Blog posts tagged with lending

Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
In June, we launched a program called WLIFT with our field partner Relief International in Iraq and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. We had one goal: To help women business owners in the country get the funding they need to grow their businesses and incomes -- and hire more people in their communities. 

Small businesses are at the heart of healthy economic growth. And this is especially true in Iraq right now. What really inspires us, however, is just how truly phenomenal the women posted as Kiva borrowers through Relief International are. Just... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ

This is a continuation of San Francisco to vote on Resolution to become Kiva Zip Trustee from 10/07/2013.

Kiva Zip team waiting to enter City Hall


Breaking news! On Wednesday, October 9th, the City of San Francisco’s ... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ



With 1.5 billion observants, Islam’s Feast of Sacrifice or Eid al-Adha, is happening this evening through tomorrow night -- promoting virtues of giving and sharing. With its roots originating from the sacrifice made by Abraham to God, Eid al-Adha looks to reenact the willingness exemplified by Abraham through the offering of food and...

Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This weekend, we're thrilled to welcome more than 150 college and high school student leaders and educators from around the world to the first-ever Kiva U Summit in San Francisco!

Over the next four days, this incredible group will learn about a range of issues and how to take action to expand financial inclusion and alleviate poverty. Made possible through a partnership with Citi Microfinance, the Summit's agenda is designed to help students and teachers reach beyond the walls of the classroom, and engage with area experts and each other around topcs of... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ



On Kiva, it's clear that women play a full range of roles: mothers, sisters, entrepreneurs, community leaders, activists, the list goes on. We see women every day acting on behalf of their communities, becoming the driving force behind business, education and agriculture.

Today, we celebrate the Day of the Girl Child, presenting us all with the opportunity to help young women thrive and grow up to be successful at whatever path they choose. This international day of reflection is all about considering gender equality, and the ways we can act together to...

Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ


It's official! One million people around the world have made a loan on Kiva!

We're so grateful to each and every one of our lenders who have helped build Kiva into the organization it is today. Your loans have helped people start businesses, grow their livelihoods, expand farms, build houses, buy chickens, send children to school, switch to organic farming, go solar, and so much more. You deserve a round of applause! 

We've heard from a number of members of our community that they'd love to get their hands on a Kiva T-shirt.... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
On September 17, 2013, Supervisor Mark Farrell introduced a Resolution at the Board of Supervisors that aims to create a new public private partnership between the City of San Francisco and Kiva. This relationship will enable the City to act as a Kiva Zip Trustee, allowing it to identify and endorse entrepreneurs and small businesses who could qualify for a loan on Kiva Zip's platform.
 
Supervisor Mark Farrell - District 2
 
Mr. Farrell became...
Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, so we thought this would be a good time to talk about staying secure online. While the Internet makes Kiva’s work possible by connecting borrowers and lenders around the world, unfortunately it is also a popular tool for scammers to reach a broad audience.

One type of online scam, called phishing, is an attempt to collect personal or financial information. Phishing attacks come from scammers disguised as legitimate businesses or organizations, asking recipients to send an email response containing their personal... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ

“I love to learn about the borrowers and read their stories. It's heartwarming to think Kiva is making an actual difference in their lives.” -- Renata Wolff

City: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Language: Portuguese, Spanish
Team: Latino Linguists
Time with Kiva: Two years

Outstanding contributions to Kiva:
During the two years that Renata has worked with Kiva, she has translated and reviewed over 900 loans. She is... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This is a blog post by Kiva Zip Fellow Mitchell Adams, based in Little Rock, AR.



On Tuesday October 8th, Kiva co-founder Matt Flannery will be in Little Rock, Arkansas, to speak at the joint Winthrop Rockefeller Institute-Clinton School of Public Service conference on social entrepreneurship in Arkansas: "Social Entrepreneurs: Doing Well By Doing Good".
 
The conference will be hosted in the William J. Clinton Presidential Center from 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM. Kiva has operated since 2005 with the purpose of funding...
Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
Working in Pakistan’s fractured school systems, Kashf Foundation -- one of our innovative new field partners -- is working with Kiva to reform and repair the country's dilapidated schools. Recognizing education's pivotal role in poverty alleviation, Kashf -- which means 'self disovery' -- has set out to improve schools, decrease illiteracy, and improve the lives of students and communities.

