This guest-post is brought to you by Miranda Marquit.

One of the great things about giving is that the giver receives, as well as the recipient. Usually, it is the intangibles that the giver receives, such as feelings of well-being and accomplishment. But in the case of microloans, it is possible to receive something more tangible.

Microloans are loans made in small amounts to those in under-developed countries who want to start businesses. The idea is to help the impoverished help themselves. If you want to finance the poor, you can do so with as little as $25. And you will receive a return on your investment.

Image credit: Cottage industry by asis k. chatt.

Organizations like Grameen Bank and Kiva help match you to entrepreneurs who are looking for better lives. You give them a loan, or part of one, at reasonable interest rate, and eventually it is paid back.

The return on this investment is small (the interest rate is usually around 7% and the organization gets a cut, too), but it still represents a return. Microloans have a 99% payback rate, so the risk is fairly small (though still there). And you get to feel good about helping someone help themselves out of poverty.

Miranda is a personal finance blogger. You can find her at Yielding Wealth and the AllBusiness Personal Finance Corner.