Recycling for Life and Family in the Mexican Countryside
Emmanuel M. von Arx | KF 16+17 | Mexico
I have a confession to make: I love to browse Kiva borrower profiles – even occasionally without any actual intention to make a loan. I believe that reading the stories of borrowers from all over the world and knowing their dreams tells me more about a country and the mentality of its people than even the best of all travel guidebooks. And knowing some of the challenges they are facing in their lives and how they are surmounting them, being aware of the long hours they work every day and their dedication to their families – all this inspires me deeply and on a very personal level: if people can thrive under difficult circumstances thanks to incredibly hard work and a dream, then I should and will be able to do something meaningful and lasting with my own life as well! My Kiva lender profile reads: “I loan because… Kiva borrowers never cease to inspire me with their courage, talent, and dedication!”
That strong sense of inspiration that speaks to me out of every Kiva borrower’s history has been multiplied during my time in the field as a Kiva Fellow in the course of many personal meetings with borrowers. I have met literally dozens of borrowers who have left an indelible mark in my heart and mind. But recently I have met a borrower who is so extraordinary and unusual that even I – one of the more seasoned Kiva Fellows – was blown away. Her name is Ma de los Angeles and this blog entry tells the story of her work and her success.
Continue Reading 1 June 2012 at 08:00 Emmanuel von Arx 2 comments
Kiva’s first full-tuition student loans: Looking at both sides of the coin
Olivia, one of the first full tuition Kiva loan students. http://www.kiva.org/lend/432412
Nessa E. French | KF 17 | Kenya
“Life will change for you now, please make us proud.”
“I hope you will be the president of Kenya someday.”
These statements represent the high hopes that everyone at Strathmore University has for the first nine students who received full tuition loans through Kiva to pursue their undergraduate degrees there. They also represents how extraordinary and truly driven these first students are. Kiva lenders seem to agree on their high potential: the first full tuition loan posted to the site was funded in less than 12 hours.
Strathmore’s loan application and interview process is not easy –for the candidates or for the loan committee. For the upcoming semester, which begins in July, there were only nine full tuition loans available. That means that half of the 18 promising candidates who interviewed did not make the cut. As someone who has only been on the applicant’s side of admissions decisions, or even job applications, it has been difficult — sometimes even heart wrenching — to interview candidates who did not meet some of the criteria and were unable to receive the loan.
Work Hard, Play Hard
Natalie Sherman | KF17 | Cameroon
It’s been said, countless times, that one of the most rewarding experiences for us Kiva Fellows (as you might imagine) is meeting borrowers- those inspirational men and women who work hard, every day, to make a better life for themselves and their families. To know this satisfaction is something I certainly expected before my placement here in Cameroon. One thing I didn’t expect, however, was the pleasure and understanding I would gain from getting to know the staff of ACEP Cameroun- the partner MFI with whom I’ve been working these past four months. As I say my final goodbyes and prepare to pass the proverbial torch to the next Fellow working with ACEP, it’s pretty much impossible not to reflect on the good times that we’ve shared together, both in and outside of the office. From walking in the very first day, nervous and unsure, to watching ACEP’s inaugural borrowers go live on the Kiva website, to receiving their initial repayments- it’s been a journey of both intense work and intense…. celebrating!
The Legacy of Trujillo
David Gorgani | KF17 | Dominican Republic
Today marks the 51st anniversary of the assassination of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina, the strong-handed dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. Otherwise known as El Jefe (the boss), El Benefactor, El Chivo (the goat) and La Chapita (bottle cap), Trujillo was known for his deep egocentrism. Still, much more significant than the Trujillo’s unique personality and unrivaled sense of self-worth was his iron-fisted rule.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose (the more things change, the more they stay the same)
Michael Slattery | KF17 | Togo
Is Togo much different from what the 1969 edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica has to say? Agriculture still dominates the economy, people still haul in the fishing nets by hand on the beach in the morning, pagnes are still sold in the markets, and animism is still practiced — though not as much as before. Pictures don’t define a nation, so read on.
