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hi.
as i trawalled the internet today, trying desperately to remember what work i was meant to be doing (it certainly wasn't finding out what happens when you type 'buckinghamshire ' into a page on firefox browser, worthwhile activity though that is - i'd recommend it), i realised that i've been neglecting a key part of the blog experience. My most esteemed colleague Mr Kiran Stacey's blog made me notice the lack of links in mine - a clear oversight, given that, if i'm anything to go by, thems what look at blogs tend to be looking for the infinite distraction that only linked pages can bring.
plus, i realised i was missing a big opportunity in development terms.... i should be plugging the various schemes / raising awareness / blah-de-blah. so, far less elegantly than said blogger here are some links for you to check out.
firstly, is this innovative e-NGO (as it were) from the US. this one came hot on the heels of sites like JustAid ( http://www.justaid.org.uk/ ) - the online giving website that much preceded Oxfam Online and Unwrapped and all that malarkey, and actually allowed you contact with the individuals benefited by the project you donated money to, rather than a snazzily designed magnet. Although I would advise you to check out JustAid (which is linked to the NGO I worked for in Nepal, PSD, and thus can actually vouch for), Kiva is a far more innovative site - as well as less charitable, for all you not desirous of gifting away large sums. Kiva grows out of the Micro-Finance movement that's been gathering strength and momentum across the globe since the late 70s, particularly strong in India and Asia. Cf. the Grameen Bank ( http://www.grameen-info.org/ ) Bangladesh's innovative solution to the horrendous situation of money-lenders and the lack of banking infrastructure in rural areas. I've been doing a lot of work in this area (which includes micro-enterprise, micro-finance, financial inclusion, and now micro-insurance - wiki them for more details), and it's very interesting area. Perhaps more interesting is the absence of Indian MFIs on Kiva, but that's an entirely different story.
Anyway, the website explains it better than i could, so check out Kiva here: http://www.kiva.org/
For those interested in the commercial / financial side of Micro-credit, check out the Mix Market linked into Kiva's site: (www.mixmarket.org). All very exciting - though not nearly as much as 'cat bonds'.... which i'd google/wiki if you want more information into the terrifying world of Reinsurance - or insuring, say, the whole of Mexico and selling the bonds on an open market. Crazy ass world.
Anyway, that's all yours for today....
.... though I'll leave you with a little note on the rice crisis. Look at it! (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7362538.stm)
Mwah mwah, the children are battering at the door (literally), so i'd better go.... i think they've reminded me what my work is!
jessxx
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