“I think that it’s important to help others, even if it’s only in small ways. I was a lender on Kiva before I became an editor. After I retired, volunteering for Kiva seemed like a great fit.” City: Palmyra, ME Language: English Team: Only the Loanly Time with Kiva: One year Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: Christine has been a stand-out editor in terms of number of loans edited. She has also taken on the additional challenge of reviewing the first batches of loans posted by new Field Partners, providing feedback... Continue Reading >
Dec 17, 2012
Kiva HQ
“I think that it’s important to help others, even if it’s only in small ways. I was a lender on Kiva before I became an editor. After I retired, volunteering for Kiva seemed like a great fit.” City: Palmyra, ME Language: English Team: Only the Loanly Time with Kiva: One year Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: Christine has been a stand-out editor in terms of number of loans edited. She has also taken on the additional challenge of reviewing the first batches of loans posted by new Field Partners, providing feedback... Continue Reading >
“I think that it’s important to help others, even if it’s only in small ways. I was a lender on Kiva before I became an editor. After I retired, volunteering for Kiva seemed like a great fit.” City: Palmyra, ME Language: English Team: Only the Loanly Time with Kiva: One year Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: Christine has been a stand-out editor in terms of number of loans edited. She has also taken on the additional challenge of reviewing the first batches of loans posted by new Field Partners, providing feedback... Continue Reading >
Dec 14, 2012
Kiva HQ
It's that time again: harvest season.Fall is the busiest time of year for most Kiva-funded farmers. And it's also the most lucrative, with the bulk of their annual profits coming in all at once. This sounds good, but it also makes the economics of being a smallholder farmer pretty tricky.Not only do you have to make harvest profits last, but you also have to sink a huge portion of them into buying inputs -- like seeds, fertilizers, tools and more -- when planting season rolls around in February.Taking out loans has long been a tactic used by farmers to afford these inputs, but not all loans... Continue Reading >
It's that time again: harvest season.Fall is the busiest time of year for most Kiva-funded farmers. And it's also the most lucrative, with the bulk of their annual profits coming in all at once. This sounds good, but it also makes the economics of being a smallholder farmer pretty tricky.Not only do you have to make harvest profits last, but you also have to sink a huge portion of them into buying inputs -- like seeds, fertilizers, tools and more -- when planting season rolls around in February.Taking out loans has long been a tactic used by farmers to afford these inputs, but not all loans... Continue Reading >
Dec 13, 2012
Kiva HQ
This is a guest post from Google Developers Live.
Google supports diversity and inclusion in all of its communities, including users, employees and developers. In that spirit, Google Developers Live launched Women Techmakers (WTM) in November, an initiative to bring visibility to women in technology who are fearlessly innovating, honing technical expertise and testing the boundaries of the web.Now the Women Techmakers series is back for round two on Google Developers Live (GDL)! In the spirit of the holidays, hosts Megan Smith of Google[x...
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Dec 13, 2012
Kiva HQ
Obviously, we're incredibly excited about Kiva Cards this holiday season. When you give your friends and family Kiva Cards, you give them the chance to make loans to borrowers of their choice. It's the essence of Kiva, and truly the gift that keeps on giving.
Obviously, we're incredibly excited about Kiva Cards this holiday season. When you give your friends and family Kiva Cards, you give them the chance to make loans to borrowers of their choice. It's the essence of Kiva, and truly the gift that keeps on giving.
Delivered by email, Facebook or printable at home, Kiva Cards are easy to give and get -- making them an awesome choice for any holiday.
Continue Reading > That said, there are many other gifts available for the Kiva fans in your life at KivaStore.org. Operated by a passionate lender and volunteer, the KivaStore offers a...
Dec 11, 2012
Kiva HQ
You might have noticed that the top of Kiva’s Lend page looks a little different.
