Kiva

Kiva has re-invented lending in the 21st century. Anyone with at least USD25 can log on to the site, browse the profiles of entrepreneurs in third-world countries and choose which cause to support.

Then there's MicroPlace. From MicroPlace's press release,

Through MicroPlace’s secure platform, everyday people can purchase investments – for as little as $100 – from microfinance security issuers. MicroPlace also enables investors to direct the impact of their investment to a specific country and microfinance institution in the developing world. The microfinance institutions use the funds to make small loans to the working poor, who in turn use the loans to start or expand small businesses and lift themselves out of poverty.

MicroPlace offers a portal where profit-conscious investors can get involved in microfinance without totally compromising on rate of return.

When Bank Negara heard that an NGO was starting a microfinance project in the country, they immediately dispatched their officers to meet the NGO chief. The BNM officers mentioned about the need to have a license.

Kiva and MicroPlace has shown the way for NGOs to operate effectively, affecting the lives of many needy people without the bureaucracy and strong arm of a central bank.