Through Kashf, Kiva lenders can make loans directly to schools and support initiatives to reform administrations, curricula and infrastructure. Overall, these loans will help improve the... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ



This year's theme for the International Day of Peace is "Education for Peace."

Established in 1981 by the United Nation’s General Assembly, the International Day of Peace on September 21 -- TOMORROW -- is a day for the whole world to reflect on the meaning of peace and reconciliation. This international holiday, established by Resolution 36/67, aims to spread a doctrine of unity and ‘a cessation of hostilities,’ through public awareness and campaigns for equality.

Today, the U.N. and other organizations look to bring attention to issues... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
Kiva is proud and excited to present to our lender community a new partnership with NOTS Lampe Solaire, bringing safe and affordable solar lamps to underserved populations across Mali! 
 
Since gaining its independence in 1960, Mali has been blighted by decades of droughts, rebellions and political instability that have left the country drained of its resources and desperately lacking in basic infrastructure. Today, more than half of the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day, while over 10 million Malians lack access...
Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ


Rahul Pandit is going into his junior year at Harvard College, studying economics. Among his many accomplishments, he serves as an instrumental member of the Kiva U Advisory Board. 
 
Rahul first discovered microfinance in high school during a family trip to India. While there, his family had the opportunity to visit a rural village where he saw firsthand the disconnect between those who have access to capital and those who don’t. Rahul came back from the trip eager to share his experiences with his peers. He and his friends got...
Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ


Make a loan to a Grameen Foundation AppLab borrower today!


Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This is a guest post by Bob Kaplan, active lender on Kiva Zip and active member of Milepoint.
 
There is so much more to lending than just sharing our money. After years of lending on Kiva, I discovered Kiva Zip. I was excited by the possibilities of lending directly to people. 
 
From the beginning I have always wanted to personalize the lending process. This makes it more meaningful for me. So, whenever I make a loan, I take time to look at the borrowers' picture and feel my heart connect with them. This moment...
Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
Kiva loves supporting female entrepreneurs around the world. When women gain access to finance, they become independent and self-reliant. They tend to manage their household finances more carefully, start and expand their businesses, and save money for their childrens’ education. This kicks off an incredible cycle of change for entire communities.

Fundacion Namaste Guatemeya joins our growing list of partners that specifically focus on women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas. That is why we are so thrilled to announce a long awaited partnership with this... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
The war in Iraq has devastated much of the country's economy, leaving families struggling to make a living. But there are signs of hope, small and medium-sized businesses are emerging, capable of employing more people and turning communities around. There’s just one problem: these businesses often have a hard time finding the capital they need to grow. On one hand, they’re too small to get loans from commercial banks -- on the other, they’re too big to work with most microfinance institutions.

That’s why we’re thrilled to be partnering with Izdiharona for Economic... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This post was authored by both Jen Terry and Emily Mertens, incredible interns with the Kiva Fellows Program.

There's a spark that runs through the office during the Kiva Fellows Program training week. You can’t help but feel it when you walk through the door. Last week was no different when the 22nd class of Kiva Fellows (KF22) came to San Francisco to learn all things Kiva and prepare for their challenging assignments. They brought with them (and left behind) a lasting enthusiasm for this impactful work before scattering to 25 different countries on 5... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
We’ve all heard the warnings: don’t drink the tap water! Whether in Mexico, Montenegro, or Mozambique, we’re often cautioned as travelers about local water sources, and for good reason: Globally, 768 million people worldwide drink unsafe water. Contaminated water can lead to diarrheal diseases, which cause the deaths of 2 million people each year. 1.5 million of these deaths are children -- a figure that’s higher than the number of lives claimed by AIDS, malaria and measles combined. 

So, as travelers we have good reason to be wary. On the road, I’ll opt for... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This post was authored by Michelle Kreger, Kiva's Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives.

During a recent trip to Kenya, my colleague and I had the chance to connect with the director of Dispensers for Safe Water at Evidence Action, a deeply data-driven project looking at water purification adoption behaviors in rural Kenya. What started as a group of researchers seeking to understand the best way to encourage people to drink safe water, has now developed into an impressive non-profit scaling a proven solution to the problem of waterborne diseases.

... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
Of all the 72+ countries Kiva works in every day, Tajikistan has a hard time standing out. Even though there are 190 borrowers looking for loans there right now. Even though it is technically the most impoverished country in Central Asia. Still, very few people are lending to Tajik borrowers. So we want to shed some light on why lending in this poor but culturally rich country is so important -- and this light is shining from one of our partners there, MDO Arvand, and the success stories it has seen.

Make a loan to a borrower in Tajikistan today and... Continue Reading >>
Aug 8, 2013 KV Kiva HQ

Kiva loves supporting students to pursue their dreams. More importantly, we believe that education can alleviate poverty and help people significantly improve their quality of life in the long term. That's why we’re so excited about our new partnership with the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan!



This nonprofit, international, multidisciplinary university was founded in 1997 with the support of the United States Government and the Open Society Institute....

Continue Reading >>
Aug 8, 2013 KV Kiva HQ

Dear Kiva Community, 

If you’re a part of Kiva’s lending team community, chances are you’ve either seen or taken part in a conversation about the loans that Strathmore University recently posted to the Kiva website. We're listening. In this blog post, we hope to address a lot of the issues that have been raised and provide answers to many of the questions we've been seeing.

If this is new to you, here’s a brief recap: A couple months ago, one of our Field Partners,...

Continue Reading >>
Aug 8, 2013 KV Kiva HQ


Today, we couldn't be more excited to announce a brand new initiative called Kiva U! 

It's not just a program. It's a movement. Everywhere, thousands of students and educators are joining together to change the world through microfinance. Already, we've seen teachers, high school clubs, campus chapters, and inspired students mobilizing to solve the world's toughest challenges. All of this has motivated us to take the next step and create tools for people to learn more about global poverty, economics, credit, and how small loans... Continue Reading >>

Pages

Blog posts tagged with lending

Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
In June, we launched a program called WLIFT with our field partner Relief International in Iraq and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women. We had one goal: To help women business owners in the country get the funding they need to grow their businesses and incomes -- and hire more people in their communities. 

Small businesses are at the heart of healthy economic growth. And this is especially true in Iraq right now. What really inspires us, however, is just how truly phenomenal the women posted as Kiva borrowers through Relief International are. Just... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ

This is a continuation of San Francisco to vote on Resolution to become Kiva Zip Trustee from 10/07/2013.

Kiva Zip team waiting to enter City Hall


Breaking news! On Wednesday, October 9th, the City of San Francisco’s ... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
By Christina Cawthorne-Jad
In the Spirit of Eid al-Adha



With 1.5 billion observants, Islam’s Feast of Sacrifice or Eid al-Adha, is happening this evening through tomorrow night -- promoting virtues of giving and sharing. With its roots originating from the sacrifice made by Abraham to God, Eid al-Adha looks to reenact the willingness exemplified by Abraham through the offering of food and...

Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This weekend, we're thrilled to welcome more than 150 college and high school student leaders and educators from around the world to the first-ever Kiva U Summit in San Francisco!

Over the next four days, this incredible group will learn about a range of issues and how to take action to expand financial inclusion and alleviate poverty. Made possible through a partnership with Citi Microfinance, the Summit's agenda is designed to help students and teachers reach beyond the walls of the classroom, and engage with area experts and each other around topcs of... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ



On Kiva, it's clear that women play a full range of roles: mothers, sisters, entrepreneurs, community leaders, activists, the list goes on. We see women every day acting on behalf of their communities, becoming the driving force behind business, education and agriculture.

Today, we celebrate the Day of the Girl Child, presenting us all with the opportunity to help young women thrive and grow up to be successful at whatever path they choose. This international day of reflection is all about considering gender equality, and the ways we can act together to...

Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ


It's official! One million people around the world have made a loan on Kiva!

We're so grateful to each and every one of our lenders who have helped build Kiva into the organization it is today. Your loans have helped people start businesses, grow their livelihoods, expand farms, build houses, buy chickens, send children to school, switch to organic farming, go solar, and so much more. You deserve a round of applause! 

