Part of Care International - one of the world's leading aid and development organisations - lendwithcare.org allows individuals and groups to lend to small entrepreneurs in developing countries. These recipients are thus helped to find their own route out of poverty. They approach a local microfinance institution (MFI) with a business plan which includes their schedule to repay the loan.

The MFI uploads the entrepreneur's profile to lendwithcare.org and individuals and groups can then make a contribution to the amount requested in increments of 15 or more.

Shortly after the loan is fully funded and passed to the entrepreneur, the lenders start to receive regular monthly repayments - sometimes over a period of six months, a year or longer - as per the published repayment schedule.

And these repayments can be used to make more loans to other entrepreneurs!

Upadate September 2020 

This was sent to the district magazine for consideration

 Since 2011 the Currie Balerno Rotary Club, with the help of local contributors, has been making small loans to budding entrepreneurs in developing countries. To date the Club has made 468 loans totalling £19,864 from an outlay of £4019.
The scheme is run under the auspices of Care International (lendwithcare.org) and is designed to help recipients of loans to find their own route out of poverty.
 
The Currie Balerno Club was the first Rotary Club to join the scheme with an initial donation from the Club of £500. Over time further contributions have been made from Club funds together with personal contributions from Club members and from members of the public.
Applications are received from individuals or small groups, who present business plans and repayment schedules. From 2011 to August 2020 the Club has made 468 loans in 14 countries involving 485 people –311 women and 174 men. Loans have ranged from £15 to £205, averaging £42.45. 

The great advantage of this scheme is that, unlike other charitable donations, international or nearer home, the money comes back and can be re-invested in the scheme. The Club can lend again and again and again……