“Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day; give a man a fishing pole, and he eats for a lifetime.”

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he largest portion of 3 Sun funds being raised – $3.80 out of every $16 package – is earmarked for opening Grameen America non-profit micro-lending facilities in the poorest regions of our country, beginning in the Dakotas.  This region of the U.S. is home to six out of ten of America’s poorest counties, all of them on Indian reservations. 

The extent of the poverty in this region is overwhelming, and not even fathomable by most Americans.  Unemployment is perpetually high no matter the economic forecast elsewhere.  Elders die every year from exposure to the elements.  Teens take their own lives to escape the hopelessness.

No matter what your pre-conceived notions might be as to why this suffering is occurring, the Native Peoples of this region are eager to help themselves through economic opportunity.  You would think that micro-lending would already be serving this region, but surprisingly most micro-lenders do not serve the truly poor.

That’s right…  That’s the harsh reality.  Thankfully, Grameen America does serve those who would otherwise never be given a chance.  Grameen is the only micro-lender who will extend entrepreneurial funding to those who have no bank accounts, no credit history, no assets (for collateral), no experience, and no possible co-signers.

Yet their success rate is a shining example of hope, which is why Grameen, among all other miro-lenders, won the Nobel Peace Prize for their work.

To learn more about the history and causes of the American Indian plight, we invite you to be a part of our community by visiting our forums, taking advantage of our A.I. Lens, and by following the 3 Sun project at our LetsPlayHistory.org blog (LPH Blog).