According to the MicroPlace Small Change Big Change site, the piggy bank pictured below holds about $100 in small change and that is about what it takes for a poor person to start a business and work his/her way out of poverty.
Today, MicroPlace launched a new “Small change. Big change.” program designed at getting more Americans to invest in social development projects. I’ve taken a couple of hits in recent weeks about writing about socially responsible endeavors but a) I don’t really listen to the detractors on that particular issue because I’m a big believer in good works and b) I am genuinely drawn to this initiative because it takes exactly that to participate; initiative. Initiative on the part of the investor and, more importantly, initiative on the part of the recipient. There are a large number of programs aimed at funding micro loans but this is one of the first to use the Internet to draw small investors to the task.
“If you are like most people, your nickels and quarters go unnoticed and collect dust in a jar or pot. We have launched the “Small change. Big change.” campaign as a way for people to take that small change and make big change by addressing global poverty,” said Tracey Turner, founder and general manager of MicroPlace. “Imagine the impact you can make in the lives of hardworking poor people around the world, just by using your small change.”
Investors can track their impact and the impact of their friends on the campaign website, www.smallchange-bigchange.com. They can read stories from the people receiving loans and can track how many loans they are enabling to the world’s working poor. “Small change. Big change.” hopes to build a community of socially responsible people who are making a difference through investments that address poverty while earning a financial return.
To find out more about MicroPlace – and Microfinance in general – go to http://www.microplace.com/learn_more.
My wife and I are going to try and see if we can win one of those piggy banks too.
Cheers,
RBH