Dusk in Lomé is a special time when people leave their offices and head home for the evening. On street corners and along avenues, evening vendors lay out their wares. Charcoal fires are stoked in old oil drums or large metal basins to cook chicken and beef brochettes — thin skewers of heavily spiced meats — tempting passersby. In these moments when the roar of traffic momentarily silences, a faint muezzin’s call can be heard, reflecting Islam’s lesser presence in these parts. (more…)
Update from the Field: Nomadic lifestyles, road trips + cultural perspectives
Compiled by Isabel Balderrama | KF17 | Ecuador
Welcome to this week’s Update from the Field! In the past few days we’ve had blog posts come to us from all corners of the world. From hearing about the prevailing Nomadic lifestyles of the people of Mongolia, to Kenya, where we journey along on an adventure-filled trip to meet a Kiva borrower in person. After touching down on Palestine and meeting a group of women that have successfully formed a cooperative, we are whisked away to the islands of Samoa where we are treated to two excellent videos illustrating life in this mysterious-to-some archipelago. From there, we come back to the Asian continent where we find two fellows located in two very culturally dissimilar countries, Ukraine and Indonesia, comparing and contrasting their experiences with borrower privacy. Hope you enjoy this week’s trip around the globe courtesy of this ever-audacious group of Kiva Fellows!
Continue Reading 28 May 2012 at 09:00 IsabelB Leave a comment
Different Worlds: Two Perspectives on Borrower Privacy from Indonesia and Ukraine
Heather Sullivan | KF17 | Indonesia
Chris Paci | KF16 & KF17 | Ukraine
When not sampling local delicacies or fording swollen rivers to visit borrowers, Kiva Fellows occasionally find themselves stuck in the office, chatting on Skype and sharing experiences (both raucous and ruminative) from the field. In one recent conversation, the two of us, Heather and Chris, discovered that we were facing nearly opposite sets of problems surrounding the issue of borrower privacy. While Chris’s field partner in Ukraine was finding it hard to convince suspicious borrowers that sharing their photos and stories on Kiva would cause them no harm, Heather was struggling to convey to her Indonesian MFI’s clients that perhaps they shouldn’t be so nonchalant about how their information might be shared. What follows is a joint blog exploring some of the roots of those cultural differences—and their consequences for Kiva and its partner MFIs.
Ibu Masripah, a VisionFund Indonesia client, was delighted to report on the success of her kiosk and participate in an impromptu photo shoot.
A Day in the Life: Loan Officers and Chickens
Adria Orr | KF17 | Samoa
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So how much is a video worth? I’m going to assume it’s at least a thousand, squared. Since Samoa is such a mystery for most people, I decided to put together a short video about the daily routine of SPBD’s loan officers for everyone to take a peek at this remote country.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to a Borrower… Part 1
Kisumu borders Lake Victoria.
Nessa E. French | KF 17 | Kenya
Borrower verifications can be the most rewarding part of a Kiva Fellow’s time in the field, they can also be the most challenging. Traveling on your own for days through an unfamiliar part of the country, on less than ideal roads, bridges and buses can deflate even the strongest Kiva cheerleaders. I would be lying if I did not say that the process of the BV [excluding meeting the borrowers] dropped me into an occasional trough of despair.
Save the violins though, as I said, borrower verifications provide some of the most fulfilling moments of the fellowship. To meet and speak with a Kiva borrower, and to hear about their successes and challenges makes all the arduous traveling well worth it.
This blog post is not only about meeting the borrowers but, about the things that can happen on the way to visit a borrower once you learn to let go of your preconceived notions, fear of death, car sickness and sense of time. Once you let go of these things, you may actually start to enjoy the journey and appreciate the bumps in the road [okay, that might be pushing it… potholes on matatus will never be fun]. This is the first entry about a trip to the Kisumu and Kapsabet in Western Kenya that represented the best and most challenging aspects of the fellowship, all at once.
The Women’s Cooperative of Deir Bzei, Palestine
Philip Issa | KF17 | Palestine
I’m excited to introduce you to the Deir Bzei Women’s Cooperative. They’ve leveraged microfinance to finance initiatives that support their members and benefit the women and children of their community.
Nomads: How Much Longer?
Jon Hiebert | KF 17 | Mongolia
This family was surprisingly connected. They showed me that the solar panel could charge their cell phones, and yes, they have reception here!
