Vietnam | Kiva

Stories tagged with Vietnam

Jan 1, 2011

By: Tran Chau, KF13, Viet Nam

Vietnam currently has 52 microfinance institutions offering microloans and other services to the impoverished. Kiva is partnered with three, SEDA in Hanoi, TYM in Hanoi, and FPW in Thanh Hoa. Of the 52 MFIs, only one, TYM, is officially licensed by the Vietnamese Government.

I attended the second annual microfinance conference hosted by Citigroup a couple weeks ago. There, TYM was invited to give a presentation on the future of microfinance in Vietnam. The MFI identified three external and internal...

Nov 11, 2010

The Interior of Dong Xuan Market

By: Tran Chau, KF13, Viet Nam

Modern shopping centers and supermarkets are new to Vietnam. They are frequented mostly by the small and powerful middle class, have western products, and carry western price tags. For the rest of the nation and for those who favor the established ways of the east, traditional open air and partially enclosed markets...

Nov 11, 2010

This is less than $25!!

By: Tran Chau, KF13, Viet Nam

I am a multi-millionaire, in Vietnamese Dong that is. The Vietnamese Dong (“VND”) is the official currency of Vietnam. The official exchange rate (a black market one also exists) hovers around $1 = 19,500 VND. Therefore in nearly all business transactions in Vietnam, millions, billions, and even trillions of VND change hands.In 2009, Vietnamese GDP was estimated at $92.4...

Jun 6, 2010

by Elena Kuehn, KF11 Vietnam

“What a woman! How much energy! Wow…” thoughts that have crossed my mind several times during the last two weeks. I was visiting Fund for Poor Women (FPW) in the Thanh Hoa province and got to know the people working there and could meet many of the Kiva borrowers. It wasn’t easy to arrange these meetings as most FPW clients work in agriculture and leave their houses when the sun rises and work until late at night. They can however be encountered at home during lunch break when they try to escape the sun during the hottest time of the day.

May 5, 2010

By Elena Kuehn, KF 11, Viet nam

Viet nam is a country bursting of energy, activity and a continuous striving of the people to improve their living standards and enable their children to lead a better life. To achieve this people are willing to work incredibly hard. That makes Vietnam a great place for microfinance activities. And not only are the people ready to take on hard work, there is also a financial growth that rewards the effort. In this atmosphere of growth microfinance provides poor families in this country with the means to participate in this growth....

May 5, 2010

My Kiva fellowship has officially ended. I returned to the US two weeks ago and still have plenty of processing to do. The only thing I am certain of is I have yet to understand what it all means down the road. In some ways it seems a dream had ended. But the vivid memories of specific moments that made it worthwhile spring me back into reality. I can’t thank you enough for all the support from friends, family, Kiva Friends, my MFI, and the greater community. Below is a clip of one of my last motorbike rides: returning to my apartment after visiting the Hanoi Hilton (Hoa Lo...

May 5, 2010

What have I learned about the nonprofit world? It’s complicated. Not the hard to solve kind but rather the kind that consumes a half-century before a dent is made.

The above scene has been painted many times before. And those looking to help often become discouraged when data starts pouring in. However, each small action collectively creates that dent a half-century later. And that dent is the worst case scenario implying plenty of upside potential to accomplish more.

As one contributor to the dent, microfinance assists those...

May 5, 2010

By Alex Duong, KF9, Vietnam

“That’s my philosophy. The key is to get up in that batter’s box and take a swing. And all you have to do is hit one single, a couple of doubles, and an occasional home run out of every 10 at-bats, and you’re going to be the best hitter or the best business leader around. You can’t play in the major leagues without having a lot of failures.
- John Donahoe, eBay CEO

Substitute “hitter” and “business leader” for microfinance institution and the quote is absolutely relevant. ...

Apr 4, 2010

It’s funny how death makes a person keenly aware of their responsibilities. You think about all the wrongs you need to right, the people with whom you need to make amends, and the debts you need to repay. You’re lucky if you’ve never faced death. If you live in a developed country like the United States, things like tuberculosis, diarrhoeal diseases and stomach cancer don’t make it on the...

Apr 4, 2010

Dear Lender,

If you’re tuning in for the first time, you’re in for a treat! Watch as a group of women in a remote province of northern Vietnam receive access to credit for the very first time. Feel their hope, hear their fears, and share in the laughter =)

This is the last of a 3-part video blogging series in which I attempt to give you a snapshot of the person-to-person experience you...

Stories tagged with Vietnam

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