[GFK_of_xmaspast]

I'm not comfortable with microloans for a number of reasons, most importantly because I don't want to be a usurer. (forex: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/world/14microfinance.html)

[testrun]

The article you link to is about loan sharks. You can loan money out to people using Kiva at 0% interest.

[rhc2104]

With Kiva, you can lend money at 0% interest to a microfinance institute, which utilizes the interest-free capital to give a loan at a slightly lower interest rate than it otherwise would.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiva_%28organization%29#Current...

As of January 7, 2010, 35.21% is the Average Interest Rate and Fees Borrowers Pay (Portfolio Yield) to All Kiva Field Partners.

[naturalethic]

You can't loan at interest on Kiva. Which makes it a charity, not an investment.