Archive for October, 2010
iShop4microfinance, what do you shop 4?
Is there a way to make microfinance a part of your daily life, as you buy the things you need, or as you shop for presents for Christmas (always right around the corner?). Now there is a website which can help you do that, and all you have to do is click through it.
A U.S. Microfinance Roadtrip
By Sarah Warfield, Kiva Intern with ACCION USA
Growing up my family was big on ‘the road trip’. Every summer we would load up whatever large car we owned and we would set out on a good ol’fashioned American road trip. I’ve seen the world’s biggest prairie dog, stayed in a light house on Green bay, gotten stuck in a snow storm in New Mexico, and I can tell almost every state’s license plate from 20 feet way.
Sadly it had been a while since I’ve been on a good road trip, but now at ACCION USA as the Kiva intern I feel like I’m on a constant road trip. Everyday is a new client in a new city with a new story. It has impressed upon me that US microfinance is a giant map and every small business is another destination waiting for a visit. Plus, Kiva is now opening its doors to more US partners and the access that lenders will have to these destinations will be even greater–expanding the scope of the microfinance road trip.
Kiva Launches With a New U.S. Partner
By Casey Koppelson, KF12, United States
Last week Kiva launched a new partnership in the United States: ACCION Texas-Louisiana. How does Kiva usher in new partners? I spoke to Libby Parsons at ACCION Texas-Louisiana to find out.
Continue Reading 30 October 2010 at 00:00 caseykoppelson 1 comment
Unlocking the Potential: Islamic Finance in the Philippines
By Kaajal Laungani, KF12 Philippines
“We have Muslim brothers who avail (financial) services but the way they avail (these loans) is against our culture, against our beliefs.” ~Muslim leader, Davao, Mindanao
A pioneer in Islamic Finance, CEVI is the only microfinance institution in the Philippines (according to the Microfinance Council of the Philippines) that has developed a microfinance model rooted in Islam that conforms to the religious and cultural beliefs of Muslim clients. To date, the project involves 10 clients with a total portfolio of Php 51,000 ($1,186 USD). If the product proves to be successful, CEVI will extend the services to Muslim communities near branches throughout the Philippines. Hopefully as early as next year we’ll see Islamic loans from CEVI on Kiva!
Continue Reading 29 October 2010 at 14:00 klaungani 2 comments
This, too, is Liberia
by EB Moore, KF12 Liberia
As I prepare to leave Liberia, I find that I’m at a loss for words to describe my feelings. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I’m letting some photos do the talking for me in this photo diary.
Continue Reading 29 October 2010 at 11:00 EB Moore Leave a comment
Work Life Balance
By John Rauschkolb III, KF-12, Philippines
They have a saying in Tagalog (native Filipino language), “hnd k mggng kuntento kung lagi mOng hnahnap ay ang gus2 o ninais mo, matuto kang mag-appreciate ng kung anung meron ka”. The translation to English is “You can never be content if you keep looking for something that you do not have, so start counting and appreciate the things that you do have…”
Continue Reading 29 October 2010 at 10:00 jrauschkolb3 2 comments
When Cultural Differences Become Frustrations
By Julie Shea, KF12, Peru
Living abroad and dealing with cultural differences will inevitably, at some point, present challenges and frustrations. I think it’s the manner in which we address, deal with, and learn from these challenges that make time spent living in a foreign culture so valuable. One of the challenges I had to deal with during my time in Pucallpa (a city in Peru’s Amazon region) was the attention I got from men as a female foreigner.
Continue Reading 27 October 2010 at 17:00 julieshea Leave a comment
Starting Women-owned Businesses
By Donald Hart, KF12, Tajikistan
In 2008, IMON International, one of Kiva’s Field Partners in Tajikistan, conducted a community survey to identify potential opportunities to improve their product line. They found that quite a few women were interested in starting businesses, but so far had not been able to secure funding. With the help of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the National Association of Business Women in Tajikistan (NABWT), they launched the Women’s Start-up program in late 2009.
