The only problem with money is that we can easily calm our conscience into thinking that we've done our bit by throwing across some pennies! Also, money without direction can cause problems of its own. I think we owe our village, our State, country and planet more than that...
If microfinance could work, it would be very good in Saligao too. But there is a contentious side to that too: Does Microfinance Help the Hard-core Poor? http://www.microcapital.org/does-microfinance-help-the-hard-core-poor/ Hard Questions for Microfinance: How Much Profit is Too Much Profit? http://www.nextbillion.net/blog/hard-questions-for-microfinance-how-much-profit-is-too-much-prof Microfinance, it's not all good http://philanthropy.blogspot.com/2007/09/microfinance-its-not-all-good.html FN Frederick Noronha :: +91-9822122436 :: +91-832-2409490 On 15 January 2011 12:22, dilip dacruz <[email protected]> wrote: > Agree Fred, but you seem almost embarrassed to say we can share money too. > Yes, cash. > > Patsy and Yvonne made me re-visit articles on micro-finance, a concept that > some readers might not be familiar with. By lending small amounts of money > (20 USD) to the extremely poor, Nobel Prize laureate Muhammad Yunis (Grameen > Bank) was able to break the poverty trap and free some families. Some did > extremely well. There have been many, I would argue, valid criticisms of > micro-finance. Mainly, interest rates are very high (though the capital is > very very small). > > Considering the above, if we can donate - not lend - 20USD a year, it seems > likely we can make a big difference because interest rates wont apply. > However, micro-financing is more than just donating. We should adhere to > some of the principles adopted by Grameen bank. There are 16 principles > which can be adapted to Goa. Donating a mere 20-50 USD a year to such a > scheme would ensure small amounts of money (interest-free) went into > structured personal development programs, not a tot of fenny. (Not saying > the poor are all drunkards, please, though alcohol is a major, major > scourge in our village.) > > Here's a link that might be food for thought. Does microfinance exist in > Saligao, Fred? > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grameen_Bank > > [email protected] -- Saligao-Net is at http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe email [email protected]
