I'm not a stingy person, but with the economy in the state it is, I have had to cut back on my donations to charity. So when a friend asked if I could donate to an anti-poverty program, I balked at first. But then she promised I would receive all of the money back within six months to a year, and the proposal grew on me.

She handed me a brochure about Kiva.org, an online micro-lending program that helps aspiring entrepreneurs around the globe fight their way out of poverty.

I read every link on the website, researched Professor Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank that started it all, and concluded that it was not a scam. In fact, once I signed up and donated $50 ($25 to two different entrepreneurs), I felt as though I was doing something better than simply handing out free stuff to the needy. I was giving them a chance to create a life-long source of income.

Here's how it works:

Kiva is partnered with several micro-lending institutions in developing (and a few industrialized) countries all over the world. Lenders like myself browse profiles of citizens in those countries who are asking for a loan. Some of them simply want $100 to invest in needles for their sewing shop or buy another goat for their farm. Others ask for $1000 to fix up their taxi cab.

Lenders make a loan in increments of $25 to the entrepreneur of their choice, which are combined with loans made by others to meet the total need of the entrepreneur. Kiva's partner institutions distribute the loan, collect repayment and disperse it back to the lender.

I truly believe that their are more positive things about this program than negative, but in an effort to remain honest with you, here are a few drawbacks:

1. You do not accrue interest as you are payed back; you simply receive the amount you donated.

2. You may not receive the full payment back for one year, depending on the repayment time frame of the entrepreneur.

3. You must create a PayPal account to receive repayment, and it can take weeks to disburse it from Kiva to PayPal to your bank account. However, this is well-worth the ease and security that PayPal provides.

4. When giving a loan, there is a small chance of default. However, Kiva has maintained a very high 98.61% repayment rate.

On the other hand, there are too many benefits to name:

1. Kiva helps the poor get on their feet, and provides a chance to those who are denied loans at traditional banks because they lack collateral, reading ability or other necessities.

2. You can choose who to lend to based on your interests. For example, if your cause is helping women achieve financial independence, there are several to choose from. If you love a certain country for whatever reason, you can support the cause there.

3. You have the option of creating a profile on the site and interacting with other charitable lenders.

4. As stated above, Kiva has a high repayment rate, so you can trust that your money will come back to you.

5. You receive updates on the entrepreneur and all they have done with your loan.

6. Kiva is trustworthy. It has been praised in Forbes, Fortune, The Economist, and the Wall Street Journal. CNBC, Al-Jazeera, NBC, MSNBC, PBS and many other stations have run features on the topic.

Because I have some Middle Eastern blood in me, I decided to lend $25 to a Lebanese man with an auto-repair business who wishes to purchase new tools. I chose him over others because he had a wife and seven children to support.

I also lent $25 to a Cambodian farmer who needed $400 to purchase a small irrigation pump and a few piglets to raise. I receive more detailed e-mails from her field partner than the Lebanese man, and it is enjoyable to follow the family's progress.

So far, each family has repaid over 30% of their loans, exactly on schedule. Kiva gives the option of withdrawing the repayment you receive, loaning it again or donating it to field operations. It feels good to know that I can give to charity, but when I'm short on cash, I can always get that money back without lessening my impact.