Click below to see photos and hear the story of my visit to two of these women’s start-up businesses.
Continue Reading 27 October 2010 at 14:04 donaldhart 5 comments
Sharing Risotto with my MFI…
By Vanick Der Bedrossian, KF12.
What is the best way to get a whole office of micro-credit employees together on short notice?
Today I found the answer: pumpkin risotto.
As I am nearing the end of my Kiva fellowship in Armenia, I got together with my MFI staff at SEF International for a goodbye lunch. Armenia is known for its great barbecues, so I decided to cook up something new…and vegetarian.
Continue Reading 26 October 2010 at 12:00 vanickd 4 comments
The Most Boring Election in East Africa
By Ann Hingst, KF12 Tanzania
While many Americans will spend next Sunday, October 31, trick-or-treating, Tanzanians will be headed to the polls. October 31, 2010 marks a general election for Tanzania, and voters will choose their President for the next five-year term.
Continue Reading 26 October 2010 at 07:00 annhingst 6 comments
The United States Through the Eyes of a Managuan Taxi Driver
By Dan Tulchin, KF12, Nicaragua
I have always been interested to learn the local perceptions of the United States when living abroad. On a recent night, after jumping in a cab, I spent some quality time with Jauro, a loquacious taxi driver with an opinion on just about everything. For contextual purposes, I must provide some information about the taxi experience in Nicaragua’s capital. Firstly, as in many developing countries, there are no streets or number signs. Directions are all relative to a common park, cemetery, rotunda, mall, you name it. In Managua, al lago refers to the north (where the lake is), arriba marks east (where the sun rises) and abajo west (where the sun sets). A typical direction might read “de la rotunda de Plaza Inter, una cuadra al lago, una abajo, al frente del cementario.” Executing a flawless taxi ride to your planned destination can be a feat in and of itself. Secondly, taxis have proved to be a potential danger for many foreigners. As most taxis are collective rides, many foreigners have found themselves in a precarious position in the back of a cab after the driver picks up a couple of his associates, who then promptly demand any and all valuables. There are many precautionary measures that people take to protect themselves: pretending to call a friend and repeating the license plate number, sitting in the front, only calling certain drivers, snapping a picture of the license plate, and only employing older drivers, to name a few. Making friends with a taxi driver can be very shrewd.
Within minutes of picking me up, Jauro definitively stated his three favorite things about my homeland, which I believe was very telling for how many Nicaraguans view the United States.
Number 1 – the almighty USD$. “Anywhere in the entire world, you can carry the dollar; it’s not quite the same for Nicaraguan Cordoba.” Astute point, Jauro. Indeed, the USD$ is actually legal tender in Nicaragua and his point underlined the broader theme of the extent of American economic influence in the country. It’s important to note that while Ortega and the top brass of the Nicaraguan government have at times used less than flattering rhetoric toward the U.S., the two countries work closely on development, infrastructure, tourism and trade issues. The level of remittances and the number of secondhand goods (think cars and buses) coming south from the states also greatly affect Nicaraguans.
Number 2 – the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicaraguans are crazy about baseball, more so than soccer. There are scores of serious Yankees, Red Sox and Phillies fans, in particular, and the sport can be a great icebreaker and topic of conversation in many social settings. At CEPRODEL (http://www.ceprodel.org.ni/), where I am currently stationed, the CFO and I frequently debate baseball and lament the Yankees’ recent playoff exit.
Number 3 – Jennifer Aniston. This probably elicited the most animation from Jauro – to say that he was a big fan would be an understatement. American movies and television shows are piped in to the few cable channels here and are often the nighttime entertainment for many families. Action heroes like Bruce Willis are household names. More generally, the pervasiveness of American music, movies and fashion is stunning. It’s hard to truly appreciate the cultural reach of the United States without living abroad.
Generally, this is the prism that Jauro, and many others, see the United States. While it may be somewhat distorted, it certainly leaves me with a newfound appreciation for how the United States truly influences everyday life for many Central Americans.