As we drove hundreds of kilometers on this “Mongolian highway” (dirt road), the only thing that broke the vast nothingness was animals and the occasional ger (Mongolian nomadic tent). We were headed to a city called Kherlen in the Eastern Mongolian province of Dornod, where I was scheduled to check in with five borrowers to verify some information.
While bumping along in the middle of nowhere, we saw a man on a motorbike coming from a different middle of nowhere, and our driver stopped to have a chat. After we got going again, I asked my coworker/translator, Tsolmon what that was about. He told me our driver wanted to stop at a ger where I could ride a horse! I was happy to hear this news, as I needed to stretch my legs. So, we drove and drove off the “main” road to find this horse. After a lot of confusion and bickering between the two Mongolians I was with, we came across a ger – who knows if it was the ger – but I don’t think it matters all that much.
Update from the Field: Translation Follies, Contemplating Kindness and Comfort and KF Cribs
Compiled by David Gorgani | KF17 | Dominican Republic
This week’s stories from the field span topics ranging from ill-equipped law enforcement to the “luxurious” living places of Kiva Fellows. Two of this week’s posts – “Lost in Translation” and “Home is Where the Fellow Is” – compile material from Fellows around the world to give some insight to the similarities and the differences in typical Fellow experiences, while the other two – “Clean Water and Safe Streets: What do we take for Granted?” and “More than Just Fun in the Philippines” offer end-of-Fellowship level insight about the many opportunities for growth and learning that this amazing experience has presented.
More than Just Fun in the Philippines
By Jamie Greenthal | KF 17 | Philippines
Have you ever visited a country and thought, “wow, the people here are great!”? I’ve passed along that impression a few times because I’ve met very friendly locals in my travels. The beauty of the Kiva Fellowship is that since we are working in a foreign country and not spending our time solely as tourists, we get the unique opportunity to embed ourselves in the community, get to know our new colleagues, and hopefully find some “great people”.
Following this immersive experience, I’ll return home and tell folks in the States, “the people in the Philippines are great.” While that’s a true statement (but also way too vague), the quality time I’ve spent with Filipinos has given me the ability to formulate a deeper description, which does justice to the way they’ve treated me and how I’ve seen them treat each other. (And they eat five times a day and love to share their food.) Here are some examples of what it means to be a “great” people.
Continue Reading 20 May 2012 at 07:00 jlgreenthal 7 comments
Home Is Where the Fellow Is
Compiled by Micaela Browning | KF17 | Mozambique
Fellows love to talk about the work they do in the field. From A.W.O.L. clients to inspiring coworkers to business trips that take us to the furthest reaches of the globe, discussing our 9-5s rarely gets old. Since our workdays, in actuality, rarely fit nicely into that allotted timeframe, we often find ourselves living a decidedly nomadic lifestyle characterized by minimal sleep and maximum vagrancy. However, when we stumble on home after a stressful day’s work, we are eternally grateful to have a place to lay our weary micro-heads during our four-month stints overseas.
Continue Reading 20 May 2012 at 05:16 gringacarioca 2 comments
Lost in Translation
Compiled by Philip Issa | KF17 | Palestine
We’ve all had these moments: Trying to impress a native speaker with our ability to speak their language, we compose an elegant sentence in our minds, open our mouths, and… proceed to swallow our feet whole. Indeed, we Kiva Fellows have had no shortage of these moments – we’ve twisted and tortured whole phrases so that they come out no better suited than to embarrass and offend.
So here are a few stories of us Fellows shattering our carefully constructed, professional identities with a spectacular “whoops!”
Clean Water and Safe Streets: What do we take for granted?
By Adria Orr | KF17 | Samoa
Of course, home doesn’t look like this…
A huge part of choosing to move to another country, even temporarily, is leaving behind the comforts of home. There are several levels to this–the ease of familiar environs, the social security of friends and family, relatively cushy lifestyle (hot water, I’m thinking of you), and of course, sometimes, your physical security. When I think about the privilege I’ve enjoyed growing up in a developed country like the United States, the first things that come to mind are abundant food, clean water, and comfortable housing. Secondarily, I consider my political freedoms and my (relative) level of equality as a woman. Finally, although it is less overt (no one ever ran infomercials with a non-corrupt cop with big eyes and a sad face saying, ‘sponsor me!’), I encourage myself to not take for granted the basic level of security and lawfulness that I experience.
