Access to clean water and sanitation is a universal and basic human right, and yet 1 in 3 people on Earth lack access to safe drinking water. Half of the people who today drink from contaminated water sources live in sub-Saharan Africa, and 8 in 10 live in rural areas. For those in developing countries, human-caused climate change is projected to reduce renewable surface water and groundwater resources, which will intensify already-fierce competition for water. Receding and melting glaciers will decrease water supplies for drinking and irrigation in the...
Continue Reading >>It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share news of the passing of our friend and colleague, Jason Eyler. Jason passed away on Wednesday, April 6th, surrounded by his loved ones after an unexpected and sudden illness. His death has been a shock to all who knew and cherished him, including our Kiva community. Jason served as the Executive Vice President of Kiva Marketplace beginning in 2020. In the two years that Jason was with Kiva, he left an incredible impression on everyone he came in contact with. He was patient, thoughtful, caring and held a positive outlook...
Continue Reading >>No matter where we live on this big, beautiful planet, all of us have the right to a clean, healthy, sustainable environment—a declaration that was made manifest in 2021 by the UN Human Rights Council. Yet the challenges facing the earth can seem overwhelming. Can one person really make a difference to issues this huge? The good news is that we can help the earth with the small choices we collectively make every day, from reducing...
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When Saffa fled Syria for Turkey in search of refuge, she couldn't have imagined the conditions she'd face on her journey. “I arrived in Turkey not knowing anyone…I only had my three girls with me,” recalls the 39 year-old mother of six. “When I came here, I didn’t know where to go. When they told me I should enter a camp, I was very surprised,” she says. “I was shocked to see...
Continue Reading >>Women entrepreneurs face formidable challenges at every stage of the enterprise journey, from securing financial backing to balancing household responsibilities to navigating gender-related social norms. COVID-19 exacerbated many of these hurdles, prompting the necessity for microfinance institutions, investors, and development partners to meet the needs of women entrepreneurs in new ways. To get a better understanding of how to...
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Around the world, the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic goes far beyond inundated hospitals and widespread travel bans. For small businesses in the Philippines, the challenges that owners face in keeping doors open continue to be immense, especially for those in rural areas. In 2020, business owners were forced to let a huge percentage of their workforce go, with...
Continue Reading >>In the rolling hills of Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city, Thacienne knew she would excel as a college student—if only her family could afford it. “As the first born of the family, my parents were worried about my education,” she says. Her parents asked her if she could wait two years before starting college; the family needed time to raise the funds to cover her tuition, which in Rwanda can cost several times the average annual wage. The cost of higher education can be...
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Women and girls represent half of the world’s 7.9 billion-and-counting population—and therefore half of humankind’s economic potential, creative capabilities, and capacity for sustainable growth. Every day we witness phenomenal contributions by women in business, science, governance, healthcare, and other important pillars of society, even as women of all economic backgrounds...
Continue Reading >>Kiran is going beyond the traditional expectations for women in Nepal. And with the help of Kiva lenders, going beyond her financial limitations too.
Meet Kiran from Kathmandu
Kiran, a college student studying business at the University of Kathmandu in Nepal, is using her Kiva loan to help fund her education. But, before she got to where she is today, Kiran found herself in a situation many Nepalese women face: being qualified, deserving, and eager to continue her...
Continue Reading >>Sweet success! With financial support, Zeppa turned her life-long passion for baking into a career.
In Harare, Zimbabwe, Zeppa has been filling happy stomachs with scones and cakes since she was ten years old. Decades later, Zeppa’s finally fulfilling the dream she’s always had: opening up her own bakery. What kept Zeppa from pursuing her passion sooner? Unfortunately, many women around the world don't have access to basic financial services like savings accounts or loans. In many...
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