Kiva Blog

Jan 17, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
Apply to be a Kiva Fellow by January 27! By Emily Wakefield

Want to see the world and do good?
Since 2007, Kiva has sent over 400 Kiva Fellows to more than 60 countries around the world to work directly with our Field Partners and witness the power of microfinance firsthand. Kiva Fellows play an integral part in Kiva’s operations, as they build key relationships with our partners, develop sustainable practices, and share their experiences with the Kiva community. The Kiva Fellowship is a 4 to 12 month volunteer position, and is designed to further Kiva’s mission as well as provide fellows with a unique and invaluable personal...
Continue Reading >


Jan 16, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
Zip borrower Cafeto grows with second loan By Emily Wakefield

Victor at Cafeto's first location.
Zip borrower Victor Chicero, owner of San Francisco-based coffee shop Cafeto, received one of the very first Kiva Zip loans to finish construction of his shop and realize his dream of owning his own business. Now, we’re thrilled to announce that Cafeto was so successful in its first year that Victor is already taking out another loan to open a second location! Victor’s first loan allowed him to create four new jobs, and with a second location, he can create... Continue Reading >


Jan 14, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
What's new on Kiva? By Camille Ricketts

One of Kiva's core values is transparency. So we're introducing "What's new?" to keep our users informed about the latest interesting changes to the website. 
 
Did you know we release a new version of the Kiva website every two weeks? Our last release was on January 8, and it was a little special because it included Innovation Iteration changes -- meaning that developers got to choose their own projects.
 
... Continue Reading >


Jan 8, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
New Field Partner: Cycling (and lending) for clean power in Rwanda with Nuru Energy By Camille Ricketts

Kiva is committed to promoting sustainable progress -- and a huge part of that is encouraging clean energy. That's why we're very excited to welcome Nuru Energy as our newest Field Partner in Rwanda.Nuru is a socially-driven corporation that provides renewable sources of energy in developing countries. Seed funded by the World Bank in 2008, it currently operates in East Africa and India.The organization is on a mission to eradicate energy poverty -- the lack of electricity (and economic activity that comes with it) that affects over 2 billion people around the world. To address this problem,... Continue Reading >


Jan 8, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
New Field Partner: Empowering women borrowers in Honduras with COMIXMUL By Amniya Shahbozova

We love to see how loans help women borrowers establish new businesses, gain financial independence and contribute to their families’ incomes. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce our newest Field Partner in Honduras, COMIXMUL!
Founded in 1986 by 12 women who had only $160 between them, the organization aims to help single women gain access to savings and credit services. Today, with a portfolio of over $26 million, the organization impacts over 26,000 women borrowers in Honduras, including a large number of single... Continue Reading >


Jan 8, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
New Field Partner: Building vibrant communities in Washington D.C. with LEDC By Amniya Shahbozova

We’re thrilled to announce our new partnership with Latino Economic Development Center!
 
Based in Washington, D.C., this nonprofit organization aims to help low-to-moderate income neighborhoods with significant Latino populations by supporting businesses, housing and human resource development. Kiva is partnering with both LEDC and Capital One to turn D.C. into a Kiva City! With help from both of these organizations, borrowers will receive holistic support and financial services. D.C. joins other Kiva Cities Detroit, New Orleans and Los Angeles....
Continue Reading >


Jan 8, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
Welcome Kiva City D.C.! By Camille Ricketts

Big news today!This morning, we launched Kiva City D.C.! Partnering with Capital One Bank and the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC), Kiva will now offer loans to small businesses in Washington D.C.Kiva City D.C. is a new online portal connecting small business owners in our nation's capital with Kiva's global network of over 870,000 lenders. By providing loans to these entrepreneurs, lenders can help them start, sustain and grow their businesses -- and even create new jobs!"This initiative gives everyone a chance to help make a difference in the life of D.C.'s... Continue Reading >


Jan 3, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
3 borrowers tell us what their Kiva loans made possible in 2012 By Camille Ricketts

In 2012, we made a point of interviewing many of our borrowers on camera to find out exactly how their loans worked out, what their plans are for the future and more. What resulted were some of the most inspiring conversations we had all year.What really thrilled us is how many borrowers took the opportunity to thank our lender community. It's clear that the credit you helped provide has gone a long way toward changing these people's lives. And now we can share their words with you firsthand:Meet Luisa.She used her loan to buy materials for her sewing business in Peru, boosting her... Continue Reading >


Jan 2, 2013 Kiva HQ KV
You made all this possible in 2012! By Camille Ricketts

2012 was a great year! So we're taking this opportunity to look back at some of the incredible accomplishments that people like YOU made possible:1) We surpassed $380 million in loans to over 940,000 borrowers in more than 60 countries worldwide, all while maintaining a 99% repayment rate. This is no easy feat, and has required a lot of patience, understanding and feedback from our lender community. This achievement is truly yours.2) We launched in India! This was a long-standing dream for us as an organization, and it finally happened in August. And we... Continue Reading >


Dec 27, 2012 Kiva HQ KV
New Field Partner: Health care services become more accessible in rural Kenya through Motorbank By Amniya Shahbozova

Kiva couldn’t be happier to announce its new partnership with Motorbank Kenya!
More and more, organizations are designing loans geared toward meeting specific social needs -- in this case -- the need for health care services in rural Kenya. On top of that, it's great when a loan benefits several groups of people at the same time -- motorcycle drivers, healthcare workers and patients.
Easing transportation challenges and helping community health workers (CHWs) provide on-time service in remote areas, the BodAfya loan developed by Motorbank Kenya supports the organization’s...
Continue Reading >


Pages