Most Kiva Fellows hail from countries where there is not much cause to worry about their safety. At least, you can have the expectation that if someone commits a crime and they are caught, they will be held accountable for it. Certainly, coming from the United States, I often watch international news and feel grateful that, though police and security forces are not perfect by any means, I do feel comfortable walking down the street knowing that I won’t get hit by an errant airstrike, almost certainly won’t get arbitrarily kidnapped and held for ransom, and can expect a general level of law enforcement in everyday life. (Although any increase in my TV consumption causes a similar increase in my conviction that I am about to be attacked in the street. Thanks, Law & Order.) (more…)
Update from the Field: Kiva’s new coffee partner and female empowerment in the Middle East
Compiled by Isabel Balderrama | KF17 | Ecuador
Having been in the field for a little over three months now, KF-17 fellows’ posts begin taking a retrospective look at what has been accomplished over the past few months while working with their different MFIs worldwide. From having played a role in getting a new kind of Kiva partnership up and running to working with two MFIs dedicated to helping women get ahead in male dominated Palestine, it is clear that this is the time for a Kiva Fellow to reflect on his or her accomplishments, as well as those of the MFIs they have been involved with. Read this week’s posts to find out more about the exciting experiences that two of KF-17′s members have had during the lenght of their fellowship.
Empowering Women in Palestine
Philip Issa | KF17 | Palestine
A couple of years ago, Mohammed Al-Shawaf, a Kiva Fellow serving in Palestine previous to me, wrote a thoughtful post on the complexities of implementing a women’s empowerment agenda through microfinance. Having served my placement at the same MFIs as him, I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about FATEN and Ryada’s women empowerment initiatives and implementations. The two institutions are far apart in their models, with each carrying associated benefits and disadvantages. I also had the opportunity to meet with a women’s savings and lending cooperative supported by a non-Kiva MFI, showcasing an alternative approach to women empowerment here in Palestine – through cooperatives rather than individual lending.
Coffee Time: Welcoming La Unión Regional Huatusco to Kiva
La Unión Regional de Pequeños Productores de Café Huatusco (La Unión Regional) is Kiva’s first non-microfinance institution partner in Latin America. It’s a member-owned coffee cooperative dedicated to helping their largely rural, low-income members bring their coffee to market at a fair price.
By partnering with organizations other than microfinance institutions, Kiva is able to provide much-needed support to individuals who would typically not have access to credit. And, while there are other micro-lenders in the small city of Huatusco, their reach is limited, and the costs can be high for the borrowers. La Unión Regional offers loans to provide support for their members in a way that encourages hard work and helps them achieve their goals.
Update from the Field: Thoughts on Wealth, Religion and History, Foods from the Field, and a Day in the Life of a Fellow
Compiled by David Gorgani | KF17 | Dominican Republic
As our fellowships wind down and as the first batch of KF17 fellows packs up to head home, the time has arrived to reflect on our experiences in the field and on the realities faced on a daily basis by the people living in the countries in which we’ve spent the past 3-4 months. Whether discussing religious beliefs, economic circumstances, history, or simply what’s for lunch tomorrow, our time in the field has finally given us the ability to analyze these realities with something resembling authority. Furthermore, after almost 4 months in the field we can finally contemplate the idea of showing our readers what the elusive “typical day” in the field is like. Enjoy!
Confessions of an American at a Christian Microfinance Institution in the Philippines
By Jamie Greenthal | KF 17 | Philippines
I must admit that I’ve avoided writing this post for two months. It’s been particularly challenging since the topic has been the “elephant in the room” of my mind. Until now, I’ve been hesitant to communicate how I used to feel about religious businesses because I’ve been working at one. In the spirit of the daily prayer sessions that I’ve participated in, here’s my first confession.
Sweet Deliciousness
Compiled by Michael Slattery | KF17 | Togo
Despite the often upbeat tone of fellows’ posting on the blog, I’ll be the first to admit that the position entails some universal hardships. There is the occasional social isolation that leaves you Saturday night at home with a book and bottle of the local plonk, despite apparently leading a life of swinging exoticism and sun-drenched adventure. There’s is a lot of driving around, waiting, driving some more, and then getting told some tall tales by people who look at you like you’re definitely one of those foreign imbeciles that regularly swallows half-truths and thoroughly enjoys the taste.
