reporter. So check him out too!)
Bill Clinton recommends here
.