This op-ed article by Nicholas Kristof in yesterday’s New York Times is the kind of article that should be spread all over the place.

Remember back in the day, when everyone was talking about how micropayments were going to change business paradigms left and right? Well, for some companies, they did.

Take the notion of micropayments, turn it on its head and think: microloans. Imagine you (and many others) lending $25 or $50 to an Afghan businessman to open a second bakery and improve the financial stability and quality of life of his family and town.

That’s what Kiva.org is all about, and that’s what Kristof’s piece is all about: an incredibly powerful idea that would go nowhere without the power of the Internet behind it. Kristoff also mentions GlobalGiving, which is a charity site; Kiva, by contrast, is a lending site. Both are worth your attention.

In the rush to redesign Web sites and develop efficient keyword lists and minimize cost per click and maximize ROI, it’s good to be reminded that the Internet is still home to some pretty amazing ideas.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 28th, 2007 at 6:00 am and is filed under Internet Stuff.