Kiva Fellows: News from Cambodia
2 March 2009 at 19:48 kieranball 11 comments
Kiva Happy Hour in Phnom Penh
I once heard that Kentucky Fried Chicken conducted a market survey on their brand and found that the words “Kentucky”, “Fried”, and “Chicken” each had negative psychological associations. Hence the change to the more deliciously ambiguous “KFC”.
If this is true, then “Kiva Happy Hour” must surely invoke feelings of warmth and joyous goodwill in most people. Take one fuzzy “innovative-slash-fantastic” organisation, add cheap drinks and nice people, and, as we say in England, Bob’s your uncle… good times.
This is precisely what happened in the Foreign Correspondents Club in Phnom Penh on Thursday in the third week of February. Thanks to everyone who came and to Sanjaya Bagopunyasena for doing most of the organising.
A Fine Fellow
Teresa Dunbar (KF5), right, sells Kiva like a pro. Kiva borrower photos show in back.
All profits from the sale of Kiva shirts are being lent on Kiva to borrowers in Cambodia
Hollie the designer with Katie Davis, KF7
Kiva Fellows new and old (I mean old as in KF6, not age ok?)
Sophany and Sophanith of AMK
Talking about microfinance and enjoying it
Limited Edition Kiva T-shirts
Step aside Gucci… microfinance t-shirts are SO this season. Hitting the runways (mainly of airports in West Timor and Phnom Penh) are the brand new limited edition Kiva “Loner/Loaner” t-shirts. Designed by Hollie Harrington of London, and produced in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, these shirts will add a dash of microcredit chic to any outfit.
Are you a loner or a loaner? Or perhaps even a lender?
If you would like one of these t-shirts there are a few left over in the AMK office in Phnom Penh. Otherwise contact me and I can send you the design files so you can get them printed locally. But only if all profits are re-invested on Kiva!
Kiva Fellows struck by lightning
Kiva Fellows Ball, Briggs, and Dunbar looked Danger squarely in the eye and said “Not today, we’ve got Kiva work to do!” when their plane was struck twice by lightning en route to their new assignments. Thanks to the Flip cameras distributed by Kiva and in true Kiva Fellows tradition this near-death moment was, of course, captured on video. OK so I added sound effects.
Flip video cameras: So simple, even a racoon can use it
Successful applicants for the Kiva Fellows programme generally need to be a bit tech savvy to handle the equipment they will use in the field. But the new Flip video cameras that were issued to KF7 are reputedly simple enough that even monkeys can use them.
Upon hearing this, I reacted as any sensible person would. “Sure, but how about racoons?”.
"How do you paws this thing?"
Note to Kiva: No Flip video cameras were harmed in the making of this video.
Entry filed under: Angkor Microfinance Kampuchea (AMK), Cambodia, Countries, CREDIT, a partner of World Relief, Hattha Kaksekar Limited, KF6 (Kiva Fellows 6th Class), KF7 (Kiva Fellows 7th Class), MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.. Tags: AMK, Cambodia, CREDIT, fcc, flip video, happy hour, hkl, Kiva, lightning, Maxima, microfinance, microloans, news, phnom penh, racoon, tshirts.
1. First Quarter 2009 Review « Kiva Stories from the Field | 31 March 2009 at 15:54
[...] his transition from Tajikistan to the Philippines. While Kieran, John, and Teresa survived a lightening strike on their airplane from Cambodia to the Philippines as well as a feisty raccoon (#2 blog). Julie has been a Kiva Fellow for over ten months and wrote [...]
2. Sophy | 7 March 2009 at 22:49
Hi Kieren,
I like the T-shirt design but i didn’t get it yet!!
Maybe you have to come to Cambodia again to give me this wonderful t-shirt.. i love to see you and Hollie in Cambodia..
Come soon!!
Best reguard
Sophy
3. Josh | 5 March 2009 at 19:38
Can you send me the link to the shirt so I can get it printed locally? Thanks
4. John Briggs | 4 March 2009 at 22:22
The t-shirts are a wonderful thing. Hollie and Kieran: you could put the design up on Cafe Press and sell them, then send profits to Kiva — from “limited edition” to “special edition” t-shirts?
Having been on the same flight (though the other side of the plane) I can vouch for the fact that there was lightning around us as we flew into Kuala Lumpur from Phnom Penh — Kieran would *never ever* doctor video to make it only appear as though there had been lightning. I don’t know if the lightning actually struck the wingtip, but the whole experience did get me interested enough to dig this up…
How is a plane protected from lightning strikes?
http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae568.cfm
P.S. The raccoon was our co-pilot.
5. Stefan | 4 March 2009 at 00:40
Hi, I like the t-shirt design. So I would like to have one for my own. You write in one paragraph that you are willing to share the design? So I could print it via a online t-shirt printing service. I would also be able to make this available to other kiva supporters. Credits and profit of course for kiva.org.
6. Jeppsson | 3 March 2009 at 22:10
Hey!
Neato t-shirts. I wanna!
Are they US-size? If they are I’d also like an XS. If they have european standards S will work.
Do you have any left? Contact me for transaction if you do!
Thanks a bunch!
pellej83@gmail.com
7. Brooke Estin | 3 March 2009 at 17:58
Nice job guys! Sanjaya is pretty much the man. I definitely want a T-shirt! Do you have xs? The Cafe Press ones from the Kiva site were always a little to big for me.
Teresa, John- STRUCK BY LIGHTNING>!? PLEASE PLEASE share more of THAT story too!!
Seriously though, can you send me a T-shirt to Bangkok? Or are any of you coming to Bangkok anytime in the near future??
Lemme know!
brooke@kiva.org
8. Unilove | 2 March 2009 at 23:16
Very entertaining! thank you
we can have fun and do good!
9. Jan & John | 2 March 2009 at 20:53
thanks for the chuckles. I love your raccoon friend – didn’t like the lightning at all – your photos look like a happy bunch of hard working friends. and once again – (thanks to Sanjaya for letting us know) – congratulations to AMK for passing the $2 million mark on Kiva as well as your one year anniversary. Keep up the good work. jan
10. Sanjaya | 2 March 2009 at 20:07
Also does your flipcam now have rabies?
11. Sanjaya | 2 March 2009 at 19:53
Thanks for posting a picture of me with my Wallace and Gromit smile…COME BACK TO CAMBODIA!!!