Published Date: June 1, 2009

For those who have not blogged for a good cause, I’ll be the first to say you should (see here). For those like me who love both blogging and philanthropy, there’s not much better than blogging to help raise funds for a great cause — and I was alerted to the fact that I could do just that by writing a short blog post to help promote Wokai.org. I couldn’t resist, for three reasons:

  1. It helps raise awareness for Wokai
  2. Increases the chances that Wokai will win the $1,200 from “Blogging for a Cause
  3. I met Casey Wilson, the CEO and co-founder of Wokai, a few weeks ago for lunch and am convinced she is going to bring microfinance to China in a big way

For those unfamiliar with Wokai, here is some more info:

What is Wokai?

Wokai delivers an internet microfinance platform that allows individuals to provide Chinese microentrepreneurs with loan capital.  Our organization acts as an intermediary in this process, transferring funds from contributors abroad to microentrepreneurs in China through our field partners.

Who does Wokai support?

A typical Wokai microentrepeneur is a female rural inhabitant, living on less than $1/day.  Her microfinance loan, ranging from $150-$300 dollars, provides her with the capital to start a small business.  Her business varies by location, raising sheep in a rural grassland or operating a small fruit stand in a city center.

With her income, she accumulates savings, which allows her to allocate money towards long-term investments like education and health. By the end of her loan cycle, she has experienced increased financial independence, bolstered self-confidence, and a strengthened sense of community.

Learn more and contribute today at http://www.wokai.org.

This blog post is part of Zemanta’s “Blogging For a Cause” campaign to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes that bloggers care about.

Now, what are you waiting for? Blog for your favorite cause (or just blog about Wokai!) — only 5 days left in the competition!