Kiva Fellow Carrie Nguyen, Peru, delivers on delicious: ceviche made of jungle fish, marinated in lime juice and sliced onions, served with yucca and chifles (banana chips). Cost, around ten soles, or USD $3.50
I’ve also come home and spent a good hour picking black soot out of my ears and my nose, then showered and found the water around my feet an unhealthy, industrial smelling, swirl of charcoal. (I also associate the smell of burning plastic with Africa, most often first thing in the morning, as dutiful sweepers light fire to the last day’s fallen leaves and dropped plastic bags.)
Not to be outdone, Kiva Fellow Jen Truong, Cambodia, sticks up for the homeland with some fresh crab stir-fried with Kampot peppers straight from the garden, for three happy diners (or one author). Price USD $ 7.50
Fortunately, there’s food. Blessed food. Balm to the solitary and bruised soul; and even if the full stomach isn’t spiritual salvation, it is a way to warm the heart, as many a romanticized grandmother may have advised uncomprehending grand-daughters. Kiva Fellow Chris Paci has pointed out that I can eat a lot of food in a given day, which is more or less true, so I thought to spread the love and identify who among my colleagues are the true foodies.
Straight from the Bosphorous to your chest–err, hips–Kiva Fellow Kim Strathearn, Turkey, gives us Sekerpare, semolina sponge cakes soaked in syrup and hazelnut, presented with chopped pistachios and a sprig of mint. The author says, send him to Turkey, Kiva, and let him rot his teeth.
Kiva Fellow Jamie Greenthal, the Philippines, says, take that land lubbers: fresh sea scallops shucked and served raw on the half-shell, pulled from the Philippine sea, on Calituban Island. Price, free. Because Jamie is a pirate. Arrrgh! And takes what he wants! (Actually, the scallops were a welcome gift from borrowers in recognition of his arrival, but hey, who said stories had to be true? Estimated price in a restaurant, USD $5 to 7).
Kiva Fellow David Gorgani, the Dominican Republic, shows us how island living really works. Please support his application for Survivor: Paul Bocuse’s Kitchen.
End result of the Young Man and the Sea: fresh fried fish with tostones (fried plantains). Price USD $8-10 depending on the size of the fish.
Intermezzo: time for a cold one to wash down the previous delicious meals. Kiva Fellow Jen Truong, Cambodia, refreshes us with sugar cane and orange juice. Price USD $0.50.
Kiva Fellow Devon Fisher, Kenya, brings us some coastal Swahili delight from Mombasa: fresh fried fish. Say it all together: samaki hii ni utamu sana! (Kiswahili for this fish is delicious!) Price, delicious.
Kiva Fellow Micaela Browning, Mozambique, keeps the fish theme alive with xima (a paste made with casava flour) and little delicious fishes. Price, delicious. (Micaela, by the bye, pays her student fees by hand modeling).
Kiva Fellow Jen Truong, Cambodia, does the delicious hat trick and three-peat all at once: fried fish, fried chicken served in unusual but delicious fashion, and stir-fried morning glory with a side mango salad. Price, USD $10 for all three.
Kiva Fellow Adria Orr, Samoa, destroys the seafood delicious fest with the ultimate in deliciousness: the roast suckling pig…for the office lunch “feast” to welcome new loan officers into the fold. Price, pirate discount. Island love is high.
Kiva Fellow Ryan Cummings, Liberia, gets us back to rice country with his typical lunch at the office: served with a piece of chicken and eggplant. Simple yet elegant delicious. And not a roast suckling pig.
Kiva Fellow Philip Issa, Palestine, paves the way to increased rice delicious sophistication: Eggplant Msaq’a (مسقعة باذنجان), which is eggplant and beef in a tomato sauce, garnished with pine nuts. Not featured is the accompanying yogurt.
Getting in his ten cents of deliciousness, the author shows today`s lunch: a hither never seen before dry fufu desi (sauce) made of fried fish and some kind of vegetable. Price 800 FCFA or USD $1.60. Savour the deliciousness in life.
