My birthday was fast approaching and I was having an emergency.
I had nothing to wear.
This might seem like a small problem, but here in Colombia, the “rumba” – the party – reigns supreme and if you don’t look fabulous, you might as well stay home. Besides, my birthday was to fall on a Saturday, an astrological phenomenon that cannot be taken for granted. The 23rd of June must be...
Stories tagged with #womeninbusiness
Jun 6, 2018
Colombia
May 5, 2018
Jordan
Tucked into Jordan’s greater Ajloun Governorate lies Sakhra, a small village with 1 main street functioning as the town's arterial gateway to side-streets dotted with...
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Nov 11, 2016
Ghana
Call it fate, divine intervention, or mere coincidence, life sometimes — quite unexpectedly — gives you exactly what you need at just the right time.
...
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Oct 10, 2016
Vietnam
This is Mrs. Giang! Mrs. Giang has two children, a boy and a girl, who she has raised on her own since her husband passed away. She has been managing a successful tofu making and selling... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2016
Vietnam
I had the opportunity to meet some inspiring fisherwomen in Thanh Hoa this week! Two of them said they were able to quadruple their incomes as a result of receiving loans from Kiva over the course of 8... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2016
Ghana
To say Chereponi is off the beaten path may be an understatement. I arrived in this tiny...
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Jul 7, 2016
Haiti
Outside of Haiti, little is known about these amazing and courageous women who oftentimes put their lives at risk every day to provide a better future for their families. A “Madan Sara” is a businesswoman who will travel to rural regions in the country to buy local goods and bring them to the city markets to sell. Normally, we find two types of Madans Sara: those who are wholesalers and those who work in the retail business by reselling large stocks in smaller portions.
It is a profession that is normally passed on from mothers to daughters, and in...
Continue Reading >> It is a profession that is normally passed on from mothers to daughters, and in...
Jun 6, 2016
Uganda
The first partner that I worked with as part of my Kiva Fellowship was a small group called YICE (Youth Initiative for Community Engagement). They are headquartered in the village of Kyakatebe (Pronounced Jak-a-te-be) within the sub-county of Nalutuntu within the district of Mubende, Uganda. This village is located about 2 hours west of the capital, Kampala. YICE is a small partner that provides loans to groups of 5 women who are mutually accountable for repayment. They require no collateral to guarantee the loan and they are flexible with repayments based on farming / market conditions. Many... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2016
Colombia
After visiting over 20 Kiva borrowers throughout Colombia, I have met many different people – young, experienced, women, men, city-dwellers, rural farmers, and so on. Although each one of my visits has been unique, one thing remains constant: every borrower I have met has been impressively entrepreneurial and tenacious. I leave every visit feeling inspired and humbled not only by what the borrowers have achieved and overcome, but also by their motivations for becoming entrepreneurs.
Below are three of many remarkable Colombian entrepreneurs who work with Interactuar, a Kiva... Continue Reading >>
Below are three of many remarkable Colombian entrepreneurs who work with Interactuar, a Kiva... Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2016
Costa Rica
“She was always fighting for women.” So said Elsa of her late mother, Lilliam. Elsa’s mom was a fierce advocate for women in their community of Upala, an agricultural zone in the northern region of Costa Rica. Elsa is now following in her mother’s footsteps, leading a local credit union that lends to, and is run by, only women. It is called Efecu. Efecu is one of the local organizations that finds borrowers to connect with Kiva and distributes Kiva loans.
Elsa, her mother, and other leaders of Efecu saw supporting women as absolutely critical. “We wanted to empower women, who are... Continue Reading >>
Elsa, her mother, and other leaders of Efecu saw supporting women as absolutely critical. “We wanted to empower women, who are... Continue Reading >>