Anyone hear Jeremy Vine talking about micro economics today?

I am a great believer in microfinance. I use kiva as well but it doesn't have very good coverage in Africa so use myc4 as well. Although they are both p2p microfinance websites they work in very different ways. Kiva ones are pre-funded whereas myc4 (mostly) isn't. Also myc4 is more of a business loan on which you charge interest. The borrower says the maximum interest they are prepared to pay and lender says what interest they are prepared to charge.
I believe that kiva doesn't do much in Africa because the default rate is v high but by charging interest the default rate is lower.

World vision (a charity I am a big supporter of) also do microfinancing but the problem is when your initial loan is repaid you don't have a say in when it is directed next.

95% of my loans tend to be to women as it tends to have a much bigger impact on their lives. I also notice that women tend to ask for smaller loans which they are likely to repay.

Ooh, missed this, will have to find it online somewhere

I did my masters thesis on micro finance in the Caribbean and Indian subcontinent, and it's impact on women's lives, and am involved with a micro finance organisation ATM, love it.

Has taken a lot of criticism recently about lack of due diligence in checking whether people already have a loan or two to pay back. Ime, well run, mf orgs can transform women's lives

that comment about ending poverty prevents war is sooo true. trying to rack my brains, but remember some comic saying that wars/revolts start where there's the greatest poverty, people who are fed and entertained aren't as keen to start a war.

DH read a book that was either written by Muhammad Yunus or written about him, sorry can't remember which. Amazing man.

Sounds like a great concept though - investing in women with microloans. I will look into becoming a lender, thanks for the link to Kiva.

I should read more about it.

I am realy unhappy that wannabes have more coverage in the press etc than the man like himself - he did make difference to this world :)

I'm a fairly regular user of Kiva and I think it is brilliant.

In a nutshell you loan your money to kiva who loan it to a local microfinance organisation who loan it to an individual or group. Repayments are then made in reverse. So the $100 that I loan in the beginning I've loaned back out about 6 times again. As it's all run by volunteers I'm pleased it's not going to pay the sometimes very large salaries of charity bosses.

I tend to give to women more than men as I hope/imagine that money given to a woman is more likely to benefit the family. I hope it also makes a woman more likely to leave an abusive relationship because she is self sufficient.

Kayah I saw an Oprah show with Muhammad Yunus. Absolutely amazing man.

In 2006 Muhammad Yunus won Nobel Prize for introducing this concept

news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061013-nobel-peace.html

'what is it that makes a woman more likely to invest in her community over a man?'

I think it is nature. Pregnancy and giving birth gives a closer link to the future, the community and nature. That's why women are in general more responsible and less likely to blow money on beer or gambling or financial speculation.

I've heard good things about Kiva

I have heard stuff before about investing in women. Something to do with how if you invest in women, more goes the community at large, whereas in you invest in men it tends to just benefit the individual. To do with how society is set up, not some genetic trait. But I didn't hear Jeremy Vine, as that would make me throw things.

Heard this too. Micro finance is a good idea (not to be confused with microeconomics).