getting there
28 October 2009
By Shereef Zaki, KF9, Perú
Cultural issues surrounding privacy can be one of Kiva’s biggest challenges regarding implementation in the field. Not everyone wants their photo publicized and many hold suspicions when it comes time to sign a waiver. But I think the biggest challenge for Kiva is far more prosaic. The act of getting to a borrower can be an ordeal in and of itself, and things just got more ‘adventurous’ at my MFI.
EDPYME Alternativa has created a new loan product – called Capital Semilla or Seed Capital – destined specifically for clients who will become Kiva borrowers. Loans of $300 or less at a low interest rate are now offered to rural entrepreneurs. Finding them for the interview generally involves a unique combination of collective vans, collective taxis, mototaxis and walking aimlessly through fields – for hours.
And the journeys take us through landscapes that are beautiful whether through unforgivingly desolate desert or knee high cornfields with palm and locust trees spotting the hazy windless horizons.
For your viewing pleasure I have chronicled one day’s worth of transportation that Manuel (the Kiva Assistant) and I embarked on in order to find just 4 borrowers.
Photos after the jump…
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- 01 to morrope (yes that is an open bucket filled with fish)
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- 02 from morrope to san sebastian
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- 03 Maria Alejandrina Sandoval found!
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- 04 from san sebastian to la jolleria
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- 05 the borrower was working so we went back to morrope in mototaxi
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- 06 bumpy ride, much dust
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- 07 from morrope to lambayeque by combi
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- 08 from lambayeque to tucume
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- 09 a very full ride from lambayeque to tucume
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- 10 from tucume to el tabacal
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- 11 wander in the fields looking for the borrower
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- 12 Jorge Alberto Damian has been found!
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- 13 from el tabacal back to tucume
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- 14 from tucume to lambayeque
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- 15 the fourth and final borrower Rosa Sequen Cuican
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Shereef Zaki is serving as a Kiva Fellow working with the new field partner EDPYME Alternativa in Chiclayo, Perú
To view currently fundraising loans from EA click here
To become a member of the “Friends of EDPYME Alternativa” lending team click here
Entry Filed under: Americas, Countries, KF9 (Kiva Fellows 9th Class), Kiva Field Partners, Peru. Tags: Chiclayo, development, EDPYME Alternativa, Kiva, Kiva Fellow, microcredit, microfinance, microloan, Peru, Shereef, shereef zaki, social entrepreneur, social entrepreneurship, sustainable development.
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1. Zal | 29 October 2009 at 12:12
Just went through this yesterday, Shereef, as we were looking for borrowers in order to complete journal updates here in Ecuador. Since there are no street signs, bad roads, long bus delays, and yes, lots of dust, it does require a great deal of patience. It took us 2 hours to get to the town where 10 borrowers were located. We had 1 hour to get the interviews done before the sun went down. Came out with 5 journal updates — 50% hit rate, which I don’t think is too shabby at all. All videos too! I’m glad you were able to showcase through photos what it takes!
2. RaviG | 31 October 2009 at 05:37
Shereef,
Innovative way of taking us along with you via photos. I tried mapping directions from each of the places you listed..
Zal,
50% may not be that bad at all given that you are unable to inform of the borrower of your arrival. Often, we find borrower photos showing the spouse who is at home since the actual borrower was unavailable at the time of the photo.
CHEERS to you guys.
– ravi