Grayce TurnbachThe Click Campaign, sponsored by the finance club and international finance class, works to reduce global poverty. By logging on to www. PovertyFighters.com, students and faculty can click on the donate button up to twice per day. With every click, money will be donated to finance microlending loans. The Click Campaign runs from Feb. 12-March 30.
Microlending loans allow people to be given very small loans to start their own businesses. Once a small loan is paid off, people are able to apply for a larger loan. Loans can range from $25-$5,000.
Dr. Mary Harris, assistant professor of business administration, helps to coordinate the campaign. She says that although the loans may seem small to Americans, in underdeveloped countries, they are enough to start a self-sustaining business. The main goal of microlending is to reduce global poverty.
Harris said, “The idea is to give people a hand up out of poverty and not a handout.”
Stephanie Haag, a junior math major and finance minor, created flyers to help spread awareness of the Click Campaign. Haag, who is one of 24 students in the international finance class who are involved in the campaign, believes the campaign truly makes a difference in the world.
Haag said, “The Click Campaign is great because it doesn’t require students to donate money, but rather to donate a little bit of their time each day.”
Cabrini College has been involved in the Click Campaign since May 2003. Harris came across information from Oxfam who runs campaign. She believes that Cabrini will remain involved in the Click Campaign in the future because it helps students to learn about microlending and global poverty.
“[The Click Campaign] integrates the finance discipline with a social justice issue,” Harris said.
There are a multitude of corporate sponsors who donate money to the microlending accounts. The Click Campaign raises over $20,000 each year towards the microlending fund, reducing global poverty.
Loquitur welcomes your comments and questions on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.
