Kiva expresses much gratitude and appreciation for our fellows, volunteers and interns who put in the countless hours to make an impact in our community and the world. With International Volunteer Week coming to a close, we not only commend our volunteers this week but also every day.

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 translation and editing before they can be made visible to the public. This is where the Review and Translation Program (RTP) steps in.

For all the parents out there, we know it’s difficult to try and be superhumans during these strange and uncertain times. It’s a massive challenge to balance work and family life at home, juggling all the obstacles that come with this new pandemic-induced lifestyle. At Kiva, we want to help in any way we can.

As a fearless leader and caretaker, Elpidia Esther started a small business out of her home in order to fulfill the needs of her family and new neighborhood. Elpidia is the first of many inhabitants of a neighborhood in the municipality of Soledad, Colombia. With that being said, her store did not pop up overnight. In fact, she credits her leap of faith to her sister and her niece. They often serve as her biggest motivators and cheerleaders. They pushed her to open up her convenience store in Soledad and to apply for a loan on Kiva.