Ghana
Meeting with Kiva borrowers is a privilege that I have had the opportunity to enjoy multiple times since I have landed in Africa. Oftentimes, their stories, professional or personal, have made me forget the initial reason for my visit. Every single story has something special, and you never know what to expect until you arrive at their home, sit on a wobbly seat and start listening. Whether they are touching, inspiring, heartbreaking or promising, stories always move me deeply. My name is Victor, a Kiva fellow based in Cape Coast, Ghana, and I wish to introduce you to Joyce - a...
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Sep 20, 2017
Philippines
Philippines
It’s no surprise that people around me don’t fully understand why I left the comfort of my job and life in the United States to go to the Philippines to become a Kiva fellow. Friends and family often ask, “What do you do, exactly, for Kiva?”
I am going to attempt to answer this question by walking you through one of the responsibilities I am asked to complete during my time here: borrower...
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Sep 15, 2017
Myanmar
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Myanmar
I’m always fascinated by the borrowers around the world that Kiva Fellows highlight. A natural skeptic, I always assumed these profiles were carefully selected, the messaging massaged and refined. However, having lived in Myanmar for over a month now, working with Kiva’s partner Sont Oo Tehtwin, I can definitively claim the opposite. Every borrower I’ve met has impressed me with their unique skills and creativity.
While I could choose any person I’ve talked to as an example, one person I want to mention is Kyi Aye, a man who has a business buying broken...
Sep 13, 2017
Kenya
ECLOF Kenya introduced climate-smart agriculture loan products in the year 2015 and the program has been doing well in the regions of Eastern Kenya ever since. In order to expand its program to other dairy farmers, Kiva and ECLOF Kenya are conducting an impact evaluation of the program. During my first week on data collection for the evaluation in Embu, I was amazed by the work that is involved in farming activities and the technology that can be used to improve production. Embu is in the Eastern Region of Kenya, and below you can see a view of some of the farming areas in Embu. These... Continue Reading >>
Kenya
ECLOF Kenya introduced climate-smart agriculture loan products in the year 2015 and the program has been doing well in the regions of Eastern Kenya ever since. In order to expand its program to other dairy farmers, Kiva and ECLOF Kenya are conducting an impact evaluation of the program. During my first week on data collection for the evaluation in Embu, I was amazed by the work that is involved in farming activities and the technology that can be used to improve production. Embu is in the Eastern Region of Kenya, and below you can see a view of some of the farming areas in Embu. These... Continue Reading >>
Sep 12, 2017
Tajikistan
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the new republics had varying degrees of success in adapting to the introduction of capitalism. Tajikistan struggled more than most, compounded by the fact that it suffered a five-year civil war soon after declaring independence. By 1997, a half-million people had fled the country to avoid persecution and poverty. Many ended up in Russia, and the exodus continues to this day. Although the country is stable now, every year hundreds of thousands of Tajiks work abroad in Russia and other countries as opportunities in Tajikistan are limited. Over a... Continue Reading >>
Tajikistan
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the new republics had varying degrees of success in adapting to the introduction of capitalism. Tajikistan struggled more than most, compounded by the fact that it suffered a five-year civil war soon after declaring independence. By 1997, a half-million people had fled the country to avoid persecution and poverty. Many ended up in Russia, and the exodus continues to this day. Although the country is stable now, every year hundreds of thousands of Tajiks work abroad in Russia and other countries as opportunities in Tajikistan are limited. Over a... Continue Reading >>
Aug 25, 2017
Costa Rica
Susan Jeannette Fernandez Chavez is a 29 year-old Kiva borrower and artisan whose crafts leave a profound impact on her community. I sat down with her to discuss her journey to the arts, her passion for child development, and the importance of supporting artists. Check out her crafts here. And yes, she ships internationally!
Me: When did you figure out that you wanted to make art?
Susan: I wanted to create something that was mine, that had my name. At the time I was... Continue Reading >>
Costa Rica
Susan Jeannette Fernandez Chavez is a 29 year-old Kiva borrower and artisan whose crafts leave a profound impact on her community. I sat down with her to discuss her journey to the arts, her passion for child development, and the importance of supporting artists. Check out her crafts here. And yes, she ships internationally!
Susan at work in her studio.
Aug 23, 2017
Nicaragua
I arrived in Managua on a Saturday night on the 29th of July - my first time in Nicaragua and in Central America. As I was gearing up the next day to start my first week of work with MiCredito, I discovered by chance that Tuesday the 1st of August was a bank holiday in Managua – a festival for the celebration of Saint Domingo, the city’s unofficial patron. I also discovered that the same celebration would be repeated after just 10 days to deliver the Saint back to the church where it was taken from on the first day of the celebration, with a similar ceremony. As surprised as I was, I quickly... Continue Reading >>
Nicaragua
I arrived in Managua on a Saturday night on the 29th of July - my first time in Nicaragua and in Central America. As I was gearing up the next day to start my first week of work with MiCredito, I discovered by chance that Tuesday the 1st of August was a bank holiday in Managua – a festival for the celebration of Saint Domingo, the city’s unofficial patron. I also discovered that the same celebration would be repeated after just 10 days to deliver the Saint back to the church where it was taken from on the first day of the celebration, with a similar ceremony. As surprised as I was, I quickly... Continue Reading >>
Aug 17, 2017
Philippines
Philippines
On a hot and humid Santa Maria afternoon, it seemed only fitting to visit Domingo, who is an ice cream maker in the Philippines. We left the van on the road and walked down the dirt path, navigating mud puddles enroute to his neighborhood. Along the way, there was colorful laundry hanging on fences, neighbors washing up and kids playing while curiously watching us.
We arrived at Domingo’s home, where a large group of his family waited for us...
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Aug 16, 2017
Tajikistan
Tajikistan
I must admit, I never expected to have a good time at a circumcision party. I suppose it helped greatly that the circumcision was not my own, and in fact the deed itself occurred after the party. Let me back up a bit and explain.
I arrived in Tajikistan full of optimism and energy, eager to start my job as a Kiva Fellow. After a few surprises at the airport, I arrived a day later at IMON International - Kiva’s field partner. They’ve been doing business with Kiva for close to 10 years and IMON has helped Kiva lenders loan...
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Aug 8, 2017
Colombia
Drive about 1.5 hours east of the up-and-coming metropolis of Medellín, and you’ll find yourself on tranquil mountain roads in Cocorná, dotted with family farms and handmade houses. Keep your eyes peeled, because Tienda de Paz San Jose doesn’t look like much at first glance. It’s a one-story brick building perched on a hill, seemingly indistinguishable from countless other roadside pit stops in the area. However, inside this unremarkable structure lives the beating heart of a community that has been displaced from their homes by violence three times. Their reaction? To invest in themselves... Continue Reading >>
Colombia
Drive about 1.5 hours east of the up-and-coming metropolis of Medellín, and you’ll find yourself on tranquil mountain roads in Cocorná, dotted with family farms and handmade houses. Keep your eyes peeled, because Tienda de Paz San Jose doesn’t look like much at first glance. It’s a one-story brick building perched on a hill, seemingly indistinguishable from countless other roadside pit stops in the area. However, inside this unremarkable structure lives the beating heart of a community that has been displaced from their homes by violence three times. Their reaction? To invest in themselves... Continue Reading >>