So much of what we read and hear about the successes of... Continue Reading >>
Stories tagged with Lending
Feb 2, 2013
India
Last week I had the privilege of visiting Churachandpur, the second-largest city in the state of Manipur. Three borrower groups from the surrounding area were cycling out; that is, three groups were making their final repayments to WSDS and I was there to collect journal information for Kiva for the first time in India. It was a truly exciting, heartwarming, and awakening day for me, because it was a chance to see what these women have really been able to accomplish over the course of their six month loans.
So much of what we read and hear about the successes of... Continue Reading >>
So much of what we read and hear about the successes of... Continue Reading >>
Feb 2, 2013
United States
MEET JESSIE GOLDENBERG: entrepreneur, New Yorker, and - as of today, Feb 25, 2013 - Kiva Zip’s 150th crowd-funded startup in the US.
Jessie is a smart, resourceful, double-shift working Brooklynite and NYU graduate. Her 6 month old business idea - turning a used 14-footer truck into a mobile fashion boutique that tours festivals, markets and college campuses called NOMAD - is already revenue-generating. So it begs the question: why did someone like Jessie...
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Feb 2, 2013
Nicaragua
For a moment, think about what you do in a normal, everyday, 24-hour time period. Take a second; no rush.
Got it? Now imagine it without electricity.
I’m guessing a significant portion of your everyday activities would suddenly become impossible, extremely less efficient, or flat-out uncomfortable. Sure, you could probably go without some of the not-so-necessary first... Continue Reading >>
For a moment, think about what you do in a normal, everyday, 24-hour time period. Take a second; no rush.
Got it? Now imagine it without electricity.
I’m guessing a significant portion of your everyday activities would suddenly become impossible, extremely less efficient, or flat-out uncomfortable. Sure, you could probably go without some of the not-so-necessary first... Continue Reading >>
Feb 2, 2013
Chile
What does microfinance look like in a country that’s considered one of South America’s most stable and prosperous nations? (BBC)
That was my immediate thought when told I would be working in Santiago, Chile as a Kiva Fellow. Understanding how small loans and accessible financial resources factor into Chile’s economic environment will be my task for the next four months.
Chile may have one of Latin America’s fastest growing economies, but just 40 years ago, it was home to one of Latin America... Continue Reading >>
What does microfinance look like in a country that’s considered one of South America’s most stable and prosperous nations? (BBC)
That was my immediate thought when told I would be working in Santiago, Chile as a Kiva Fellow. Understanding how small loans and accessible financial resources factor into Chile’s economic environment will be my task for the next four months.
Chile may have one of Latin America’s fastest growing economies, but just 40 years ago, it was home to one of Latin America... Continue Reading >>
Feb 2, 2013
Timor-Leste
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I arrived in Timor-Leste about a week ago to begin a Kiva Fellowship, and you might be wondering where the heck that is. So I'll try to fill you in on some background while I ease into the place.
I like maps. Here's one of the world:
Feb 2, 2013
Tajikistan
Let’s just say that my first 24 hours in Tajikistan were nothing short of a nightmare. After navigating my way through an airport that would have to take out first prize as the worst in the world, I was in for an initiation like no other. I was caught in a car blockade, amidst a drug bust, and surrounded by black leather clad men clutching AK47s. My visa... Continue Reading >>
Let’s just say that my first 24 hours in Tajikistan were nothing short of a nightmare. After navigating my way through an airport that would have to take out first prize as the worst in the world, I was in for an initiation like no other. I was caught in a car blockade, amidst a drug bust, and surrounded by black leather clad men clutching AK47s. My visa... Continue Reading >>
Feb 2, 2013
Ecuador
One of the little known facts about micro finance is that it is heavily dependent upon information technology. Even though loan sizes are small the amount of transactions necessary to properly account for all of the transactions can, in the aggregate, easily exceed a million transactions a year for a given institution. Recently I had the opportunity to work with Ivonne Balsecca.
One of the little known facts about micro finance is that it is heavily dependent upon information technology. Even though loan sizes are small the amount of transactions necessary to properly account for all of the transactions can, in the aggregate, easily exceed a million transactions a year for a given institution. Recently I had the opportunity to work with Ivonne Balsecca.
Feb 2, 2013
Rwanda
Kigali is in the mountains. Way up in the mountains. As high as Denver, Colorado even. But without any of the flat plains - except for the slim valleys snaking between the hills where there aren’t any houses presumably because of the looming threat of flooding.
Car engines roar as they try to make it up some of the hills. Only the most skilled manual transmission drivers can make it 50 Kigali-miles without stalling out. Even automatic transmission cars tend to stall on hills like these. At first, I wondered to myself why this... Continue Reading >>
Car engines roar as they try to make it up some of the hills. Only the most skilled manual transmission drivers can make it 50 Kigali-miles without stalling out. Even automatic transmission cars tend to stall on hills like these. At first, I wondered to myself why this... Continue Reading >>