In case you haven’t heard of it, Kiva is one the neatest organizations in the world. 
It is a nonprofit that is focused on microlending/microcredit.
It finds people in developing nations that need money for their business. The person decides how much money they need to start or continue a business and then people can make loans to those individuals.
The best part is that Kiva allows you to buy gift certificates (perfect for the holidays).
This is really the first gift I’ve seen that can truly keep on giving.
The Burning Quesiton
According the Kiva Web site,
"Of the $2,208,060 of loans with completed loan terms, the default rate is 0.2%."
However, Kiva does note that there are three risk factors that should be considered: the entrepreneur, the field partner (person that distributes/collects loans), and the country.
