Blog posts tagged with microfinance


We at Kiva have a lot to be thankful for this year – but most of all, we want to thank you for all you do to make spirits bright around the world every day.
Thank you for creating opportunity for entrepreneurs who might not otherwise be able to pursue their dreams and improve their lives. And thank you for being a beacon of compassion in a sometimes overwhelming world, proving...
Continue Reading >>
On October 4, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti and eastern Cuba as a Category 4 storm, causing massive destruction and severe damage to much of the region. Relief agencies are racing to deliver supplies across the island, but an estimated 900 people have tragically lost their lives...
Continue Reading >>
Last week, Kiva celebrated local businesses in the city of Oakland with its first-ever Made in Oakland event. Located in the beautiful outdoor space in front of City Hall, 45 local entrepreneurs showed off their unique businesses, selling everything from vegan cupcakes to repurposed footwear... Continue Reading >>

Kiva and The MasterCard Foundation are kicking off a 5-year, $7.9 million partnership to test, develop and scale high-impact loans serving the unique needs of smallholder farmers and rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa.
... Continue Reading >>

Sabita never had the opportunity to go to school, but she wants her children to have a different future. Sabita is part of a group of female entrepreneurs in Balangir, India, who use Kiva loans to create successful businesses to fund their children’s education and improve their family’s livelihoods. With her loan, Sabita established a store to sell cosmetics and hair and beauty products, earning enough money to pay her children’s...

A loan of $575 helped Sunaphula purchase two cows for her dairy farm. Thanks to lenders like you, it's been possible for Sunaphula to earn a living by selling the milk produced by the cows.
Food brings us together as a human family across all cultures – and most of the world’s food still comes from small-scale farms and other small businesses.
Thanks for...
Continue Reading >>
Mixing family and business can be a risky prospect, but the 3 sisters running B.E.N. Fisheries make it look simple. They are united by the same vision for their fish farm, the first of its kind in their district in Zimbabwe, and a strong work ethic.
They even named their business in a way that felt equitable to everyone: B.E.N. is a combination of their 3 names– Beauty, Ericah and Netsai.
“We are pioneers of this type of project,” says Ericah proudly.



At just 23 years old, Chloe is the founder and CEO of BlackFem, a non-profit venture capital firm that teaches financial literacy to women and girls of color in under-served communities. Her philosophy regarding wealth in America might surprise you, and it’s now the title of a new children’s book she co-wrote: ‘Money Does Grow on Trees.’
She uses the book to teach financial literacy to young students,...
Continue Reading >>

This is part of our series celebrating the unifying spirit of the Summer Games. Cambodia is one of 28 Kiva countries that have never won a medal, so we’re rallying to show our support ...
Continue Reading >>

This is part of our series celebrating the unifying spirit of the summer games. Rwanda is one of 28 Kiva countries that have never won a medal, so we’re rallying to show our support ...

On summer days, the temperature in Al Hudaydah, Yemen often reaches 100 degrees by 9 in the morning, with barely a hint of a breeze coming off the bathwater-like Red Sea nearby. The scorching heat in this coastal city, and in much of the country, is all the more unbearable for the majority of Yemeni families who have to make do without electricity to power fans, lights or other essential devices.
... Continue Reading >>

Clean energy: We need to reach sustainability and Elon Musk has a plan.

Katrina and Keely first met in the summer of 2013 while working on open space greening projects in Brooklyn, N.Y., and bonded instantly over urban farming and pop culture. After many discussions on the frustrations of finding financially sustainable jobs in urban agriculture, they decided the best solution was to start a project for themselves.
In 2015, the two joined forces to start Tinyfield Roofhop Farm on a small rooftop in Brooklyn, with the Manhattan skyline in the distance. Their goal was to provide high quality, hyper-local produce to consumers, restaurants, and... Continue Reading >>

Like farmers across southern Africa, Cynthia is worried about the drought. The region is experiencing one of the driest years in decades, and the lack of rain is all the farmers in her rural Zimbabwe community are talking about.
A single mother and a veteran farmer, Cynthia will fare better than most thanks to her careful planning. Over the years, she connected an irrigation pond to her fields of okra, sweet potatoes and corn...
Continue Reading >>
This is the final story in our series spotlighting U.S. businesses in celebration of Independence Day.
Jay is a native of Detroit and considers himself a promoter of social good in his home city. After moving back to Detroit 6 years ago, Jay decided to spend his time creating opportunity for his community and Detroit youth.
Read more about Jay's story at Kiva's Medium page -->>
Continue Reading >>


This is the second story in our series spotlighting U.S. businesses in celebration of Independence Day.
...
Continue Reading >>
In the past, Kiva has used 2 different models to support small social enterprises:... Continue Reading >>

This the second of our stories in our series spotlighting U.S. businesses in celebration of Independence Day.
“After years of working for someone else, I decided it was time to pursue my dream of bringing the food of my childhood to my new home.”
You can tell Guadalupe is a passionate woman from the moment you place your order at El Pipila. She is constantly moving around assembling the plates, but keeping an eye on everything that’s going on, making sure everyone receives the best service.
Her passion comes in... Continue Reading >>

I’ve only seen the film Hotel Rwanda twice.
The first time, I was alone on my parents’ couch in small-town Oklahoma. I tend to want to be emotionally prepared for heavy films with difficult subject matter, but when do you ever feel prepared enough to bear witness to such a magnitude of senseless violence and tragedy as what happened in Rwanda?
The answer is never, so I finally just took a deep breath and hit play.... Continue Reading >>
Pages
Blog posts tagged with microfinance