As ever, my thanks and recognition to the other fellows.
Michael Slattery (KF17) is serving as a Kiva Fellow with WAGES in Lomé, Togo. He’s pretty sure that one day he will have a coronary bypass and a large stock holding in an antacid producer. Find a borrower in Togo and lend today!
The Evolution of Economy: A New Definition of “Rich”
The evolution of the global economy is fascinating. The definition of a “rich country” has changed significantly throughout the centuries. I was having lunch the other day with a Canadian friend, and she was comparing the good aspects of Honduras and Canada. She pointed out Honduras’ cheerful environment, paradisiac beaches and fresh food, especially fruit.
Here in Honduras, I can buy 30 bananas for 50 cents. Can I do that in Canada? No. This is because of the abundance of tropical fruit grown in Honduras.
Every time I went out to the countryside I bought one of this and shared it with everyone in the office. Price 1 USD
Price : Less than 50 Cents
Centuries ago, countries like Honduras were considered “rich” based on their natural resources, central location, the quality and fertility of their soils, steady weather and available water sources. In this context, Honduras is very very rich! Now though, that definition of rich has become outdated.
Today, countries like Honduras –rich in the old definition but poor by current standards –play a secondary role in the world’s economy. The current economy does not value these formerly desired characteristics as much as it used to. In some cases, the market even punishes national economies based on primary products, raw materials and agricultural goods. This reality has generated initiatives like fair trade around the world.
Honduras is this rich:
Typical road sale
And they have to live like this:
Honduran Reality…
At some point in the natural evolution of the economy these countries stagnated, while others moved forward with technology, information and manufactured goods. Causes of this stagnancy include corruption, weak democracies, weak institutions, low quality education and crime or conflict.
A society, dreaming of living in peace. Translation : “let’s live in peace again”
Located on the main entrance of San Pedro Sula…
Probably the most awful reality is that these countries have to live with the junk that ”richer” countries produce. The high consumption economy of the United States generates huge amounts of used goods every day, products that are seen as junk or garbage there. I have asked myself for years, what happen to all the cars and products that get too old for North American standards? Where do those millions of cars go? Well now I know. All the public transportation (urban and rural) in Honduras is covered by used American school buses. Those yellow old buses are now used as public transportation here. Most of them still have the names of the American schools where they were used.
There is a law in Honduras that allows people to import used cars. Accordingly, most people buy crashed or very old American cars for a small amount of money. You can imagine the current condition of these buses and cars. They are not safe, clean or comfortable at all. The amount that has to be spent in repairs is huge, but the small initial price is persuasive.
There are a couple of little pigs in that white bag…Same bus different use.
What seems like a practical short-term solution is catastrophic for national pride, transportation safety and the future of the country. How can a society evolve when it lives in the shadow of the U.S.? How is possible for these people to be treated as equals when they are surrounded by others’ junk? We can’t stop looking for a better and sustainable option, because what is clear is that emerging countries have to dream BIG!
Santiago Cortes is a Kiva fellow living and working in Honduras. He works most closely with Prisma Honduras, but is also helping the Orginizacion de Desarollo Empresarial Femenino (ODEF), another MFI in the country.
Day in the Life of a Kiva Fellow
Ever wonder what a day “in the field” actually looks like for a Kiva Fellow? I know I had so many questions before I touched down in Kenya, as did my friends and family back home. To answer these questions about where I’m working and what I’m doing all the way in Mombasa, I made a short video about a typical day in the life of a Kiva Fellow.
While my day-to-day activities vary by week, most of my time recently has been filled with a combination of borrower visits, website design, loan officer training, and filming what I see. Then of course, there’s all the patient waiting around when the office’s electricity takes it daily hiatus.
Check out the video to get a peek at a day’s work at Kiva Field Partner Milango Financial Services in Mombasa, Kenya.
Many thanks to Kiva’s video editor Jenny McAllister for all her help!
Devon Fisher is a Kiva Fellow working with Milango Financial Services in Mombasa, Kenya. You can find and fund Milango borrowers here.
