This is a guest post by Emily Stone, the managing director at Kiva partner Maya Mountain Cacao in Belize. MMC supports cacao growers in the country to improve their livelihoods and get their high-quality product to market. Chocolate. Dark brown, delicious, sweet, creamy, cocoa-loaded delights. Brownies, cookies, mousse, tarts, cakes, ganache. Candy bars, truffles, and bonbons. This is the chocolate that we all know and love. Given as gifts between couples, used to celebrate special events, and craved by the masses sitting at school desks and work desks around the... Continue Reading >
May 15, 2013
Kiva HQ
This is a guest post by Emily Stone, the managing director at Kiva partner Maya Mountain Cacao in Belize. MMC supports cacao growers in the country to improve their livelihoods and get their high-quality product to market. Chocolate. Dark brown, delicious, sweet, creamy, cocoa-loaded delights. Brownies, cookies, mousse, tarts, cakes, ganache. Candy bars, truffles, and bonbons. This is the chocolate that we all know and love. Given as gifts between couples, used to celebrate special events, and craved by the masses sitting at school desks and work desks around the... Continue Reading >
This is a guest post by Emily Stone, the managing director at Kiva partner Maya Mountain Cacao in Belize. MMC supports cacao growers in the country to improve their livelihoods and get their high-quality product to market. Chocolate. Dark brown, delicious, sweet, creamy, cocoa-loaded delights. Brownies, cookies, mousse, tarts, cakes, ganache. Candy bars, truffles, and bonbons. This is the chocolate that we all know and love. Given as gifts between couples, used to celebrate special events, and craved by the masses sitting at school desks and work desks around the... Continue Reading >
May 11, 2013
Kiva HQ
This is a guest post by Kiva Fellow Esther Honig, who spent the last four months working with Kiva partner Fondo Esperanza in Chile. In Santiago, Chile, a recent census showed that 50% of households living below the poverty line are run by single mothers. The reason why has a lot to do with gender inequality in Chilean society. Of 93 countries surveyed around the world, Chile ranks 60th on the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM). While the country is considered to be fairly developed, many women still struggle to gain economic independence. The majority of single Chilean mothers... Continue Reading >
This is a guest post by Kiva Fellow Esther Honig, who spent the last four months working with Kiva partner Fondo Esperanza in Chile. In Santiago, Chile, a recent census showed that 50% of households living below the poverty line are run by single mothers. The reason why has a lot to do with gender inequality in Chilean society. Of 93 countries surveyed around the world, Chile ranks 60th on the Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM). While the country is considered to be fairly developed, many women still struggle to gain economic independence. The majority of single Chilean mothers... Continue Reading >
May 9, 2013
Kiva HQ
This is a guest post from Allie Hill, the Kiva Coordinator who works at field partner HOPE Congo. The author (right) with a HOPE Congo client Edith. It was my first month living in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. I had a mixture of emotions adjusting to a new culture, climate, and language, yet I was excited about my work with HOPE Congo’s clients. During my orientation, I visited several borrowers’ meetings, including Edith’s group Shaloom 2. I could barely communicate in French, but Edith and the other members of the group graciously welcomed me... Continue Reading >
This is a guest post from Allie Hill, the Kiva Coordinator who works at field partner HOPE Congo. The author (right) with a HOPE Congo client Edith. It was my first month living in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. I had a mixture of emotions adjusting to a new culture, climate, and language, yet I was excited about my work with HOPE Congo’s clients. During my orientation, I visited several borrowers’ meetings, including Edith’s group Shaloom 2. I could barely communicate in French, but Edith and the other members of the group graciously welcomed me... Continue Reading >
May 9, 2013
Kiva HQ
For Mother's Day, we wanted to hear from some of our partners in the field about how motherhood, or helping mothers, has changed their perspective or inspired them to do more. We were excited to speak to Yuthida Sophat, treasury officer for VisionFund Cambodia, who is also a young mother. KIVA: How does VisionFund Cambodia work to serve and support mothers? YUTHIDA: VisionFund (Cambodia), a social-oriented MFI, has a precise mission to empower poor women and their families with small loans and other financial services. To support this... Continue Reading >
For Mother's Day, we wanted to hear from some of our partners in the field about how motherhood, or helping mothers, has changed their perspective or inspired them to do more. We were excited to speak to Yuthida Sophat, treasury officer for VisionFund Cambodia, who is also a young mother. KIVA: How does VisionFund Cambodia work to serve and support mothers? YUTHIDA: VisionFund (Cambodia), a social-oriented MFI, has a precise mission to empower poor women and their families with small loans and other financial services. To support this... Continue Reading >
May 8, 2013
Kiva HQ
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Save the Children has published its 14th annual State of the World’s Mothers report -- defining the best and worst places in the world to be a mother. In this year’s report, 176 countries were ranked based on the well-being of mothers and children. Their health, educational, economic, and political status were all taken into consideration. Continue Reading >
Just in time for Mother’s Day, Save the Children has published its 14th annual State of the World’s Mothers report -- defining the best and worst places in the world to be a mother. In this year’s report, 176 countries were ranked based on the well-being of mothers and children. Their health, educational, economic, and political status were all taken into consideration.
