How Can a Small Amount of Money Make a Big Impact - Essay Example

The first article, “Internet Opens World to Microloan Investors”, which this author will discuss and draw inference from helps to promote the concept of providing small “loans” to individuals in developing nations. Whereas providing 25-75 dollars to charity in the United States or another developed economy would actually provide little remediation of overall poverty, the authors relate the ways in which certain websites and key individuals have begun fronting very small personal loans or gifts to disenfranchised individuals in a developing country as a means of spurring business and raising the standard of living within these systems.

This system is highly beneficial due to the fact that it connects would-be entrepreneurs with valuable access to start-up capital they so desperately need in order to realize a given business aspiration. Again, due to the fact that the developing world has such a decreased cost of entry, oftentimes even very small loans are able to foster a business half a world away. Similarly, the second article, “Simple, Easy Ways to Give Back” helps to engage the reader with the many opportunities that exist within the periphery of the consumer as ways in which they can seek to develop their philanthropic side.

For instance, the article relates how those that are technophiles can easily utilize their mobile phone platform as a way to text small charitable donations to the charity of their choice. Additionally, the article relates to the ways in which donating the leftover amount on a gift card can be beneficial to specific charities. By utilizing web-based charitable organizations, the “loose change” on store gift cards can rapidly and efficiently be converted into a charitable donation.

Similarly, more traditional ways of donating loose change that can be located within one’s house, going without the extra cup of coffee every morning at Starbucks and a host of other factors can lead to being able to have more discretionary income with relation to charitable donations. Finally, even if an individual is not able to spare extra money for such purposes, donating of one’s time to a local charity or soup kitchen is just as valuable and perhaps an even more efficient way of bettering one’s own character in the process.

Regardless of the process that is utilized, both authors agree that it is the individual that makes up the lion’s share of charitable donations within the United States (currently nearly 75% of all donations come from individuals and not corporate sponsors). As such, the reader can quickly infer that the future of development and support for charities falls squarely on the shoulders of the individual and cannot be merely passed off to larger/corporate entities. Moreover, the broader implications of the many different ways that are available to the individual should have an overall positive effect on the total amount of charitable giving that is reflected.

Moreover, with the recent downturns in the economy, providing would-be donators with the technological tools to make rapid and informed decisions rather than waiting to be solicited by alternate means is a highly useful model which both authors reference within their works.