Trailblazers

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Matt Flannery used his programming skills to develop Kiva.org, which allows users to browse profiles of lenders online, and decide with whom to invest. Kate Ewhrugakpo in Nigeria borrowed $350 to buy sewing machines and fabric for designing clothes, and paid back the loan in eight months. Ana Glora Ventura borrowed $150 to buy meat and vegetables to sell stuffed pastries outside her home. The venture paid for her children’s schooling. More than 250,000 lenders have helped about 40,000 borrowers in 40 countries through Kiva. When the lenders get their money back, they can relend to someone else, donate their funds to Kiva, or withdraw their money.