Dan Tulchin (KF12) is enjoying his last few days in Nicaragua and looks forward to life back in the Big Apple.
Prescriptions are not just for medicine
By Zerrin Cetin, KF12 Ghana
Obruni (Often yelled, “Ooobrruuuniii”). A word that meant nothing to me just three short months ago. Now, it is a word that induces feelings of happiness, anger, and indifference all at the same time. In Ghana, a foreigner is called obruni. Really, it is more of a greeting than anything. Admittedly, it took me a while to get used to being called obruni.
While my fellowship is providing me with a fantastic opportunity to learn about microfinance, this obruni example illustrates a part of my fellowship that I equally cherish – Living in a country very different than my own. This is pushing me to be open-minded despite how strange circumstances might seem at times. This openness, in turn, is pushing me to think about things that I had never thought about before. I think a recent experience illustrates this nicely. A very interesting question was posed to me by a Ghanaian. “Do you think my country will ever reach your country?”
Continue Reading 25 October 2010 at 04:00 zerrincetin 9 comments
What is a ‘Green Run’?
By John Rauschkolb III, KF12 Philippines
What is a ‘Green Run’ was the first question I asked myself when I heard I will be participating in the annual Green Run event. It was explained to me as a community development program to raise awareness of global warming by running a 1k race with a tree in hand to a field where we are to dig a hole and plant our tree. I thought to myself, ‘how does running a race and planting a tree have anything in common’? It didn’t hit me until our group exercise before the run. The green run is not just a program to raise awareness about the environment but about health in general. Running the 1k race is healthy or ‘green’ for our bodies and planting the tree is healthy for the environment.
Continue Reading 25 October 2010 at 00:04 jrauschkolb3 1 comment
An Unexpected Vegan Treat
On my recent trip to the Nagorno Karabakh region, I made my way into an open-air produce market. My stash of pickled cabbage was running low, so I decided to buy some more. But as soon as I entered, my focus drifted off towards the delicious smell of freshly baked bread and herbs. Following my nose, I soon spot a group of women preparing treats. I forget about the pickled cabbage and head straight to the street vendors.
Continue Reading 25 October 2010 at 00:01 vanickd 3 comments
A Photo Diary of Uganda
Sarah Curl, KF12 Uganda
Here is a photo diary of what I have seen in Uganda over the past three months.
A Promising Loan
By Nick Whalley, KF12, Philippines
As I noted in an earlier blog, the bulk of the Center for Community Transformation’s loans are made to small variety store owners for inventory restocking. While this capital is necessary to sustain these businesses, and at times allows owners to diversify their offerings, it is clear there are few opportunities for growth. Competition is rampant, and demand local and limited.
It was inspiring then to meet a “round rag” maker in Manila who had developed partnerships with two companies interested in purchasing her rags. The companies needed thousands, and the borrower was having difficulty satisfying the new orders. A single employee working with a single sewing machine was simply insufficient. The production process is quite simple: scrap fabric from a local t-shirt factory is sewn into two sunflower shaped pieces six inches in diameter. Smaller pieces of colorful fabric are placed in the middle of one of the sunflowers and the other is sewn on top creating a thick, ravioli-like rag (see below). The borrower mentioned she had spent the last week looking for an affordable new sewing machine (she would purchase it with a CCT loan) to help her expand production. She also intended to hire an additional employee.
Continue Reading 24 October 2010 at 00:44 nwhalley 2 comments
Are Microfinance Organizations Empowering Entrepreneurs?
By Becky Myers, KF12, Sierra Leone
Illiteracy and a lack of basic business skills are one of the primary reasons why many economic activities fail. In Sierra Leone, illiteracy rates hover around 71% for females and 48% for males, one of the worst in the world. Basic business skills of many entrepreneurs are also largely lacking. Interviewing borrowers reveals that the majority of entrepreneurs commingle business transactions with personal activities. Business transactions are largely tracked mentally, translating to unknown sales, expenses and, crucially, profit. Under these circumstances, determining whether borrowers understand business growth dynamics relative to the interest costs of their loan is a looming question. Can the majority of these entrepreneurs truly benefit from microfinance?
