Kiva.org

For those shoppers out there who embody equal measures altruist and Scrooge, consider purchasing a gift this year that actually gives your money back. For as little as $25, you can make a micro-loan to a specific entrepreneur in a developing country, and once they become profitable, the amount you've donated will be returned.

Kiva.org, "Innovation of the Week" award winner from BusinessWeek magazine and recently featured in Frontline World, has pioneered the concept of online micro-financing over the last two decades. It allows the more affluent to invest in all variety of projects, from manufacturing clothes in Ghana to running a food market in Ecuador to shelling fish in Togo. After making a payment with your credit card, local organizations distribute your money to small-scale enterprises, and over time that same local organization collects partial payment. When the amount donated has been made, you're paid back. Take that money and run, or better yet, invest it in another project. During the loan period, the Kiva website posts periodic business updates on the business venture, so you know your money is going toward something more than just another pair of socks.
Kiva.org