I adopted an Azerbijani Shoe Salesman

Mar
08
2007

Ok, Sundeep gave me a $25 gift certificate to kiva.org. Here’s their pitch:

“You can go to Kiva’s website and lend to someone in the developing world who needs a loan for their business – like raising goats, selling vegetables at market or making bricks. Each loan has a picture of the entrepreneur, a description of their business and how they plan to use the loan so you know exactly how your money is being spent – and you get updates letting you know how the business is going. The best part is, when the entrepreneur pays back their loan you get your money back – and Kiva’s loans are managed by microfinance institutions on the ground who have a lot of experience doing this, so you can trust that your money is being handled responsibly.”

So I figured I’d do it since I had the gift certificate. Then I found Salman. Behold the magnificence of my Azerbijani shoe salesman. Not only is he old with a snazzy hat and jacket, his shop apparently caters to the fetish/goth shoe community of displaced Armenians in Azerbijan. How could I not support that kind of niche marketing? Check him out and maybe make a load of your own. Salman and the hardcore leather community of Sumgayit City, Azerbijan would appreciate your support.