Archive for October, 2009
Bayanihan from Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
By Eva Wu, KF9 Philippines
Two days ago I learned that bayanihan means a community coming together as one, with lots of love and support – this is the way of Filipino culture. I feel like this is a perfect word to describe everything that I’ve experienced since becoming a Kiva Fellow. With all the news about how recent typhoons have ravaged the Philippines, I’ve received an outpouring of emails inquiring about how the situation here. I’m happy to report that Cagayan de Oro City, located in the southern region of Mindanao in the Philippines, has largely been spared from the recent storms. Our thoughts however go out to the folks living in the affected areas in the north, particularly Manila and the greater Luzon region.
Well, I’m here
ASKI lights the way in Cabanatuan City
By Adam Preston, KF9, Philippines
I finally touched down in Manila at 2:30 AM last Saturday morning. After getting my bags from baggage claim I wandered through the sliding glass doors and into the heat. Where is my driver? Where is an ATM? Why is that little kid laughing at me? My work as a Kiva Fellow had officially begun.
My name is Adam Preston and for the next 10 weeks I will be working with Alalay sa Kaunlaran, Inc (ASKI), a prized Kiva field partner located in Cabantuan City, Philippines. As a Kiva Fellow, I hope to pitch in and help ASKI better serve their clients and also to be the eyes and ears on the ground for Kiva and its lenders.
I come to Kiva with 10 years of management consulting experience. As a Kiva Fellow, I look forward to using this experience to work with ASKI on how to most efficiently use Kiva as a funder, to work with Kiva to address some of the technical and operational challenges being faced in the field, and finally to work with you, the lending community, to share the borrower stories.
As a side note, its only been 4 days here in Cabanatuan but I have already managed to find time to get my “geek” on and started an open source project called Kiva Dashboard. Hopefully one day this will provide ASKI as well as all Kiva field partners with all sorts of valuable information in using the Kiva platform. If you are interested in helping, let me know.
So, there you have it. There is definitely more to come here from Cabanatuan City. You can be sure of that.
Adam Preston is a Kiva Fellow at Alalay sa Kaunlaran, Inc (ASKI), Philippines. Basically, he is just a regular guy who is currently taking a break from the daily grind in Corporate America to find out how people are getting along in the Philippines. Click here to support fundraising borrowers at ASKI!
No Time For Romance
By Suzy Marinkovich, KF9
“Gender-based violence … is ubiquitous in much of the developing world, inflicting far more casualties than any war. Surveys suggest that about one third of all women world-wide face beatings in the home. Women aged fifteen through forty-four are more likely to be maimed or die from male violence than from cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war combined. A major study by the World Health Organization has found that in most countries, between 30 and 60 percent of women experience physical or sexual violence by a husband or boyfriend.” – Nicholas Kristof
When my husband and I were making our way overland to Bolivia, we took a ferry across a small part of Lake Titicaca. On the other side, we stood around some market stalls waiting for our bus to come off the ferry, and all of a sudden we heard yelling behind us escalate to screaming. We spun around to see two female market vendors arguing about one encroaching on the other’s selling space. The words quickly turned to blows, and in a matter of seconds the women were in the dirt, punching each other and ripping each other’s hair out. People just stood around, even smiling as if being entertained. Before long, I screamed for someone to break them up. A foreign traveler next to me whispered in English one of those sentences that rings in your ears for a long time because, at the time, you are so stunned you can’t think of a genius rebuttal fast enough. He said, “let them fight, that’s just how it is down here.” (more…)
A Shaky but Warm Welcome to Ica, Peru!
By Josh Wilcox, KF9 Peru
Three flights, one bus, and two taxi rides behind me, I arrived safely in the southern Peruvian city of Ica. Surrounded by a desert and thousands of miles from Monday Night Football with too much luggage and guitar in hand, I was a bit shocked when I found out the hotel I was hoping to temporarily stay at had collapsed in the formidable Peru earthquake in 2007. Thanks a lot Lonely Planet!
Fortunately I just asked a taxi driver to take me to an affordable hotel he would recommend. After chatting it up a bit with him in the car and telling him I was going to be working with the microfinance institution Caja Rural here in Ica, he snatched a piece of mail out of his glove box that read “Caja Rural” on the letterhead. He proceeded to tell me he is a current borrower from Caja Rural and is hoping to purchase a second taxi with his third loan. He then pulled out a picture of a 1936 Opel that he hopes to use as his second taxi. I have been a volunteer Kiva translator since February and have seen numerous stories such as his, but I was pleasantly caught off guard to finally hear an amazing story of a Kiva borrower first hand in such an unexpected setting!
