Microloan is a project. People in poverty stricken areas(such as Darfur, Sierra Leone, etc) form town groups and propose business plans. One episode I say the lady from Africa made peanut butter. She wanted to expand her business. The village vote whether the loan request is legit. If so Kiva facilitates it. Someone from San Fran lent her $300 to help expand her peanut butter business. The loan is given in good faith and interest free. Frontline visited the women later that year-her productivity was up 10x or something to that effect. She employed many more people then she did. She repaid the loan and the loaner relent the money to another worthy entrepeneur. You could take that $300 and recycle it and fund one third world business venture after another. Karma anyone?