Costa Rica: Tropical Paradise?
By Gabriel Francis, Kiva Fellow class 12 in Costa Rica
When asked what they think of Costa Rica most people usually refer to the poster in their local travel agency, white palm beaches, virgin cloud forests, and toucans. Yet, there is a side of Costa Rica that the tour packages pouring out of San Jose regrettably fail to recount. The truth is, while eco-tourism and liberal trade agreements have brought prosperity to some in Costa Rica, many Ticos still live below the poverty line.
Is ignorance bliss? We Kiva Lenders know better.
A Costa Rican family displays the duality of Costa Rica: First class tourist destination on the outside but many families in the inner valleys still struggle.
Uganda’s Taxi Park: Organization in the Chaos
By Sarah Curl, KF 12 Uganda
It’s five thirty in the morning and my cell phone that functions as an alarm, telephone, clock and flashlight is going off. The sound starts off soothing but gets more obnoxious as the minutes pass. I reach out but my bed net is blocking my access to the blaring sound. I fumble around the bed net and find some opening to reach out and turn my alarm off. This morning is the start of a long day which consists of traveling to a branch that is five hours away. As I quickly get up, I stumble around and find clothes that appear appropriate in the dark. I grab a yogurt that I drink while I walk the ten minutes to find a boda-boda. My eyes have not completely opened yet but with the boda speeding through traffic lanes and oncoming traffic, it always has a way of waking you up and being the natural caffeine you need in the morning.
Continue Reading 21 October 2010 at 14:00 sarahcurl 2 comments
Infrastructure War: How Trying to Fix a Problem Can Sometimes Become a Fight
by Sam Kendall KF12 Tajikistan
Currently there is a conflict brewing in Central Asia. The conflict is between a few different countries, and the cause is infrastructure. We’ve learned how infrastructure can raise costs of microfinance. Learn how it can raise costs of regular items, and the cost of nationalistic tendencies.
(with videos)
Who says loan officer training can’t be fun?!
by Tara Capsuto, Kiva Fellow, Ecuador
Armed with training materials and a couple of motivational video messages from staff members at Fundación D-MIRO Misión Alianza, D-MIRO’s Kiva Coordinator, Rubi, and I left behind the bustling commercial hub of Guayaquil for the coastal city of General Villamil Playas. Our mission: train loan officers for Kiva responsibilities, from understanding how the website works, to conducting interviews and journaling so D-MIRO can post more borrowers to Kiva. Here’s a short description and a video chronicle of our journey, which included some delicious ceviche and inspiring borrower visits.
Providing More than Just Loans
By Lorena Gil, KF12, Fondo Esperanza – Chile
I have a love / hate relationship with credit and I doubt I am the only one. More than anything it’s what credit enables us to do that appeals to us as borrowers. It can be as simple as giving us the opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts for loved ones or as big as college loans or even a house. If those of us in developed countries cannot function without credit imagine those in impoverished communities.
Andrea (FE loan officer) facilitating a training session
Nicaragua by any means necessary
By Dan Tulchin, KF12, Nicaragua
Zaporozhye Celebrates Its Birthday!
This year Zaporozhye is 240 years young!!!!
The city celebrated last night with a huge concert and a very impressive fireworks show on Festival Square. As your dedicated Kiva Fellow, I felt it was rather important to report on this rare and awesome occasion, and of course getting to know the popular singers on stage meant deeper cultural immersion.
Sadly, my fellowship in Ukraine will come to an end soon, but I will always treasure the memories from this 3 month Kiva adventure. Last night was just one of the many warm and fun moments I’ve had here.
Ani Lorak (Ани Лорак) or did Bon Jovi know I was there too?
Potap and Nastya Kemeskih wish us a Happy Birthday (Потап и Настя Каменских):
Margarita Salasyuk is a Kiva Fellow with HOPE Ukraine in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. As she wraps up her work with HOPE Ukraine, she is cherishing her last two weeks in Zap. She still has a few other things to write about and some final thoughts and observations on Ukraine, so please stay tuned!
