Archive for September, 2011
Motorcycle Madness
By Marcus Berkowitz, KF16, Ecuador
“Do you know how to ride a motorcycle?” asked the stranger seated directly in front of me, his voice muffled by his helmet.
I thought it a little late to ask, seeing as I was currently gripping his belly from behind as we flew, several mph faster than strict necessity would dictate, around a precipitously tight corner on the edge of the western cordillera of the Andes.
“No,” I said, “I’m supposed to put my hands over your eyes, right?”
Continue Reading 30 September 2011 at 08:36 marcusofulano 3 comments
Home to a New Adventure: Hoş Geldiniz Maya!
Unlike some of my KF 16 fellows classmates, I did not have to rush to the bookstore to read up on the country where I was about to be posted, figure out if my cell phone would work overseas, or learn about internet capabilities because Istanbul has been my home for about the last 12 years. I am lucky that I already have an apartment, know how to get around, know how to order what I want to eat and even knew where my MFI was located. No panic attacks about my new location but lots of panic about blogging and about what my first blog should be on.
Continue Reading 30 September 2011 at 05:00 act4impact 1 comment
Take the Long Way Home: A Loan Officer’s Journey
By Claire Markham, KF16, Kenya
Before I arrived in Nairobi, I had heard on multiple occasions about the fundamental role loan officers play in making an MFI function. Loan officers are the backbone of the organization; they are intimately familiar with their clients and the challenges they face and they go to extraordinary measures to meet client needs. I was able to fully appreciate this on my recent borrower visits in Mombasa with two of SMEP’s loan officers: the one who supposedly travels the most, and the one who supposedly travels the least.
Continue Reading 29 September 2011 at 13:00 clairemarkham 6 comments
A Song and a Wheelchair Ramp for a New Bank
By Emmanuel M. von Arx, KF 16, Ecuador
What do a song and a wheelchair ramp have in common? If you are a corporate lawyer in Ecuador, you may know the answer. Everybody else, please read on.
Only recently I learned that my host and Kiva´s partner organization Banco D-MIRO has its own company song! It combines a memorable piece of poetry with a rather inspired composition. A recording follows!
Continue Reading 28 September 2011 at 18:00 Emmanuel von Arx 2 comments
Lean on Me: The Impact of Responsive Loans in Coastal Kenya
Lauren Barra, KF16, Kenya
“A startling new statistic from the World Health Organization,” the BBC announcer sounded from my taxi’s radio. “There are only two registered medical professionals for every 1,000 Kenyans…” As I drove through the bustling, overcrowded streets of downtown Mombasa, I took a deep breath and was reminded once again – my work here is not going to be easy.
The BBC announcer continued to explain that this data is even more sobering for poor, uninsured Kenyans who rely on government-funded hospitals. A recent economic survey showed that only 19 public health officials and 18 doctors are available per 100,000 Kenyans. Public doctors are often overwhelmed with patients and it’s not uncommon for Kenyans to pass away waiting to receive essential care. Insured patients have the option to go to a private facility and have a much better chance of receiving quality care. Few Kenyans in this region can afford traditional health insurance plans and families suffer devastating setbacks if one member falls seriously ill.
Continue Reading 28 September 2011 at 13:44 Lauren Barra 6 comments
Waga-what?!
By Allison Moomey, KF16, Burkina Faso
Ouagadougou- pronounced Wagadugu and lovingly referred to as Ouaga by those who live here- is home to Micro Start, Kiva’s first partner in the small west African country of Burkina Faso. If you’re like most, you’re wondering … Is that a country? Where? I must know it by another name. Is it a new country? Why have I never heard of it?
Yes it’s a country. In West Africa. It’s previous name was the Republic of the Upper Volta (awesome). No, it’s not a new country. I’m not sure why few have heard of it, but I would venture to guess because it’s small, stable, and poor. African countries don’t tend to make the news when they’re peaceful and lack global economic impact.
