Comments on: the web will save the world. http://concretethestudio.com/2008/05/11/the-web-will-save-the-world/ concrete5 - Content management is a human right. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:17:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: franzmaruna http://concretethestudio.com/2008/05/11/the-web-will-save-the-world/#comment-3 franzmaruna Tue, 13 May 2008 15:54:18 +0000 http://concretethestudio.wordpress.com/?p=16#comment-3 I totally agree, microlending is the first sane thing i've heard about in a long time. In fat, we're thinking that any "donate to the project" button on concrere5.org is going to encourage people to donate to charities instead of us - kiva.org would be a great one for that list.. Thanks Mike! I totally agree, microlending is the first sane thing i’ve heard about in a long time. In fat, we’re thinking that any “donate to the project” button on concrere5.org is going to encourage people to donate to charities instead of us - kiva.org would be a great one for that list.. Thanks Mike!

]]> By: donovan http://concretethestudio.com/2008/05/11/the-web-will-save-the-world/#comment-2 donovan Tue, 13 May 2008 14:21:00 +0000 http://concretethestudio.wordpress.com/?p=16#comment-2 One of the things that the web is supposed to be really good at is connecting people — not just to communicate with one another, but also to enable us to act on someone's behalf. It's not supposed to be an entirely passive medium—just the opposite. I'd add Kiva.org to your list for that reason. This is a microlending project that allows folks to lend as little as $25 to someone starting or trying to grow a business in the developing world—where it's not easy to get access to capital. Person-to-person lending that helps people working hard to improve their lives achieve their goals. Some stats from GOOD Magazine: "118,702 people have loaned $11,870,035 to entrepreneurs in 38 countries. The repayment rate is a staggering 99.63%. Kiva.org expects to have facilitated a total of $100 million in loans by the end of 2008." Seems like a really good idea to me. One of the things that the web is supposed to be really good at is connecting people — not just to communicate with one another, but also to enable us to act on someone’s behalf. It’s not supposed to be an entirely passive medium—just the opposite.

I’d add Kiva.org to your list for that reason. This is a microlending project that allows folks to lend as little as $25 to someone starting or trying to grow a business in the developing world—where it’s not easy to get access to capital. Person-to-person lending that helps people working hard to improve their lives achieve their goals.

Some stats from GOOD Magazine:

“118,702 people have loaned $11,870,035 to entrepreneurs in 38 countries. The repayment rate is a staggering 99.63%. Kiva.org expects to have facilitated a total of $100 million in loans by the end of 2008.”

Seems like a really good idea to me.

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