Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Promoting Rang De again

Rang De is a website that does peer-to-peer micro lending for start up entrepreneurs in India. People can sign in to Rang De to become investors and help contribute to loans. Investors can invest a little as 250 rupees for loans ranging from 3000 to 10,000. The difference between this site and Kiva is that investors can make a return on their loans.

From this write up on Rang De that we found at Silicon India, we find a profile of an business who is almost finished paying off such a loan.

Rang De Microcredit:
These are loans provided to small enterprises in rural areas. Typically, the loans range in size from Rs.3000 to Rs.10,000 and is usually used as working capital by micro-entrepreneurs. Here's is Kusum's story and what she has done with her loan:

A woman is said to have many facets and Kusum is certainly one of them. The loss of her husband early in life, made this quiet homemaker, a sharp businesswoman. The small cycle shop that she runs, rents out bicycles and also services and repairs other bicycles in the area. A loan from Rang De helped give the shop a face-lift and it now boasts of six new bicycles. Kusum also keeps all the spare parts for bicycles and her shop has become a one-stop shop for everything to do with cycle servicing. She is the happiest when all her cycles are away on hire, as it assures her of a substantial income."Of late, I have handed over a part of the responsibilities of the shop, to my son." says Kusum with a sigh of relief. But she makes sure that her children pursue their education. "I don't want them to face the same problems that I faced." she says with a smile. Just another eight weeks - and she will be free of her loan. For more stories on Kusum and her peers, Check http://rangde.org/home.htm#s/109"

Rang De Education:
Rang De Education was started to provide loans for education needs of low income households. Rang De currently funds the school fees and expenses incurred at the beginning of the academic year by providing education loans. The current pilot is being run in association with an NGO in Hyderabad. For more information on how it works, check http://rangde.org/rangdeEducation.htm"

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