We at Kiva have a lot to be thankful for this year – but most of all, we want to thank you for all you do to make spirits bright around the world every day.
Thank you for creating opportunity for entrepreneurs who might not otherwise be able to pursue their dreams and improve their lives. And thank you for being a beacon of compassion in a sometimes overwhelming world, proving...
Continue Reading >>
On October 4, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti and eastern Cuba as a Category 4 storm, causing massive destruction and severe damage to much of the region. Relief agencies are racing to deliver supplies across the island, but an estimated 900 people have tragically lost their lives...
Continue Reading >>
Last week, Kiva celebrated local businesses in the city of Oakland with its first-ever Made in Oakland event. Located in the beautiful outdoor space in front of City Hall, 45 local entrepreneurs showed off their unique businesses, selling everything from vegan cupcakes to repurposed footwear... Continue Reading >>

Kiva and The MasterCard Foundation are kicking off a 5-year, $7.9 million partnership to test, develop and scale high-impact loans serving the unique needs of smallholder farmers and rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa.
... Continue Reading >>

Sabita never had the opportunity to go to school, but she wants her children to have a different future. Sabita is part of a group of female entrepreneurs in Balangir, India, who use Kiva loans to create successful businesses to fund their children’s education and improve their family’s livelihoods. With her loan, Sabita established a store to sell cosmetics and hair and beauty products, earning enough money to pay her children’s...

A loan of $575 helped Sunaphula purchase two cows for her dairy farm. Thanks to lenders like you, it's been possible for Sunaphula to earn a living by selling the milk produced by the cows.
Food brings us together as a human family across all cultures – and most of the world’s food still comes from small-scale farms and other small businesses.
Thanks for...
Continue Reading >>
Mixing family and business can be a risky prospect, but the 3 sisters running B.E.N. Fisheries make it look simple. They are united by the same vision for their fish farm, the first of its kind in their district in Zimbabwe, and a strong work ethic.
They even named their business in a way that felt equitable to everyone: B.E.N. is a combination of their 3 names– Beauty, Ericah and Netsai.
“We are pioneers of this type of project,” says Ericah proudly.



At just 23 years old, Chloe is the founder and CEO of BlackFem, a non-profit venture capital firm that teaches financial literacy to women and girls of color in under-served communities. Her philosophy regarding wealth in America might surprise you, and it’s now the title of a new children’s book she co-wrote: ‘Money Does Grow on Trees.’
She uses the book to teach financial literacy to young students,...
Continue Reading >>

This is part of our series celebrating the unifying spirit of the Summer Games. Cambodia is one of 28 Kiva countries that have never won a medal, so we’re rallying to show our support ...
Continue Reading >>

This is part of our series celebrating the unifying spirit of the summer games. Rwanda is one of 28 Kiva countries that have never won a medal, so we’re rallying to show our support ...

On summer days, the temperature in Al Hudaydah, Yemen often reaches 100 degrees by 9 in the morning, with barely a hint of a breeze coming off the bathwater-like Red Sea nearby. The scorching heat in this coastal city, and in much of the country, is all the more unbearable for the majority of Yemeni families who have to make do without electricity to power fans, lights or other essential devices.
... Continue Reading >>

Clean energy: We need to reach sustainability and Elon Musk has a plan.

Katrina and Keely first met in the summer of 2013 while working on open space greening projects in Brooklyn, N.Y., and bonded instantly over urban farming and pop culture. After many discussions on the frustrations of finding financially sustainable jobs in urban agriculture, they decided the best solution was to start a project for themselves.
In 2015, the two joined forces to start Tinyfield Roofhop Farm on a small rooftop in Brooklyn, with the Manhattan skyline in the distance. Their goal was to provide high quality, hyper-local produce to consumers, restaurants, and... Continue Reading >>

Like farmers across southern Africa, Cynthia is worried about the drought. The region is experiencing one of the driest years in decades, and the lack of rain is all the farmers in her rural Zimbabwe community are talking about.
A single mother and a veteran farmer, Cynthia will fare better than most thanks to her careful planning. Over the years, she connected an irrigation pond to her fields of okra, sweet potatoes and corn...
Continue Reading >>
This is the final story in our series spotlighting U.S. businesses in celebration of Independence Day.
Jay is a native of Detroit and considers himself a promoter of social good in his home city. After moving back to Detroit 6 years ago, Jay decided to spend his time creating opportunity for his community and Detroit youth.
Read more about Jay's story at Kiva's Medium page -->>
Continue Reading >>


This is the second story in our series spotlighting U.S. businesses in celebration of Independence Day.
...
Continue Reading >>
In the past, Kiva has used 2 different models to support small social enterprises:... Continue Reading >>

This the second of our stories in our series spotlighting U.S. businesses in celebration of Independence Day.
“After years of working for someone else, I decided it was time to pursue my dream of bringing the food of my childhood to my new home.”
You can tell Guadalupe is a passionate woman from the moment you place your order at El Pipila. She is constantly moving around assembling the plates, but keeping an eye on everything that’s going on, making sure everyone receives the best service.
Her passion comes in... Continue Reading >>

I’ve only seen the film Hotel Rwanda twice.
The first time, I was alone on my parents’ couch in small-town Oklahoma. I tend to want to be emotionally prepared for heavy films with difficult subject matter, but when do you ever feel prepared enough to bear witness to such a magnitude of senseless violence and tragedy as what happened in Rwanda?
The answer is never, so I finally just took a deep breath and hit play.... Continue Reading >>