The View from the Roof of the World: Life in Tajikistan
By Benjamin Schelling, KF17, Tajikistan
Ismoil Somoni Peak, formerly Peak Communism
Tucked against well-known neighbors China and Afghanistan, Tajikistan remains virtually anonymous to much of the Western world. Most today know scarcely more about Central Asia’s smallest country than when the first British and Russian spies of “The Great Game” traversed the Pamir mountains in the mid to late 1800s.
Not that Tajikistan lacks history. Alexander the Great, Tamerlane and Genghis Khan all built empire here. Multiple routes on the Silk Road ran through the country. And the Pamirs, locally known as Bam-i-Dunya or “Roof of the World,” played host to one of the great geopolitical contests of the 19th century. (more…)
Continue Reading 1 May 2012 at 09:00 benschelling 13 comments
Update from the Field: Poetry, Poverty + Truly Epic Amounts of Food
Compiled by Chris Paci | KF16 & KF17 | Ukraine
Michael Slattery memorializes one of the smaller Togolese meals he's eaten; perhaps he was not hungry that day.
May has sprung, and the Kiva Fellows of KF17 will soon be returning home – hard as that is to believe at times. In our own ways, we are all trying to knit our experiences together and figure out the themes that underlie all we’ve done. This week, we have for you three very different approaches to that task. Read on for a representative photographic catalog of most of the food in Togo; a heartbreaking look at how poverty affects the lives of ordinary Cambodians; and a creative take on the ordinary Kiva blog post, as one of our Mexico fellows steps aside to let his MFI staff members talk with us directly.
The Price of Poverty: What the Poor Sacrifice Just to Survive
Jen Truong | KF17 | Cambodia
Poverty is terrible. It is unfair and merciless—I am certain many can agree to that. Often times people are born into it, other times poverty hits them out of nowhere, but the worst is when it oh so gradually creeps up into the lives of people absolutely undeserving of such a life. As my fellow KFer, Adria, mentioned in an earlier post regarding poverty, there are “different ways to be poor,” and after living in Phnom Penh for almost three months now, I can say that I agree to that statement completely. It is so obvious here that people are not only in poverty due to lack of wealth, but literally because of the lack of opportunity, of knowledge, and of information. Since arriving in Cambodia, my heart has ached to understand more deeply some of the direct reasons why so many people fall into such ruthless cycles of poverty here.
I had initially planned to write about the catalysts of poverty in Cambodia, however in writing this post, I realized that I cannot even pretend like I understand enough about poverty to talk about its catalysts—I found that it is just too exhausting to try to analyze and interpret the information I have gathered in this young and naïve little mind of mine. But, in my quest to understand the catalysts, I can definitely say that I have gained some interesting insight on the sacrifices that people living in poverty are required to make in order to survive here in Cambodia…and that is something I would love to share with you all.
Down the Hatch
Michael Slattery | KF17 | Togo
My favourite breakfast at the commonplace street-side caféteria. A three-egg omelette made with shallots, tomatoes and spicy green peppers stuffed into a baguette. The café au lait is prepared using instant coffee and sweetened condensed milk. French influenced and yet distinctly West African. Price, 450 FCFA for the sandwich and 150 FCFA for the coffee, or total USD $1.20.
For those who love to eat as much as I do, I salute you and call you henceforth my brothers, my sisters, my true fellow companions in life. Eating is a passion of mine; I’ve had a good run thus far and hope to have many more good days ahead of me. When I worked planting trees in the aftermath of Canada’s logged bush, I would consume absurd amounts of food every day, and find myself hungry only half an hour after having eaten an amount of food that, verily, makes me now a bit uneasy. Subsequent to that uniquely terrible and beautiful occupation, my metabolism has never been quite the same, and eating has consequently taken on a different, more epic quality that — like the tide — rises and falls relative to my phases of activity.
An average lunch: veilli (black eyed peas), moulu (rice), pasta, amadan (fried plantain), a boiled egg, some diced carrots, potatoes, and tomatoes, and all lathered with a beef desi (sauce), a spoonful of mayonnaise (thank you, France) and, again, a dollop of hot pepper paste. Price, 500 FCFA, or USD $1.
