Blog posts tagged with kiva microfunds

Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ


Millions of people around the world are already adapting to the effects of climate change. Many vulnerable communities have been displaced and forced to migrate. Others are experiencing extreme heat, violent storms, floods, fires, and rising seas caused by the planet’s warming temperatures. 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions can help slow the causes of climate change, but since the effects of climate change are already being felt, strategies must be implemented to protect people’s homes, food supplies, and livelihoods.

If humanity is going to...

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

A Kiva loan helped Catherine purchase solar-powered lanterns to sell in her community in Uganda.

Climate change has brought humanity its greatest challenge — and perhaps its best opportunity to unite — as disruptions increasingly affect environments, economies, and people’s lives around the world. The most immediate action we can take is to try to mitigate the continued changing of our climate, as we lay the groundwork for building resilience and adaptation for the future.

As countries...

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

A $100,000 Kiva loan helped to purchase clean cookstoves that will be financed for more than a thousand households in Kenya

For the 940 million people around the world without access to electricity, solar power can be the quickest, most affordable way to light up their lives. The global solar social enterprise d.light intends to reach each and every one of them. 

Since 2008, d.light has helped put solar-powered lanterns, cookstoves, TVs, radios, and other products into the homes of...

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

At Kiva, we don’t wait for Earth Day to examine and address the undeniable truth; namely, that climate change is a defining issue of our time.

For us and many of our lender community, climate has been – and continues to be – a main focus area. Last year Kiva reached almost 100,000 people with climate-smart loans*. That's nearly one person every five minutes.

These are loans that support climate change-impacted people. Loans that promote environmental justice. Loans that facilitate the mitigation of, adaptation to, and resilience in the face of climate change....

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

Mary received a loan, plus advice and insurance, through Apollo Agriculture, with the support of Kiva lenders

There’s no more time for debate: Climate change is here, and humanity must respond.

In order to help ourselves and others bear the brunt of change already happening and the challenges to come, we must increase our resilience to climate shocks.  

Flooding, wildfires, drought, violent storms, and extreme heat are evidence of the climate crisis affecting every...

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
Shawn used his Kiva loan to grow his business, TART! Bakery

The age-old aphorism “the customer is always right” rings true at Kiva US. Here, our “customers” are those we serve – the hardworking, talented entrepreneurs and small business owners who come to Kiva with dreams of accessing the capital that will empower them to grow their businesses. To date, we – together with more than 230,000 lenders worldwide – have facilitated the crowdfunding of more than $60M in loans to more than 8,000 individuals in the U.S....

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

At any given moment, Kiva’s website hosts thousands of borrower profiles and loan requests from all corners of the globe. As a result, many of these profiles require review as well as translation or editing before being made visible to the public. This is where the Review and Translation Program (RTP) steps in. 

RTP comprises hundreds of volunteers who review, translate, and edit loans daily to see them fundraise on the Kiva site. These individuals typically review about 16,000+ loans per month. Just last year, they contributed to over $143 million in funded loans....

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
Lola and Ayla's Kiva loan of $10,000 helped them expand their healthy product line at Umi Organic.

Kiva’s mission is to open financial opportunity for all — especially those in underserved communities. At Kiva US, we provide small business owners with micro-loans at 0% interest and with zero fees. We’re proud to celebrate the work we did toward furthering our mission in 2022 with the support, passion, and shared commitment to financial inclusion from our dedicated partners and lenders. Here are some of the things...

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
"Having this new equipment and products through the Kiva loan has attracted more customers to the shop", says Kiva borrower Achraf in Lebanon.
 

Today, Kiva executed our largest writeoff to date. We forgave $2,001,388 in loans from our lending partner Al Majmoua in Lebanon, a country that has been facing an unprecedented economic and political crisis since 2019. We first partnered with Al Majmoua, a nonprofit microfinance institution, in 2007 and together have facilitated over $25M in loans...

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

Sandra received a Kiva loan to grow her flower-selling business

Each International Women's Day, gender equality is a recurring theme across social media and global political dialogues. With all this focus, it can feel like we have come a long way toward reaching gender parity. And that's true — in some spaces.

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, one of which was to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2030. Since then, we have seen...

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
A Kiva loan helped Tennille scale her vegan pet brand and continue to improve the lives of senior dogs in need.

