Exactly a year ago I contributed to a micro-finance loan for Boris Puero Candela, owner of Puero y Asociados in Ecuador to help finance his computer business. The loan was paid back over 18 months, so I selected another business to help finance. This was done through an online business named Kiva, which seems to be thriving.

So meet Mr. Im Sa Um in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

He is 71 years old and works selling motor oil, gasoline, and auto parts – earning about $5/day. He also fixes motorbikes with one of his children and they can earn $2/day. The loan of $1,000 (my part is $100) will be used to buy spare parts for cars that he will sell in his store. In the future, he would like to make his shop larger so that he can leave it for his son.

If you’re interested in International microfinance for developing countries, zip over to Kiva and help out one of their portfolio of entrepreneurs seeking small loans.

Dave, not exactly a big financier.