We are so bombarded by charities these days that it sometimes feels as if money is being thrown into shark infested Wishing Wells but Borderland Rotary were shown an alternative the other day when Dr Ajaz Khan introduced the club to LENDWITHCARE, a secular charity established in 2010 by CARE International UK. It helps those who most need a hand to rise from poverty in a novel way.

Rather than giving money, the idea is to grant loans to very small or medium sized enterprises to enable them to start or continue a project. These loans are aimed at sustainable, ecologically sound ideas that will enrich communities as well as individuals.

Some of the enterprises are craft based with their products on sale in the UK via www.lendwithcareshop.org while others focus on local infrastructure schemes in countries from Cambodia to Ecuador, Malawi to the Philippines.

It is interesting to note that the repayment rates are far higher from these loans than with most commercial equivalents in the West.

The project is already supported by 253 Rotary Clubs throughout Britain and it’s likely this figure will rise.

 For further details visit www.lendwithcare.org