Partner Politics, Or, How to Motivate a Loan Officer
Betsy McCormick, KF12, Honduras
When most of us think Kiva, we picture the website and hard-working entrepreneurs standing in their corner stores or out in their fields. Kiva is, after all, a direct connection between lenders and borrowers. Well…sorta kinda. You are probably aware that Kiva works through field partners—the “middlemen” who find loan clients, approve loans, and submit borrower profiles for the Kiva Community to fund. But after nearly three months working with one of those field partners, I have come to the tough realization that this process can be a clunky one. What happens when loan officers can’t or simply don’t want to post a Kiva loan? It begs the question of who exactly is benefiting from Kiva. In this vein, I attempt to elucidate the push and pull between entrepreneur, institution, loan officer and last but not least, the Kiva Fellow caught in the middle.
Continue Reading 17 October 2010 at 10:00 betsywmccormick 5 comments
Maintaining flexible foundations: A few simple data organizational tips
from Casey Unrein
Data provides the basis for measuring financial status, making estimates, keeping track of progress on projects and maintaining relationships with clients. As a business grows the need to formalize data and organize it into a system that is accessible to others becomes imperative. Unfortunately, the process of recording data in an accessible format can be terribly expensive. In my short career in the finance and client services world I have seen first hand a large number of limitations faced by employees & owners due to weak systems. Interestingly a number of these limitations could have been easily avoided and/or can be overcome with by a few small fixes and at limited expense. I would like to share a few tips that I have picked up in my career that have served me well in my current work as a Kiva Fellow.
Continue Reading 16 October 2010 at 10:00 Casey Unrein 1 comment
Welcome KF13!
On behalf of the Kiva Fellows Class 12, I’d like to give a huge welcome to the newest graduates from Kiva Fellows training: Welcome KF13!
Soon you will be embarking on adventures all across the world, meeting with Kiva’s partner micro-finance institutions, rushing around to find suitable (and affordable) accommodation, adjusting to the time change, or the food, and of course, blogging yourselves on the Kiva Fellows blog.
Enjoy your fellowships- I think I can speak for KF12 when I say that it feels like only yesterday we had just finished our own training and stumbled out into the world, with our heads chock full of information and our hearts filled with Kiva love.
Welcome to the Kiva family!
Kiva love,
KF12
Happy Birthday, Kiva!
By Casey Koppelson, KF12, San Francisco
Last night the Kiva family gathered in San Francisco to celebrate five years of connecting people through lending. In a speech at the VIP reception, Kiva president Premal Shah asked the audience if they could name factors behind Kiva’s success. What is Kiva’s secret ingredient?
Continue Reading 14 October 2010 at 22:44 caseykoppelson Leave a comment
Indigenous Peoples’ Forum
By John Rauschkolb III, KF12 Philippines
The indigenous people of the Philippines are the descendants of the original inhabitants of the Philippines who have resisted both the Spanish and U.S. colonization. They are to the Philippines what the native Indians are to the U.S. Represented by 100 plus mountainous tribes who make up only 3% of the Philippines, they are a dying culture that is struggling to retain the native customs and traditions.
During my travels in the Philippines I have been able to visit with a few indigenous people and was awed at their knowledge and spirit of the land. During one visit, our travels included a canoe ride from one side of the river upstream to the main village as it is inaccessible by roads. The journey took us through small rapids, around exotic animals and beautiful scenery.
It was impressive to see fields of corn which were grown into the hillside, naturally flowing spring water brought in by hose, men fishing in canoes and large fires making charcoal. Alalay Sa Kaunlaran (ASKI), Inc. is committed to providing services beyond micro-finance to ensure the continued success of the indigenous people. ASKI held a ‘Valuable Indigenous People’s Forum’ in Baler, a native area, where they put on a two day assessment and consultative workshop conducted for the indigenous people.
Through the help of ASKI and Kiva lenders, there is hope for the indigenous people of the Philippines.