We've heard from a number of members of our community that they'd love to get their hands on a Kiva T-shirt.... Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
On September 17, 2013, Supervisor Mark Farrell introduced a Resolution at the Board of Supervisors that aims to create a new public private partnership between the City of San Francisco and Kiva. This relationship will enable the City to act as a Kiva Zip Trustee, allowing it to identify and endorse entrepreneurs and small businesses who could qualify for a loan on Kiva Zip's platform.
 
Supervisor Mark Farrell - District 2
 
Mr. Farrell became...
Continue Reading >>
Oct 10, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, so we thought this would be a good time to talk about staying secure online. While the Internet makes Kiva’s work possible by connecting borrowers and lenders around the world, unfortunately it is also a popular tool for scammers to reach a broad audience.

One type of online scam, called phishing, is an attempt to collect personal or financial information. Phishing attacks come from scammers disguised as legitimate businesses or organizations, asking recipients to send an email response containing their personal... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ

“I love to learn about the borrowers and read their stories. It's heartwarming to think Kiva is making an actual difference in their lives.” -- Renata Wolff

City: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Language: Portuguese, Spanish
Team: Latino Linguists
Time with Kiva: Two years

Outstanding contributions to Kiva:
During the two years that Renata has worked with Kiva, she has translated and reviewed over 900 loans. She is... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This is a blog post by Kiva Zip Fellow Mitchell Adams, based in Little Rock, AR.



On Tuesday October 8th, Kiva co-founder Matt Flannery will be in Little Rock, Arkansas, to speak at the joint Winthrop Rockefeller Institute-Clinton School of Public Service conference on social entrepreneurship in Arkansas: "Social Entrepreneurs: Doing Well By Doing Good".
 
The conference will be hosted in the William J. Clinton Presidential Center from 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM. Kiva has operated since 2005 with the purpose of funding...
Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
Working in Pakistan’s fractured school systems, Kashf Foundation -- one of our innovative new field partners -- is working with Kiva to reform and repair the country's dilapidated schools. Recognizing education's pivotal role in poverty alleviation, Kashf -- which means 'self disovery' -- has set out to improve schools, decrease illiteracy, and improve the lives of students and communities.

Through Kashf, Kiva lenders can make loans directly to schools and support initiatives to reform administrations, curricula and infrastructure. Overall, these loans will help improve the... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ



This year's theme for the International Day of Peace is "Education for Peace."

Established in 1981 by the United Nation’s General Assembly, the International Day of Peace on September 21 -- TOMORROW -- is a day for the whole world to reflect on the meaning of peace and reconciliation. This international holiday, established by Resolution 36/67, aims to spread a doctrine of unity and ‘a cessation of hostilities,’ through public awareness and campaigns for equality.

Today, the U.N. and other organizations look to bring attention to issues... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
Kiva is proud and excited to present to our lender community a new partnership with NOTS Lampe Solaire, bringing safe and affordable solar lamps to underserved populations across Mali! 
 
Since gaining its independence in 1960, Mali has been blighted by decades of droughts, rebellions and political instability that have left the country drained of its resources and desperately lacking in basic infrastructure. Today, more than half of the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 a day, while over 10 million Malians lack access...
Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ


Rahul Pandit is going into his junior year at Harvard College, studying economics. Among his many accomplishments, he serves as an instrumental member of the Kiva U Advisory Board. 
 
Rahul first discovered microfinance in high school during a family trip to India. While there, his family had the opportunity to visit a rural village where he saw firsthand the disconnect between those who have access to capital and those who don’t. Rahul came back from the trip eager to share his experiences with his peers. He and his friends got...
Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ


Make a loan to a Grameen Foundation AppLab borrower today!


Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This is a guest post by Bob Kaplan, active lender on Kiva Zip and active member of Milepoint.
 
There is so much more to lending than just sharing our money. After years of lending on Kiva, I discovered Kiva Zip. I was excited by the possibilities of lending directly to people. 
 
