Earlier this year, I had the most fortunate experience of traveling to Kenya with a small team from the Micro-finance group, MicroPlace.

I first became fired up with the idea of micro-lending a few years ago when my family decided to fund a bank and numerous micro-loans in lieu of gifts to one another.  It’s a beautiful idea: your loan of a “micro” amount ($20, $200, or anything above or in between) can completely change the life of someone living in a developing country.

Most often (84% of the time) these microfinance borrowers are women, and many experts believe the key to ending poverty and its resulting social problems is in empowering women.  Microlending allows this to happen!  According to the MicroPlace site, Although many women are initially hesitant to accept loans, their self confidence soars when they realize they can run a successful business and repay their loans. They use their profits to pay for things that will enhance their family’s welfare, like education, healthcare and nutritious food….making it more likely that future generations will end the cycle of poverty.

For more on how microlending works, visit the “how it works” page and the “small loans; big impact” page.

Only a few months after my family decided to engage in microlending, I found myself sitting over a plate of eggs and hash browns with the  General Manager of MicroPlace, Ashwini Narayanan.

We were soul sisters at once, and not long afterwards we were flying high about the Atlantic Ocean on our way to visit borrowers throughout the African country of Kenya; to hear their amazing stories of how small loans from people like you and me had changed their lives, the lives of their families, and ultimately their communities.

Now, I’m hooked!  And I’m hoping I can get you hooked on micro-lending, too!

This holiday season, I have partnered with MicroPlace to “Cook Up Some Change” and I hope you’ll join me in doing just that!

Your micro-loan can “serve” 1 to 100, depending on how much change you choose to cook up.  And because you’re loaning the money instead of donating it, you’ll earn interest as the loan is repaid so you can continue to lend over and over; thus recycling your money and helping more and more!

Visit my page on MicroPlace and “Cook Up Some Change” of your own!  This season, give the only gift that truly gives back and keeps on giving – the gift of promise, positivity, and change.

Also on SaraSnow.com