Continue Reading 27 September 2011 at 15:15 Allison Moomey 6 comments
Update from the Field: Starting Capital, Development Levels + Adventurous Borrower Visits
Compiled by Kathrin Gerner, KF16, Rwanda
This week on the Kiva fellows blog, start your journey in Indonesia and read about some early lessons of a Kiva fellow. Then continue on to the Americas to take part in El Salvador’s independence day celebrations, find out how to start a business with 26 cents in Honduras, learn about the different levels of development of Bolivia and Sierra Leone, and finally go on an adventurous borrower visit in Nicaragua.
Continue Reading 26 September 2011 at 05:01 Kathrin Gerner 6 comments
Borrower Verification–Part II (Mom, I Don’t Feel So Well)
“80% certainty is pretty good”, I thought, as I sent the information to Kiva’s home office in San Francisco.
“Yea, pretty good. But is it good enough?”
Would it be good enough for you?
(excerpt taken from Part I of Borrower Verification)
In a word….no. That is, it wasn’t good enough. Again, it’s not that anyone was making unfounded accusations or looking for something that wasn’t there. I say this because although Kiva does make a great effort to avoid any association with activities ranging from “less than 100% honest” to “blatantly fraudulent”, there’s really not a culture of doubt, suspicion or looking for fraud under every rock. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s just that in the Borrower Verification, there’s no room for uncertainty, and although 80% isn’t so bad for a junior high math quiz, it just doesn’t cut it for an official audit.
So with that, I headed back to the beginning. Data was gathered, details were compared and facts revisited to ensure consistency. Camera? Check. Loan details? Check. Photo of borrower? Check. Snack, small amount of cash, sun block and rain jacket? Check. Check. Check. Check.
Continue Reading 25 September 2011 at 07:00 Jason Jones 8 comments
Borrower Verification–Part 1 (Locked Out)
Borrower Verification. Anyone who considers them-self to be a regular visitor to the Kiva Fellows Blog has most likely come across this topic on more than one occasion. It’s a common task to check off on the official TO-DO LIST of the average Fellow, and I, as a current member of the group, am no exception. Since most of us cringe ever so subtly at the sound of such titles as “auditor” or “microfinance cop”, however, we seem to try to put a more positive spin on the whole idea. After all, who wants to dwell on the shady side of the industry? As a collective group, we’re typically strong believers in the economic growth and productivity associated with supporting entrepreneurship on a micro level, as well as the benefits that come from supporting a “bottom-up” approach to development, one that provides struggling entrepreneurs with a way to lift themselves out of poverty. It’s that whole idea of “hey, stop your whining and pull yourself up by your bootstraps!” mixed with a softer-socially conscious-love your neighbor- peace, my brother-spread the wealth-fight the man-can’t we all just get along-teach them to fish-mentality. Ahhhh……such a harmonious blend.
Continue Reading 24 September 2011 at 07:00 Jason Jones 8 comments
Same Rung of the Ladder?
Eric Rindal – KF16 – Bolivia
After Jeffrey Sachs started talking about ladders, rungs, and poverty, many wondered if there would be an end to poverty. The way he saw it was that if a developing country could just make it to that first “rung” on the ladder, they would reach the global economy and lift themselves from poverty. He augmented this with “clinical economics,” treating developing countries like patients by offering a unique diagnosis, by properly addressing a country’s need. I am not going to analyze Sachs’ book, rather I will compare the differences of my two Kiva Fellowships in countries considered on similar “rungs.”
A month ago I was living in Sierra Leone for my first Kiva Fellowship, today is my tenth day in La Paz, Bolivia for my second Fellowship. These are two very different experiences; sometimes I don’t know where I am when I wake in the morning. In Sierra Leone I was often the only white person (I am part Norwegian) in most situations, and in Bolivia I am often the tallest person in the room (barefoot I’m 6’ 4½ ”). I don’t fit in, so what? Fortunately these Kiva partners in Sierra Leone and Bolivia have looked past what I am, to focus on who I am. Spending time in each country has given me a glimpse into their views on development and microfinance. This has allowed me to not look at what these countries are — considered the poorest in their regions – but who they are – uniquely developing. I am finding the needs of a country vary tremendously.