Kiva works with partners in Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Mali, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic...
May 8, 2013
Kiva HQ
No larger than the state of Maryland, Rwanda is a small landlocked nation in the heart of Africa. Full of lakes and very mountainous, it is a beautiful country with just over 12 million inhabitants. Today, some consider it Africa’s “biggest success story,” but just 19 short years ago the nation was haunted by one of the most horrific genocides in history. 1994 GENOCIDE Unfortunately, when one thinks of Rwanda perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is its tragic history of genocide. Prompted by decades of competition between the two major ethnic... Continue Reading >
No larger than the state of Maryland, Rwanda is a small landlocked nation in the heart of Africa. Full of lakes and very mountainous, it is a beautiful country with just over 12 million inhabitants. Today, some consider it Africa’s “biggest success story,” but just 19 short years ago the nation was haunted by one of the most horrific genocides in history. 1994 GENOCIDE Unfortunately, when one thinks of Rwanda perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is its tragic history of genocide. Prompted by decades of competition between the two major ethnic... Continue Reading >
May 7, 2013
Kiva HQ
Without the hard work and dedication of countless individuals, Kiva could never have touched the lives of over 1 million borrowers. Kiva Coordinators are critical to making this possible. KCs work with loan officers in the field to gather photos and stories of borrowers to post on the Kiva site -- connecting them to our community of lenders ready to help. KCs ensure that borrowers are well-represented on Kiva and are getting the funding and services they need to thrive. So we would like to take this opportunity to highlight the work of three rockstar KCs who fuel Kiva's mission. ... Continue Reading >
Without the hard work and dedication of countless individuals, Kiva could never have touched the lives of over 1 million borrowers. Kiva Coordinators are critical to making this possible. KCs work with loan officers in the field to gather photos and stories of borrowers to post on the Kiva site -- connecting them to our community of lenders ready to help. KCs ensure that borrowers are well-represented on Kiva and are getting the funding and services they need to thrive. So we would like to take this opportunity to highlight the work of three rockstar KCs who fuel Kiva's mission. ... Continue Reading >
May 7, 2013
Kiva HQ
Do you remember in school when your teachers used say that imitation is the highest form of flattery? Maybe that didn’t happen to you, but I can remember hating it when a kid next to me would copy my drawing, cupcake decoration or science project and claim it was his own idea. That said -- no matter where you fall on the flattery spectrum -- here at Kiva we think copycats are great. Let me explain. Over the past year, Kiva has launched partnerships with a number of organizations that are testing exciting innovations in the field. They’re lending to... Continue Reading >
Do you remember in school when your teachers used say that imitation is the highest form of flattery? Maybe that didn’t happen to you, but I can remember hating it when a kid next to me would copy my drawing, cupcake decoration or science project and claim it was his own idea. That said -- no matter where you fall on the flattery spectrum -- here at Kiva we think copycats are great. Let me explain. Over the past year, Kiva has launched partnerships with a number of organizations that are testing exciting innovations in the field. They’re lending to... Continue Reading >
May 7, 2013
Kiva HQ
Have you ever wondered how a relatively small non-profit organization in San Francisco has managed to work effectively in more than 65 countries around the world? Or how new initiatives like Kiva Zip have scaled to over $1 million in loan volume within 17 months of launching? While there are many factors that have contributed to these successes, one thing is certain -- Kiva would not be where it is today without the support and contributions of its Kiva Fellows. Kiva's 20th class of Kiva Fellows before heading out into the field. The Kiva Fellows Program gives participants a... Continue Reading >
Have you ever wondered how a relatively small non-profit organization in San Francisco has managed to work effectively in more than 65 countries around the world? Or how new initiatives like Kiva Zip have scaled to over $1 million in loan volume within 17 months of launching? While there are many factors that have contributed to these successes, one thing is certain -- Kiva would not be where it is today without the support and contributions of its Kiva Fellows. Kiva's 20th class of Kiva Fellows before heading out into the field. The Kiva Fellows Program gives participants a... Continue Reading >
May 6, 2013
Kiva HQ
This is the first installment of a Mother's Day guest blog series, highlighting what Kiva makes possible for mothers, whether they are lenders, borrowers, or Kiva partners. As we approach Mother’s Day next Sunday, we wanted to spotlight three Kiva lenders and their stories about making a difference for moms around the world. Lloyd Thompson honors his mom's charitable spirit from the other side of the world. Susan Linton makes loans in memory of her mother and grandmother. And Julie Patton uses Kiva to educate her own son about giving. First, meet Lloyd. Here... Continue Reading >
This is the first installment of a Mother's Day guest blog series, highlighting what Kiva makes possible for mothers, whether they are lenders, borrowers, or Kiva partners. As we approach Mother’s Day next Sunday, we wanted to spotlight three Kiva lenders and their stories about making a difference for moms around the world. Lloyd Thompson honors his mom's charitable spirit from the other side of the world. Susan Linton makes loans in memory of her mother and grandmother. And Julie Patton uses Kiva to educate her own son about giving. First, meet Lloyd. Here... Continue Reading >