Today is Blog Action Day 2008 – Poverty
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On occasion, we here at No Fact Zone like to join the blogging community in a cause that helps make the world better. Well, makes the world better in a way that does not involve sharing more pictures of Stephen Colbert on the internet.
Today is Blogger Action Day, where thousands of bloggers from all over America and the world take time to discuss a topic that is of importance. This year, the topic of discussion is Poverty. I encourage each of you today to take a moment of time out of your life to think about a small action you can do to help reduce the suffering of those who are living in poverty. Check out this link for some ideas:
88 Ways to Take Action Against Poverty Right Now
One way of making a positive action against poverty is participating in a project called Kiva Loans. (I’m not sure how many of you are aware of it, but our host, Draknet, is participating in the Kiva loans program.) Kiva loans make micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, which has a direct affect on the lives of those in poverty stricken areas. Kiva loans, for as small as $25, are enough to make a huge difference in the affect of poverty on people’s lives all over the globe.
And proof that everything always comes back to Stephen, as always, here’s Stephen’s tongue-in-cheek ideas for helping the poor.
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8 Comments
October 15th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
There are some really great ideas there; I’m going to implement at least two of them this week.
My favorite charity is Children Incorporated, which supports children the world over, including American children living in reservations, inner city environments, and rural locations.
Thanks for bring this day to our attention, DB!
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October 15th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
excuse me: bringing.
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October 15th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Micro loans are a brilliant idea, kiva included. That class warfare WORD was outstanding.
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October 15th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Didn’t Stephen have someone on his show who received the Nobel Peace Prize for his ideas on micro loans? I believe the guest was from India.
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October 15th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
yes, it was muhammad yunus. born in india but currently in bangladesh (where he does a lot of his work) i believe. I saw him speak at U. Mass-Boston once, and his micro loan system is fascinating.
awesome Wørd, by the way.
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October 15th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Muhammad Yunus totally rules. I saw him speak at the Sixth and I Synagogue last year (or earlier this year? I’m totally lost on timelines lately). While parts of his talk on social businesses dragged a bit, the idea is a great one.
In a seriously condensed nutshell, he was arguing that there are certain socially essential enterprises — the medical/pharmaceutical one, for instance — that can’t be totally served under purely capitalist models, which emphasize efficiency, etc. Creating hybrid “social businesses” to address the needs that aren’t served best either by non-profits or by businesses in the purely capitalist sense is one possible solution to this problem. I think it’s a particularly relevant topic now, considering the glaring flaws evident in our existing market economy.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Thank you mrtigger001 and MsI for your comprehensive feedback!
October 15th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Kiva is awesome — I always give Kiva gift certificates for birthdays. It’s a gift that gives twice — people love it.
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