Continue Reading 23 September 2011 at 03:00 erindal 5 comments
New City, New Field Partner: Getting to know VisionFund Indonesia (Part 2 of 2)
By Laurie Young, KF16, Indonesia
When we last left off in this new adventure, I hadn’t yet stepped foot into the office of my Field Partner, VisionFund Indonesia (VFI). It’s amazing what a difference two weeks makes! Not only have I now spent time in the office with the staff at Headquarters (HQ) and met with loan officers at two branches, I was also invited to attend the Annual Meeting for VFI near Bandung, Indonesia! What’s a better way to get to know an organization than by spending a week attending presentations about the past, present, and future of the MFI and participate in team building activities? Thanks to the help of the Kiva Coordinator and others who probably regretted sitting next to me during the training (because they ended up having to translate pieces of presentations from Bahasa Indonesian to English), I’ll fill you in on some of the great things I’ve learned! Also, if you manage to make it to the end of this post, I promise to provide you with a great surprise that we could call ‘Laurie’s Justin Bieber Indonesian Karaoke debut.’
Continue Reading 22 September 2011 at 04:00 laurie4485 7 comments
WWYD with 5 Lempiras?
By Sandra Pina, KF16, Honduras.
What would you do with 5 lempiras (26 cents)? Toss it it in your coin jar? Tip your barista? What if I told you that with 5 lempiras, a bit of business savvy and determination, you could start your own business. Skeptical? Of course you are. I was too, until I met Ever.
Ever is from Teocinte, a small community of 30 families located in the municipality of San Rafael. It took six hours to reach Teocinte from ODEF Financiera’s main office in San Pedro Sula. Three hours from S.P.S to Gracias and then another 3 hours from Gracias to Teocinte. The second leg was filled with rain, mud, steep inclines, ditches and rocks, lots of them. It was one of the most intense and nerve-wracking rides I have ever taken, but Ever was well worth the journey!
Continue Reading 21 September 2011 at 10:05 pinayprestamos 10 comments
I love saying ‘cachiporras’
By Andrea Ramirez, KF16, El Salvador.
Last Thursday, September 15th, we celebrated Independence day here in El Salvador. However, El Salvador was not alone in the celebrations as Mexico, Honduras and Nicaragua also had their own festivities on that very same day. It was a colorful day, and I want to share a bit of the awesome show that I got to enjoy here in San Miguel.
Continue Reading 20 September 2011 at 15:48 Andrea Ramirez 1 comment
Update from the Field: Going Pilot to Active, Meeting Borrowers + Technology and Social Performance
Compiled by Kathrin Gerner, KF16, Rwanda
It has been a busy week for bloggers. The 16th class of Kiva fellows (KF16) hits the ground running and invites you to share their first experiences in their host countries across the globe. Arrive in Georgia just in time for harvest season. Continue to Sierra Leone to watch a new Kiva field partner go from pilot to active. Jump out of a plane in Rwanda – but not without a few parachutes – and learn more about agricultural loans. Bump into a Kiva borrower in Ecuador. Travel to Burkina Faso – a poor country rich in culture. Study the effects of technology on social performance of microfinance institutions in Cambodia. And to top it all off, immerse yourself in the generosity and kindness of the people of Paraguay.
Continue Reading 19 September 2011 at 01:34 Kathrin Gerner 7 comments
Navigating Asunción through an Amazing Network of Human Connections
By Alba Castillo, KF 16 Paraguay
The other night my landlady, Señora Ada, came up to my apartment with two slices of pizza her husband had just made. We chitchatted while I enjoyed a fabulous concoction of cheese, meats and olives over a flaky thin crust. A few minutes later, as Señora Ada was walking out of my door, I was encouraged to come downstairs and spend time with her family anytime I got lonely. I started to draft this blog entry as soon as she left. I wondered, will the generosity and kindness I have experienced from day one ever cease to amaze me?
Agriculture Loans: What Makes Them So Different?
Agriculture loans are considerably different products than most micro loans. Agriculture loans include unique risks and potentially higher costs of servicing. In this article, Adam Cohn explains those differences, and how Kiva and Kiva lenders like you can help out poor farmers in Rwanda.