Before I forget to introduce myself, my name is Josh Wilcox and I am part of the most recent Kiva Fellows class (KF9) to hit the field across the globe. I will be helping set up a recently approved new partner in Ica, Peru, officially named Caja Rural Señor de Luren. They have yet to start Day 1 of their pilot stage so I am in the fortunate position to experience the beginning stages of the Kiva process.
Below is the first chapter of a video diary I hope to maintain throughout the duration of my fellowship. Enjoy!
Loans to Caja Rural will be available soon, but in the meantime check out our other loans from South America here.
Rainbow Over Kigali
Rainbow Over Kigali
By Gavin Sword, KF9 Rwanda
It is no secret that the rainbow is a harbinger of good things ahead. This photo is a view of Rwanda’ capital city, Kigali after a brief rain spell. On my very first day here, a rainbow was a happy sight indeed.. (more…)
Bienvenidos a Nicaragua!
By Meg Gray, KF9, Nicaragua
Last Thursday night, while eating a farewell dinner of Chinese take-out, I drew the perfect fortune cookie: “Traveling to the south will bring you unexpected happiness.” Since I was leaving for Nicaragua the next day as a member of KF9, I was happy to have this auspicious omen on my side.
Turns out it was also exactly the reassurance I needed as I arrived in Managua, Nicaragua during a torrential rainstorm on Saturday night. Moments after a very turbulent (and somewhat terrifying) landing, the power went out in the airport and we had to wait for it to come back before we could deplane. Needless to say, waiting in the plane, I had a few doubts and remembering my fortune cookie brought a smile back to my face.
Here is CEPRODEL's main office. They have 16 other branches throughout Western Nicaragua.
Now that feels so long ago. I successfully made it through Day One at CEPRODEL, one of Kiva’s field partners in Nicaragua. CEPRODEL has been a Kiva partner for almost two years and has facilitated loans to over 2,100 Kiva entrepreneurs! Everyone I met was extremely friendly and helpful. I’m still struggling to remember most of their names, but they have welcomed me back for Day Two nevertheless.
Before I dive too far into journal entries and borrower profiles, I briefly wanted to say hello. I look forward to your comments and to giving you more information about CEPRODEL, Nicaragua, and my experiences as a Kiva Fellow.
Learn more about CEPRODEL on their field partner page or loan to a CEPRODEL entrepreneur now! Or if you’re feeling brave and want to practice your Spanish, check out CEPRODEL’s website.
A Tico Welcome
By Karl Baumgarten, KF9 Costa Rica
After a rainy welcome to San Isidro del General yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised by sunshine and smiles for my first day at FUDECOSUR, an MFI working in the impoverished districts of Southern Costa Rica. With my Spanish struggling but my effort appreciated, the staff welcomed the new face around the office that promised to bring more work to their already hectic schedules. FUDECOSUR is currently poised at an interesting time during their pilot partnership with Kiva. They are perhaps days away from posting their first loans to Kiva, geared up to use Kiva’s 0% capital to expand to new, more remote regions of southern Costa Rica.
In the past, Costa Rican MFIs have struggled to obtain commercial funding as many microfinance funds bypass Costa Rica, lending instead to MFIs located in countries more often associated with poverty. Still Costa Rica is not all white sand beaches and towering high-rise resorts. Much of the country still lives in poverty, especially those small-scale farmers reliant on the large plantations to provide their supplementary though transient income. Here village banks can help. FUDECOSUR sets up credit committees that dole out agriculture loans on a demand driven basis. As these committees have an intimate knowledge of market conditions on the ground, they are better prepared to assess risk and respond accordingly. It will be exciting to watch these village banks in action; tomorrow I will get my feet wet with a visit to one of these village banks where we will be performing the first borrower profile surveys.
As for an introduction, my name is Karl Baumgarten and I am a member of the ninth class of Kiva Fellows. I am humbled to be part of this diverse, passionate group and I look forward to keeping you updated with all the happenings in Costa Rican microfinance along with my Tica Kiva comrade in San Jose, Alana Solimeo. Look out for FUDECOSUR´s loans to be coming online this week and please join our lending team, Friends of FUDECOSUR to be updated when their first agricultural loans hit the site.
