Help A Tajik Cabbie

A friend just introduced me to Kiva. It gathers and distributes micro-loans to entrepreneurs in the developing world in an easy and fun way. Since this blog focuses on rare cars and Central Asia, donating to Salom Fazilov was the natural choice.

Salom and his IZH 412IE

Salom runs a taxi business in Istaravshan in western Tajikistan. He is raising money ($950) to fix up his cab, sell it, and buy a newer model. Donors chip in $25 each. In just five days, he has already raised $400 on Kiva. Once the money is raised, Salom will pay the money back over a 12 month term. I wish Salom the best.

Just for background, Salom's IZH has a 1478cc engine. When new, it produced 72hp and 78 pound-feet of torque. In 4th gear, it maxed out at 88 mph. It reached 62 mph in a leisurely 19 seconds. It got 23.5 mpg.

My guess is his replacement will be a used Korean sedan. I'll keep you posted.

CKY