Growing up with a Chinese mother, you luck out in the food department: a lot of spices and varied ingredients result in a large number of dishes. Food preparation is diverse, eating style is communal, your olfactory system gets used to a range of tastes and, especially, many food textures. Fufu is a West African staple, made of cassava that has first been peeled, cut into chunks, boiled, and then is pounded in a wooden mortar with long, thick, and heavy shaped wooden staffs only somewhat shorter than the holder. Small amounts of water are added during the pounding process to lubricate and add moisture to the product. After a few minutes, what’s left is a velvety, moist, gelatinous and tacky substance that gets eaten all the time at any time of day. (more…)
The Heart of Kiva – A Guest Blog from Mexico
Emmanuel M. von Arx | KF 16+17 | Mexico
Kiva is all about stories – what draws us all in and inspires us to lend are the stories of courageous micro-entrepreneurs that speak of hard-ship and success, challenges and dreams, love and dedication. But Kiva is not just about borrowers and their stories. It is also about the people behind the scene on the ground – the staff of the close to 150 field partners of Kiva – who screen loan applicants, grant, administrate, and look after Kiva loans, and make sure that Kiva borrowers are treated respectfully and fairly. Their stories are almost never told. Yet, the local staff of Kiva´s Field Partners are those people who make the magic happen – they are the ones who make Kiva possible. If Kiva Fellows are called the “eyes and ears in the field”, I propose local MFI staff be called “the brain and heart of Kiva.” MFI staff has insights on the conditions on the ground, the local mentalities, and the practical aspects of microfinance that can rival (and – I have no doubt – normally exceed) those of Kiva staff and Fellows. Yet, their perspective is seldom heard and their stories are rarely told.
Just how much local field partner staff have to tell and to share with the world I learned during the brief three week period during which I had the pleasure to be the Kiva Fellow for FRAC or Fundación Realidad (soon to be known as Vision Fund Mexico) in Mexico City. FRAC, has over 200 employees – they encompass 200 breathtaking stories and lives from all over Mexico, coming together in FRAC’s vision of wanting to provide financial and non-financial services to those families who do not have access to formal banking services in order to improve their quality of life.
During my work in FRAC’s Mexico City Headquarter, the MFI’s staff turned out to be an endless source of inspiration for me. There was not one person I talked to whose story and motives wouldn’t be worth sharing. Within a few brief hours I felt not just surrounded by close friends, but soul-mates – I discovered that everybody around me was at least as passionate and enthusiastic about FRAC’s and Kiva’s work and the impact of micro-finance as I am.
As soon as I told FRAC’s staff about the Kiva Fellows Blog, I was bombarded with requests of staff members to publish their thoughts and their experiences on it. Many have a particular pet project they feel most passionate about; others have made an experience on the job they are keen to share. Thus grew the idea of creating a little guest blog within the Kiva Fellow Blog. I offered to all staff to publish their thoughts and words on the Fellows’ blog as a way to make readers aware that Kiva doesn’t just connect lenders with borrowers, but that it connects lenders with local staff with borrowers with friends with staff with borrowers with lenders with… stop! Let’s just say: Kiva connects people through lending!
Rosa Gonzalez is the first staff member of FRAC who agreed to share her experience. She was hired by FRAC as their English-Spanish translator a few days after I joined the organization as a Kiva Fellow. Rosa translates both borrower profiles and journals for FRAC borrowers before they are being published or sent to lenders. But let me introduce Rosa in her own words – you will immediately see that they are pure poetry.
Continue Reading 24 April 2012 at 08:58 Emmanuel von Arx 4 comments
Update from the Field: Colorful Markets, Microfinance for Students + Springtime Flowers and Celebrations
Compiled by Allison Moomey | KF16 & KF17 | Bénin
Springtime has arrived and fellows around the world are celebrating the resfreshing new life springing from the ground. From millions of tulips in Turkey to smelling family members and friends in Mongolia, fellows have been busy embracing the unique cultures of their host countries. Join Isabel as she explores Ecuador’s colorful markets, Natalie as she discovers an innovative mirofinance program run from a high school, and Kim as she celebrates the colorful fields of flowers in Turkey. Finally, see how the debut of spring is enjoyed around the world with Jon in Mongolia, Chris in the Ukraine, Jen in Cambodia, Natalie in Cameroon, and Kiyomi and Emmanuel in Mexico.
Continue Reading 23 April 2012 at 09:00 Allison Moomey 4 comments