Ready or Not, Here We Come…
By Brian Kelly, KF9, Armenia
“Life definitely just got a whole lot better.” A simple few words, but ones that perfectly represent where I stand a week after completing training for the Kiva Fellows program. Said by fellow KF9 Alana, this statement resonated with me as we headed to our graduation dinner. 49 of us had just completed a long week of training in all things Kiva, and in these short 5 days I realized how lucky I was to be a member of this 9th class of Kiva Fellows.
Fall 2009's must have accessory: KF9 Digital Belt Buckle
Last week’s training was overwhelming to say the least – the community and caliber of relationships I established was completely unpredicted. (more…)
Fa’a Samoa
By Agnes Chu, KF9, Samoa
My placement in Samoa was supposed to be a quiet one. A tiny country smaller than Rhode Island, Samoa is part of the group of Polynesian islands that are usually associated with the words “dream vacation” or “exotic getaway.” Samoa is located in the “calm zone” of the Pacific and the demeanor of its inhabitants follows suit; there is actually a term—fa’a Samoa—for the laid-back attitude Samoans have towards life. Although the UN has categorized Samoa as a “least developing country,” it is well-known that Samoans are always smiling. I thought I was placed on a beach—none of this catching-malaria and getting-chased-by-men-with-machetes business that other Kiva Fellows had to worry about.
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Samoa the day of my flight from San Francisco to Apia, Samoa. Although I wasn’t aware of it at the time, the tsunami had spared Apia, the capital of Samoa and headquarters of South Pacific Business Development microfinance organization, and it was the eastern coastal region and American Samoa that suffered the brunt of the damage. The airline, showing us grimy pictures of the damage, advised all tourists to turn back, but nobody did. I arrived at 5:30 a.m. (more…)
Be the Change…Mahatma Gandhi
Sheethal Shobowale, KF9, Peru“Be the change you wish to see in the world” -Mahatma Gandhi
That’s why I wanted to be a Kiva Fellow. In honor of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday today (Oct 2nd), I am glad to say that my Kiva Fellow colleagues and I are living the change we wish to see by helping people much less fortunate than us.
Kiva Fellows Training
My name is Sheethal Shobowale. I am a New Yorker and the daughter of Indian immigrants. Through my recently founded company, Leap Work, I help non-profits with online communications – development, social media, audience research and analytics online. In my free time, I facilitate discussions about financial literacy for youth and conduct credit counseling for adults as well as coordinate my local block association. I also love rock climbing and cooking.
I am excited to work as a Kiva Fellow with Asociación Arariwa in Cusco, Peru starting next week. I look forward to sharing stories of positive change with you! You can also follow @LethalSheethal on Twitter to get (more) real-time updates from Cusco.
Please consider lending to Asociación Arariwa borrowers on Kiva or join Kiva Lending Team Amigos/as de Asociación Arariwa in your future loans.
Thanks for supporting Kiva!
Sheethal
Sheethal Shobowale is currently serving as a Kiva Fellow with Asociación Arariwa in Cusco, Peru.
The Intro
By Alex Duong, KF9, Vietnam
The CIA World Factbook provides the following details for Vietnam -
Population median age: 27.4
Percentage of population living in urban areas: 28%
Literacy rate: 90.3%
GPD growth rate: 6.2% in 2008, 8.5% in 2007
Unemployment rate: 4.7%
Leaving aside the recent inflation spike, Vietnam offers a young, competent, and dynamic environment that is ripe for putting microfinance to work.
Tanzania bound
By Rebecca Corey, KF9 Tanzania
I’m sitting in terminal three at 
Dubai’s International Airport. The moving sidewalk beside me sounds like horses trotting on a packed dirt road. Since my 14-hour layover began a several hours ago, I’ve heard the Islamic call-to-prayer twice over the airport intercom system, followed soon after with enticing invitations to browse the duty-free shops that run down the center of the terminal. I should be sleeping, re-setting my internal clock, but the fluorescent lights and ribbons of Arabic that stream from the ceiling won’t let me rest.
Hi, my name is Rebecca Elizabeth Yeong Ae Corey, and I am a member of the Kiva Fellows Program’s 9th class. I trained for a week in San Francisco, had two days to pack up my bags and say my goodbyes in my hometown of Athens, Georgia, and now I am headed for Tanzania. Once I get to Dar es Salaam, I will settle into a homestay and begin work at Tujijenge Tanzania, Ltd., one of Kiva’s field partner MFI’s. I’m en route. I am Tanzania bound. (more…)