Small business ownership and access to capital remains gendered in the U.S. 

Despite facing gendered obstacles throughout their business ownership journeys, like unequal access to finance and concentration in lower paid industries, women continue to see business success and are more likely to repay their loans. 


In the United States, progress is being made...

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
Alcina is a farmer from Timor-Leste who used a Kiva loan to grow her farming business

Each year, the World Economic Forum releases its Global Gender Gap Report, ranking countries by gender equality and tracking the progress of gender equality around the world. 

In 2022, the WEF processed data from 146 countries to find where in the world gender equality is the highest—and where women still experience fundamental obstacles to equal opportunity, political representation and financial inclusion....

Continue Reading >>
Jan 1, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

It is our distinct honor to announce with excitement the appointment of Kiva’s new CEO, Vishal Ghotge. Vishal assumed the role of CEO and board director on January 9, 2023. 

In Vishal, we have found a leader who is the walking embodiment of Kiva’s culture, values and mission, both personally and professionally. He possesses a rare mix of skills, experience and qualities particularly suited to Kiva’s needs at this time. Most notably, reaching underserved immigrant populations with financial technology solutions at Remitly, the leader in cross border remittances to 170... Continue Reading >>
Jan 1, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
A Kiva loan gave Renee the working capital she needed to take on her first major commercial contract for the City of New Orleans

At Kiva US, we’re constantly exploring how we can better serve the hardworking, passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners who crowdfund a loan with us. This exploration involves testing, learning, and innovating. Without this forward-thinking mindset, rethinking creditworthiness and creating systemic changes to make financial security and financial mobility in this...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Deysi, a farmer from El Salvador, has been able to use loans to weather the storm of bad harvest years.

Many years ago, farmers in El Salvador used to pay children to run through the fields and shout to keep birds and animals away from the crops, Kiva borrower Deysi says.

Such practices are no longer necessary for a successful harvest, she assures. Deysi has been harvesting bushels of sorghum, corn, beans, and apples from her plot of land in the municipality of...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Catherine creates her jewelry by hand, smoothly transferring beads to the string.

Just east of the Ghananian capital of Accra, Catherine expertly strings beads onto a needle.

“I’m the type who likes using my hands,” she says as she chooses another carved bauble from a table of various glass jars — jars full of clay, wood, and other beads.

Catherine spends her days crafting bracelets, necklaces and other adornments in her jewelry workshop in the small...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Colleen, a lender from South Africa, living in Australia, spoke to us about her lending journey.

How can one person positively impact global poverty? Kiva lender Colleen thinks back to a quote from South African human rights champion Desmond Tutu:

“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

That’s how Colleen views the 133 small loans she’s made on the Kiva platform since 2015. Following the philosophy of Desmond Tutu, each loan...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Rosa shows her rice field and explains how the loan helped her harvest the grains

Outside the Ecuadorian agricultural center of Portoviejo, Rosa sweeps her arm out over a field of bright green plants, their tops swelling with rice.

“As you can see, this is my crop,” says Rosa, beaming with pride as she explains how she’s used her most recent Kiva loan. “This investment is for the rice—I buy and I sell.”

Rosa serves as a prime example of how the effect...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Maricela runs a fish-selling business that has employed 7 women in her area

It’s said that when you give a person a fish, they’ll eat for a day, but if you teach them how to fish, they’ll eat for a lifetime.

Kiva borrower Maricela takes this adage to an even higher level: Give her lots of fish, and she puts them into a thriving business that supports her entire family and those of several other women.

At a large wooden table outside her home in the Los...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Manal began her business when she became the sole breadwinner of her family.

As an entrepreneur, Manal faces the usual challenges - finding customers, stocking up on materials, and keeping up with the competition. But as a woman, Manal has also had to shut down those in her community that disapprove of her running a business.

When she opened her own sewing workshop five years ago in a village just south of Jenin, Palestine, Manal was met with some tart criticism...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ

When Zuora, a leading monetization platform provider for recurring revenue businesses, wanted a way to level up its social impact, it looked to Kiva to dial in the details.

The California-headquartered organization already shared the vision of a more inclusive economy, with social impact as part of their business model. To amplify their investment in positive change, Zuora’s leaders recognized that becoming a Kiva Strategic Partner provided access to a suite of tools that would engage employees and customers in microlending.