To help you, our lenders, explore new types of loans and borrower stories, we’ve introduced Featured Categories -- a new tool to find the loans you want to fund.There’s little rhyme or reason to why certain lenders choose certain loans. Some people love lending to women or food vendors or single parents. Others choose based on beautiful pictures or countries. The goal of Featured Categories is to make this process even easier and encourage discovery.Not only does this new... Continue Reading >
Dec 10, 2012
Kiva HQ
We are SO excited to announce our newest Field Partner, Solar Sister!This incredibly vibrant organization is building bright futures for women in Africa with solar technology. Utilizing a business model similar to the Avon-style sales network, Solar Sister empowers women entrepreneurs, giving them the tools they need to sell solar lights, mobile phone chargers and other products in remote and low-income areas. In sub-Saharan Africa, women make up 70% of the people living without electricity and are also the primary decision makers when it comes to choosing solar lighting and heating... Continue Reading >
We are SO excited to announce our newest Field Partner, Solar Sister!This incredibly vibrant organization is building bright futures for women in Africa with solar technology. Utilizing a business model similar to the Avon-style sales network, Solar Sister empowers women entrepreneurs, giving them the tools they need to sell solar lights, mobile phone chargers and other products in remote and low-income areas. In sub-Saharan Africa, women make up 70% of the people living without electricity and are also the primary decision makers when it comes to choosing solar lighting and heating... Continue Reading >
Dec 7, 2012
Kiva HQ
Calling all world travelers, all microfinance fans, all global development experts. We want you!Applications for the May 2013 class of Kiva Fellows are now open! Deadline: January 27.You can find out everything you want to know and more on the Kiva Fellowship website, but to summarize: Kiva Fellows are remarkable individuals who spend four months (May-September) in the field working with one or more of Kiva's Field Partners to be our eyes and ears on the ground.Kiva works with over 140 partners, including microfinance institutions, social enterprises,... Continue Reading >
Calling all world travelers, all microfinance fans, all global development experts. We want you!Applications for the May 2013 class of Kiva Fellows are now open! Deadline: January 27.You can find out everything you want to know and more on the Kiva Fellowship website, but to summarize: Kiva Fellows are remarkable individuals who spend four months (May-September) in the field working with one or more of Kiva's Field Partners to be our eyes and ears on the ground.Kiva works with over 140 partners, including microfinance institutions, social enterprises,... Continue Reading >
Dec 7, 2012
Kiva HQ
These days San Francisco is crawling with mobile business entrepreneurs.
These days San Francisco is crawling with mobile business entrepreneurs.
One example: Repurposed trucks peddling gourmet street food, serving up the cutting edge of culinary fashion and fusion with dishes like pad-Thai tacos, Vietnamese sliders and curry chicken burritos.
But at the Topshelf Boutique, fashion rolls.
Topshelf is a miniature replica of a chic “brick-n-mortar” fashion boutique, only there’s no seasonal store front display -- just a set of alluring pastel stairs leading into the...
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Dec 6, 2012
Kiva HQ
We’re thrilled to welcome EarthSpark International as our newest Field Partner!When you combine financial solutions with cutting-edge technologies, you create formidable tools to address major development issues -- like how to bring electricity to people living without it.This is exactly what EarthSpark International is doing in Haiti, where 75% of households are forced to rely on toxic and expensive kerosene for lighting and cooking fuel. Unclean and unsafe energy products impact people's health, cause environmental damage and decrease productivity across the board.So why would any... Continue Reading >
We’re thrilled to welcome EarthSpark International as our newest Field Partner!When you combine financial solutions with cutting-edge technologies, you create formidable tools to address major development issues -- like how to bring electricity to people living without it.This is exactly what EarthSpark International is doing in Haiti, where 75% of households are forced to rely on toxic and expensive kerosene for lighting and cooking fuel. Unclean and unsafe energy products impact people's health, cause environmental damage and decrease productivity across the board.So why would any... Continue Reading >
Dec 4, 2012
Kiva HQ
Kiva is proud to announce a new partnership with travel and review website TripAdvisor!Now, when you post a review about a destination, TripAdvisor will give you the opportunity to lend $25 to small business owners and communities in your favorite countries.Given the tons of reviews TripAdvisor users have written about places around the world, it's clear that trips to foreign countries can leave a lasting impression. One goal of this partnership is to give you a unique way to show gratitude and appreciation for the memories and experiences you've had.At Kiva, we're always surprised by how... Continue Reading >
Kiva is proud to announce a new partnership with travel and review website TripAdvisor!Now, when you post a review about a destination, TripAdvisor will give you the opportunity to lend $25 to small business owners and communities in your favorite countries.Given the tons of reviews TripAdvisor users have written about places around the world, it's clear that trips to foreign countries can leave a lasting impression. One goal of this partnership is to give you a unique way to show gratitude and appreciation for the memories and experiences you've had.At Kiva, we're always surprised by how... Continue Reading >