Microfinance is a simple but powerful tool that enables the poor to pull themselves out of poverty. Most commonly, it involves making small loans to the working poor in developing countries. These loans are usually less than $200 and are made by local organizations called microfinance institutions. The loans are used by the working poor to establish or expand small businesses that generate additional income for the family.

Upon graduating from Stanford Business School, Tracey Pettengill Turner headed for Dhaka, Bangladesh to find out if the reality of microfinance lived up to her expectations. After working at the Nobel Peace Prize winning Grameen Bank for a few months, she was convinced that microfinance was a powerful tool to help alleviate poverty. That insight led to the vision of MicroPlace: a company that enables everyday people to make investments in microfinance.

When eBay executives heard about MicroPlace, they were excited by the synergies between eBay’s mission to provide economic opportunity and MicroPlace’s vision to empower the world’s working poor. They saw it as an ideal opportunity to put eBay’s assets to work in a way that could be truly world-changing. Powered by eBay’s expertise in connecting people, creating marketplaces and processing online transactions, MicroPlace could deliver on its vision to significantly impact global poverty. MicroPlace officially became part of eBay in the summer of 2006.

A loan of a $20 can allow a poor woman to start a business and work her way out of poverty. In many countries, organizations that function like banks make loans to the poor. These organizations need funds to lend to the poor. Your investment helps fund these organizations. And, they are willing to pay you a return for the funds you invest. You can fight poverty and get your money back with interest! You can choose to whom and what cause you want to support, from Fair trade to green projecst for the eco-minded investor. You can target also by geographic area or level of poverty as well.A billion people around the world work hard every day to lift themselves out of poverty. They don't want your charity. They want your investment. You can invest today, earn a return and  provide them with a livelihood. Historically, 97% of poor people have actually paid back their loans through good and bad economic cycles.