The...

Continue Reading >>
Nov 11, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Noemi, a restauranteur, beams as she talk about the legacy she leaves for her grandchildren with her business.

In Crucita, Ecuador, the roar of the Pacific Ocean plays a part in every conversation.

This is especially true on the patio of the The Aloha Bar Restaurant, where Noemi, the owner of this popular luau-themed gathering spot, gently raises her voice to be heard above the waves crashing on the shore just a few steps away. But she has come to enjoy the waves...

Continue Reading >>
Nov 11, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Kiva commissions a national, multi-generational survey to learn how Americans are motivated to make a difference in the world.

Between the pandemic, uncertain economic climates, political volatility, and war in Europe, many people feel called to take action to help others. But how exactly are Americans thinking about making a difference in the world? We recently commissioned The Harris Poll to survey more than 2,000 Americans on the state of altruism to better understand what motivates them to help others and what barriers prevent them from doing so. 

... Continue Reading >>
Nov 11, 2022 KV Kiva HQ

Kiva is a simple way to make a world of difference: just lend to a borrower or cause you care about, then watch your dollars do good, get repaid, and lend again to a new borrower with a dream to fund.

So if Kiva is all about lending, why do we need your donations?

When you donate to Kiva, not only are you supporting the work that makes it possible to lend to individuals around the world, you’re also advancing our mission to expand financial access and help underserved communities thrive.

How do we do this?

We match you with borrowers across the globe and...

Continue Reading >>
Nov 11, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Xiomara runs her own holistic esthetician business, which she started with the help of a Kiva loan

Xiomara believes that beauty is far more than skin deep.

As the owner of Xiomi Centro de Estética Integral (Integral Esthetic Center), Xiomara brings an extra level of attention to her facial and body treatments, seeing clients of all ages at her shop in the town of Ibarra, near the Ecuadorian capital of Quito.

​​”We treat and see the human as a whole...

Continue Reading >>

Pages

Blog posts tagged with kiva microfunds

Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ


Millions of people around the world are already adapting to the effects of climate change. Many vulnerable communities have been displaced and forced to migrate. Others are experiencing extreme heat, violent storms, floods, fires, and rising seas caused by the planet’s warming temperatures. 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions can help slow the causes of climate change, but since the effects of climate change are already being felt, strategies must be implemented to protect people’s homes, food supplies, and livelihoods.

If humanity is going to...

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

A Kiva loan helped Catherine purchase solar-powered lanterns to sell in her community in Uganda.

Climate change has brought humanity its greatest challenge — and perhaps its best opportunity to unite — as disruptions increasingly affect environments, economies, and people’s lives around the world. The most immediate action we can take is to try to mitigate the continued changing of our climate, as we lay the groundwork for building resilience and adaptation for the future.

As countries...

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

A $100,000 Kiva loan helped to purchase clean cookstoves that will be financed for more than a thousand households in Kenya

For the 940 million people around the world without access to electricity, solar power can be the quickest, most affordable way to light up their lives. The global solar social enterprise d.light intends to reach each and every one of them. 

Since 2008, d.light has helped put solar-powered lanterns, cookstoves, TVs, radios, and other products into the homes of...

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

At Kiva, we don’t wait for Earth Day to examine and address the undeniable truth; namely, that climate change is a defining issue of our time.

For us and many of our lender community, climate has been – and continues to be – a main focus area. Last year Kiva reached almost 100,000 people with climate-smart loans*. That's nearly one person every five minutes.

These are loans that support climate change-impacted people. Loans that promote environmental justice. Loans that facilitate the mitigation of, adaptation to, and resilience in the face of climate change....

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

Mary received a loan, plus advice and insurance, through Apollo Agriculture, with the support of Kiva lenders

There’s no more time for debate: Climate change is here, and humanity must respond.

In order to help ourselves and others bear the brunt of change already happening and the challenges to come, we must increase our resilience to climate shocks.  

Flooding, wildfires, drought, violent storms, and extreme heat are evidence of the climate crisis affecting every...

