Fellows Blog

Stories from the field

Stories tagged with Indonesia

Jul 7, 2018 ID Indonesia
Borrowers pose shortly after loan payments in Lebak district.

 

I started my fellowship in Indonesia, a vast archipelago known for its volcanoes and dreamy white sand beaches. However, with over a quarter billion people from different ethnic groups, Indonesia is also a dense melting pot and has the largest economy in Southeast Asia. 

Yet, despite its rapid economic growth, the country also faces enormous challenges.

Indonesia's GDP per capita is a...

Continue Reading >>
Jul 7, 2016 ID Indonesia
Tangerang is a large satellite city on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia. It is a beautiful place - very green and lush, with several rivers winding through its many rural villages. I spent 3 weeks working with KSPPS BMI, one of Kiva’s microfinance partners that operates in the region.
A view overlooking the lush greenery of Tangerang

During my time there, I quickly realized that the river was the center of life for thousands of people in Tangerang. On several hour-long drives I would stare out the window... Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2014 ID Indonesia

Many warungs, or small family-owned shops, crowd the streets of Denpasar, Bali but one is sure to catch your attention. The bright yellow bamboo sign at Warung Bu Sinta reads, “Switch on Life” and the owner, Sumarti, waits outside, ready to explain what her “Tech Kiosk” warung is all about.

Sumarti outside of her store


Sumarti’s warung is part of a network of “Tech Kiosks” whose owners use Kiva loans to purchase products from Kopernik, one of Kiva’s field partners. Kopernik connects... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2014 ID Indonesia
This past Monday, October 20th, I celebrated with tens of thousands of Indonesians in Jakarta to welcome their 7th President, Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, as he’s affectionately called. Jokowi is the first directly-elected Indonesian president who is not tied to the political or military elite dated back to the Suharto era. He rose to success from poor family background by building a furniture export business in his hometown Solo. He had to borrow money (just like a Kiva borrower!) to start his business and failed several times before he found success. He later became the Mayor of Solo in 2005 and... Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2014 ID Indonesia

Ruma agents working at their shop (warung)

Many people have no doubt heard of the success of mobile banking in Kenya through M-PESA, a service that has expanded financial services to millions of rural East Africans.  In the East Asia and Pacific region, 55% of the population is unbanked.  At the same time, mobile phones are widespread – which begs the question: what is the holding the region back from experiencing a similar revolution in banking access?

The most...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2013 GO Global Update

For much of the world, food is fuel.  But far more than mere sustenance, food draws us together. It slows our pace and brightens each day.  Calling upon all five senses, cusine...

Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 ID Indonesia
We can all remember an incident in our lives that resulted in a significant, unexpected change of direction. Maybe it was meeting your spouse, maybe a temporary or summer job which opened your eyes to a career you never thought of for you. For me it was taking a course in my senior year with students in first year dentistry, a career I never considered. What I learned from them led me to apply and the rest is history.

Sartoyo’s parents are farmers and live in a small village west of Cilacap. They wanted their youngest son to have an education with the hope of a... Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2012 ID Indonesia
Dewi, pictured here in her grandmother’s shop, is studying accounting but wants to be a novelist. I say do BOTH!

Amazing things are happening at Yayasan Sosial Bina Sejahtera (YSBS,) a very new member to the Kiva partner family. First, I’ll give you a little background on the organization.  YSBS has been around since 1976, and their main activity is assistance to educate young people at all levels and ages.  They believe that education is a major key to lifting future generations out of...

Continue Reading >>
Jul 7, 2012 AM Armenia

Compiled by David Gorgani | KF17 + KF18 | Guatemala

Kiva borrower Fareeda and her sewing machine – Anya Raza, Pakistan

It’s official – the Fellows have taken to the field!  This week’s update touches on many different Fellows’ experiences visiting Kiva borrowers in the field and traces the similarities and differences we face in our borrower visits, all with a strong undertone of inspiration.  Let’s face it folks, this is why...

Continue Reading >>
Jul 7, 2012 ID Indonesia

Vikram Madan | KF18 | Indonesia

It’s been three weeks since I arrived in the bustling metropolis that is Jakarta, and I was very fortunate to have a wonderful introduction to Indonesia and Southeast Asia in general. During my first week, I attended the Wharton Global Alumni Forum in Jakarta. The Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania is my Alma mater, and it happened to be a very exciting coincidence that the forum overlapped with my time here. I got to learn about the dynamism of the Indonesian economy as well as the newest forms of social...

Continue Reading >>

Pages

LendingOnKiva