From the beginning I have always wanted to personalize the lending process. This makes it more meaningful for me. So, whenever I make a loan, I take time to look at the borrowers' picture and feel my heart connect with them. This moment...
Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
Kiva loves supporting female entrepreneurs around the world. When women gain access to finance, they become independent and self-reliant. They tend to manage their household finances more carefully, start and expand their businesses, and save money for their childrens’ education. This kicks off an incredible cycle of change for entire communities.

Fundacion Namaste Guatemeya joins our growing list of partners that specifically focus on women’s entrepreneurship in rural areas. That is why we are so thrilled to announce a long awaited partnership with this... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
The war in Iraq has devastated much of the country's economy, leaving families struggling to make a living. But there are signs of hope, small and medium-sized businesses are emerging, capable of employing more people and turning communities around. There’s just one problem: these businesses often have a hard time finding the capital they need to grow. On one hand, they’re too small to get loans from commercial banks -- on the other, they’re too big to work with most microfinance institutions.

That’s why we’re thrilled to be partnering with Izdiharona for Economic... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This post was authored by both Jen Terry and Emily Mertens, incredible interns with the Kiva Fellows Program.

There's a spark that runs through the office during the Kiva Fellows Program training week. You can’t help but feel it when you walk through the door. Last week was no different when the 22nd class of Kiva Fellows (KF22) came to San Francisco to learn all things Kiva and prepare for their challenging assignments. They brought with them (and left behind) a lasting enthusiasm for this impactful work before scattering to 25 different countries on 5... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
We’ve all heard the warnings: don’t drink the tap water! Whether in Mexico, Montenegro, or Mozambique, we’re often cautioned as travelers about local water sources, and for good reason: Globally, 768 million people worldwide drink unsafe water. Contaminated water can lead to diarrheal diseases, which cause the deaths of 2 million people each year. 1.5 million of these deaths are children -- a figure that’s higher than the number of lives claimed by AIDS, malaria and measles combined. 

So, as travelers we have good reason to be wary. On the road, I’ll opt for... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
This post was authored by Michelle Kreger, Kiva's Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives.

During a recent trip to Kenya, my colleague and I had the chance to connect with the director of Dispensers for Safe Water at Evidence Action, a deeply data-driven project looking at water purification adoption behaviors in rural Kenya. What started as a group of researchers seeking to understand the best way to encourage people to drink safe water, has now developed into an impressive non-profit scaling a proven solution to the problem of waterborne diseases.

... Continue Reading >>
Sep 9, 2013 KV Kiva HQ
Of all the 72+ countries Kiva works in every day, Tajikistan has a hard time standing out. Even though there are 190 borrowers looking for loans there right now. Even though it is technically the most impoverished country in Central Asia. Still, very few people are lending to Tajik borrowers. So we want to shed some light on why lending in this poor but culturally rich country is so important -- and this light is shining from one of our partners there, MDO Arvand, and the success stories it has seen.

Make a loan to a borrower in Tajikistan today and... Continue Reading >>
Aug 8, 2013 KV Kiva HQ

Kiva loves supporting students to pursue their dreams. More importantly, we believe that education can alleviate poverty and help people significantly improve their quality of life in the long term. That's why we’re so excited about our new partnership with the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan!



This nonprofit, international, multidisciplinary university was founded in 1997 with the support of the United States Government and the Open Society Institute....

Continue Reading >>
Aug 8, 2013 KV Kiva HQ

Dear Kiva Community, 

If you’re a part of Kiva’s lending team community, chances are you’ve either seen or taken part in a conversation about the loans that Strathmore University recently posted to the Kiva website. We're listening. In this blog post, we hope to address a lot of the issues that have been raised and provide answers to many of the questions we've been seeing.

If this is new to you, here’s a brief recap: A couple months ago, one of our Field Partners,...

Continue Reading >>
Aug 8, 2013 KV Kiva HQ


Today, we couldn't be more excited to announce a brand new initiative called Kiva U! 

It's not just a program. It's a movement. Everywhere, thousands of students and educators are joining together to change the world through microfinance. Already, we've seen teachers, high school clubs, campus chapters, and inspired students mobilizing to solve the world's toughest challenges. All of this has motivated us to take the next step and create tools for people to learn more about global poverty, economics, credit, and how small loans... Continue Reading >>

Pages