Continue Reading >>
Apr 4, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
Shawn used his Kiva loan to grow his business, TART! Bakery

The age-old aphorism “the customer is always right” rings true at Kiva US. Here, our “customers” are those we serve – the hardworking, talented entrepreneurs and small business owners who come to Kiva with dreams of accessing the capital that will empower them to grow their businesses. To date, we – together with more than 230,000 lenders worldwide – have facilitated the crowdfunding of more than $60M in loans to more than 8,000 individuals in the U.S....

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

At any given moment, Kiva’s website hosts thousands of borrower profiles and loan requests from all corners of the globe. As a result, many of these profiles require review as well as translation or editing before being made visible to the public. This is where the Review and Translation Program (RTP) steps in. 

RTP comprises hundreds of volunteers who review, translate, and edit loans daily to see them fundraise on the Kiva site. These individuals typically review about 16,000+ loans per month. Just last year, they contributed to over $143 million in funded loans....

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
Lola and Ayla's Kiva loan of $10,000 helped them expand their healthy product line at Umi Organic.

Kiva’s mission is to open financial opportunity for all — especially those in underserved communities. At Kiva US, we provide small business owners with micro-loans at 0% interest and with zero fees. We’re proud to celebrate the work we did toward furthering our mission in 2022 with the support, passion, and shared commitment to financial inclusion from our dedicated partners and lenders. Here are some of the things...

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
"Having this new equipment and products through the Kiva loan has attracted more customers to the shop", says Kiva borrower Achraf in Lebanon.
 

Today, Kiva executed our largest writeoff to date. We forgave $2,001,388 in loans from our lending partner Al Majmoua in Lebanon, a country that has been facing an unprecedented economic and political crisis since 2019. We first partnered with Al Majmoua, a nonprofit microfinance institution, in 2007 and together have facilitated over $25M in loans...

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

Sandra received a Kiva loan to grow her flower-selling business

Each International Women's Day, gender equality is a recurring theme across social media and global political dialogues. With all this focus, it can feel like we have come a long way toward reaching gender parity. And that's true — in some spaces.

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, one of which was to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2030. Since then, we have seen...

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
A Kiva loan helped Tennille scale her vegan pet brand and continue to improve the lives of senior dogs in need.

Small business ownership and access to capital remains gendered in the U.S. 

Despite facing gendered obstacles throughout their business ownership journeys, like unequal access to finance and concentration in lower paid industries, women continue to see business success and are more likely to repay their loans. 


In the United States, progress is being made...

Continue Reading >>
Mar 3, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
Alcina is a farmer from Timor-Leste who used a Kiva loan to grow her farming business

Each year, the World Economic Forum releases its Global Gender Gap Report, ranking countries by gender equality and tracking the progress of gender equality around the world. 

In 2022, the WEF processed data from 146 countries to find where in the world gender equality is the highest—and where women still experience fundamental obstacles to equal opportunity, political representation and financial inclusion....

Continue Reading >>
Jan 1, 2023 KV Kiva HQ

It is our distinct honor to announce with excitement the appointment of Kiva’s new CEO, Vishal Ghotge. Vishal assumed the role of CEO and board director on January 9, 2023. 

In Vishal, we have found a leader who is the walking embodiment of Kiva’s culture, values and mission, both personally and professionally. He possesses a rare mix of skills, experience and qualities particularly suited to Kiva’s needs at this time. Most notably, reaching underserved immigrant populations with financial technology solutions at Remitly, the leader in cross border remittances to 170... Continue Reading >>
Jan 1, 2023 KV Kiva HQ
A Kiva loan gave Renee the working capital she needed to take on her first major commercial contract for the City of New Orleans

At Kiva US, we’re constantly exploring how we can better serve the hardworking, passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners who crowdfund a loan with us. This exploration involves testing, learning, and innovating. Without this forward-thinking mindset, rethinking creditworthiness and creating systemic changes to make financial security and financial mobility in this...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Deysi, a farmer from El Salvador, has been able to use loans to weather the storm of bad harvest years.

Many years ago, farmers in El Salvador used to pay children to run through the fields and shout to keep birds and animals away from the crops, Kiva borrower Deysi says.

Such practices are no longer necessary for a successful harvest, she assures. Deysi has been harvesting bushels of sorghum, corn, beans, and apples from her plot of land in the municipality of...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Catherine creates her jewelry by hand, smoothly transferring beads to the string.

