Many moons ago, I noted the efforts of Kiva, a clearing house of microfinance efforts around the globe. The majority of their activities are focused in Africa, but they also have thriving operations in Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan. They have also received a considerable amount of positive attention in the U.S.—from The Today Show, Oprah Winfrey, Frontline, and Bill Clinton’s book, Giving.
As a result, they have encountered a problem I wish would present itself more—a lack of available recipients of aid! This is wonderful news, though I’m glad they’re feverishly adding new businesses to their database. In the meantime, I’ve decided to donate to Vusala Shirinova, a farmer in Salyan, Azerbaijan. That country still has a lot of people and businesses in need, so if you have a spare $25 to contribute toward sustainable, profitable economic development, please donate.
This post was written by...
Joshua Foust – author of 1771 posts on Registan.net.
Joshua Foust is a Fellow at the American Security Project and the author of Afghanistan Journal: Selections from Registan.net. His research focuses primarily on Central and South Asia. Joshua is a correspondent for The Atlantic and a columnist for PBS Need to Know. Joshua appears regularly on the BBC World News, Aljazeera, and international public radio. Joshua is also a regular contributor to Foreign Policy’s AfPak Channel, and his writing has appeared in the New York Times, Reuters, and the Christian Science Monitor. Follow him on twitter: @joshuafoust