I'll be taking a class next semester on the world of microlending. For those unaware, this is the process by which banks or nonprofits offer very small, high-risk loans to entrepreneurs trying to climb out of poverty. This idea has been very popular and effective in places like Africa and Asia, and was the theme of this year's Nobel Peace Prize.
As I look forward to this course, I found this article in the Wall Street Journal very intriguing, especially as it relates to the idea of microlending domestically.
Have we reached a point where corporations are taking over the role of helping the poor, now that the church has largely ignored it and nonprofits aren't able to adequately handle the volume of need?