Just east of the Ghananian capital of Accra, Catherine expertly strings beads onto a needle.

“I’m the type who likes using my hands,” she says as she chooses another carved bauble from a table of various glass jars — jars full of clay, wood, and other beads.

Catherine spends her days crafting bracelets, necklaces and other adornments in her jewelry workshop in the small...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Colleen, a lender from South Africa, living in Australia, spoke to us about her lending journey.

How can one person positively impact global poverty? Kiva lender Colleen thinks back to a quote from South African human rights champion Desmond Tutu:

“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

That’s how Colleen views the 133 small loans she’s made on the Kiva platform since 2015. Following the philosophy of Desmond Tutu, each loan...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Rosa shows her rice field and explains how the loan helped her harvest the grains

Outside the Ecuadorian agricultural center of Portoviejo, Rosa sweeps her arm out over a field of bright green plants, their tops swelling with rice.

“As you can see, this is my crop,” says Rosa, beaming with pride as she explains how she’s used her most recent Kiva loan. “This investment is for the rice—I buy and I sell.”

Rosa serves as a prime example of how the effect...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Maricela runs a fish-selling business that has employed 7 women in her area

It’s said that when you give a person a fish, they’ll eat for a day, but if you teach them how to fish, they’ll eat for a lifetime.

Kiva borrower Maricela takes this adage to an even higher level: Give her lots of fish, and she puts them into a thriving business that supports her entire family and those of several other women.

At a large wooden table outside her home in the Los...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Manal began her business when she became the sole breadwinner of her family.

As an entrepreneur, Manal faces the usual challenges - finding customers, stocking up on materials, and keeping up with the competition. But as a woman, Manal has also had to shut down those in her community that disapprove of her running a business.

When she opened her own sewing workshop five years ago in a village just south of Jenin, Palestine, Manal was met with some tart criticism...

Continue Reading >>
Dec 12, 2022 KV Kiva HQ

When Zuora, a leading monetization platform provider for recurring revenue businesses, wanted a way to level up its social impact, it looked to Kiva to dial in the details.

The California-headquartered organization already shared the vision of a more inclusive economy, with social impact as part of their business model. To amplify their investment in positive change, Zuora’s leaders recognized that becoming a Kiva Strategic Partner provided access to a suite of tools that would engage employees and customers in microlending.

The...

Continue Reading >>
Nov 11, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Noemi, a restauranteur, beams as she talk about the legacy she leaves for her grandchildren with her business.

In Crucita, Ecuador, the roar of the Pacific Ocean plays a part in every conversation.

This is especially true on the patio of the The Aloha Bar Restaurant, where Noemi, the owner of this popular luau-themed gathering spot, gently raises her voice to be heard above the waves crashing on the shore just a few steps away. But she has come to enjoy the waves...

Continue Reading >>
Nov 11, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Kiva commissions a national, multi-generational survey to learn how Americans are motivated to make a difference in the world.

Between the pandemic, uncertain economic climates, political volatility, and war in Europe, many people feel called to take action to help others. But how exactly are Americans thinking about making a difference in the world? We recently commissioned The Harris Poll to survey more than 2,000 Americans on the state of altruism to better understand what motivates them to help others and what barriers prevent them from doing so. 

... Continue Reading >>
Nov 11, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
By Tara Patwardhan

Kiva is a simple way to make a world of difference: just lend to a borrower or cause you care about, then watch your dollars do good, get repaid, and lend again to a new borrower with a dream to fund.

So if Kiva is all about lending, why do we need your donations?

When you donate to Kiva, not only are you supporting the work that makes it possible to lend to individuals around the world, you’re also advancing our mission to expand financial access and help underserved communities thrive.

How do we do this?

We match you with borrowers across the globe and...

Continue Reading >>
Nov 11, 2022 KV Kiva HQ
Xiomara runs her own holistic esthetician business, which she started with the help of a Kiva loan

Xiomara believes that beauty is far more than skin deep.

As the owner of Xiomi Centro de Estética Integral (Integral Esthetic Center), Xiomara brings an extra level of attention to her facial and body treatments, seeing clients of all ages at her shop in the town of Ibarra, near the Ecuadorian capital of Quito.

​​”We treat and see the human as a whole...

Continue Reading >>

Pages

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