Continue Reading 16 September 2011 at 12:00 adamcohnkivafellow 2 comments
Can Technology Influence MFI Social Performance?
By Dave Weber, KF16 Cambodia
The microfinance industry has been slow to adopt information and communication technologies. Therefore, they are in the technological transitional period that most organizations in the developed world already traversed in the late 20th century. These technologies radically change the way that MFIs operate. There has also been an impetus as of late to encourage social performance among MFIs. Theoretically, we can make a connection between technological capabilities and MFI social performance, but the empirical and anecdotal evidence have yet to be uncovered.
Continue Reading 16 September 2011 at 09:00 bluepotatokiva 1 comment
The Cultural Complexities of Poverty Alleviation
By Allison Moomey, KF 16, Burkina Faso
About 3 weeks ago I arrived in Burkina Faso, ready and excited to work with Micro Start, Kiva’s first partner in the west African country. Micro Start has an amazing mission “to improve families’ living conditions in general, and that of women in particular, by facilitating access to financial and non-financial services” and a conscientious staff who start working at 7:30am to carry it out. This is Micro Start’s Kiva Coordinator (KC) and I at the office during one my first days:
Continue Reading 15 September 2011 at 10:20 Allison Moomey 3 comments
What are Chances of Meeting a Kiva Borrower in Guayaquil?
By Emmanuel M. von Arx, KF 16, Ecuador
Taxi drivers were not in the forefront of my mind when I was walking out of Guayaquil´s international airport into the hot and humid air of this Ecuadorian port city. I had just been welcomed by Rubi Chaca who thankfully was driving me to my hotel. Rubi is the expert in charge of managing the loans made by Kiva lenders at Kiva´s partner organization Banco D-MIRO.
Only minutes before, as my plane was approaching Guayaquil, I had been able to grasp the enormity of this sprawling city. As I was soon to learn, Guayaquil represents a condensed microcosm of the whole country, with all its regions, peoples, and customs being represented. It is a place of extreme contradictions and contrasts…
Continue Reading 14 September 2011 at 16:00 Emmanuel von Arx 8 comments
The Kiva Parachute: Landing in Rwanda
By Whitney Webb, KF16, Rwanda
Things became real when I stepped out of my NYC apartment for the last time and hailed a cab to the airport. It was one thing to say (repeatedly) “I’m moving to Rwanda to do a fellowship in microfinance. I’m so excited. And a little nervous.” It’s quite another to pack up your bags and actually board a plane to Rwanda, or Indonesia, or Paraguay, etc… I’m guessing more than one of us Kiva fellows had the inevitable panic attack prior to and during departure.
Continue Reading 14 September 2011 at 02:53 Whitney Webb 8 comments
Full Hearts, Engines Ready: Going Pilot to Active in Freetown
By Tejal Desai, KF 16, Sierra Leone
Just over a week ago, I hopped on the back of an okada (motorbike) to head to my first day as a Kiva Fellow at the BRAC Sierra Leone country office in Freetown. I felt like the giddy new kid on the first day of school, equipped with my oversized backpack, thick binder of training materials, and colossal water bottle. I couldn’t wait to dive into my fellowship, learn about BRAC’s work in Sierra Leone, promote sustainability, and meet the amazing people who implement and utilize BRAC’s services. Above all, I couldn’t wait to be a part of the transition BRAC is undergoing to become an active Kiva field partner.
Continue Reading 12 September 2011 at 19:00 Tejal Desai 2 comments
The Velvet Season
“You are lucky,” my taxi driver tells me. “You have arrived in the best time in Georgia!”
Ready for the harvest!
Peak of perfection
- Churchkhela- almonds and hazelnuts hand-dipped in grape must. Yum!
Chilled watermelon
Tbilisi's sulfur baths and garden
A farm house near the Russian border
Fishing on the Mtkvari river
The Circle of Life; Filipino Style
The phrase “The Circle of Life”, for individuals of my age demographic, typically conjures up images of Timon and Pumba. Hopefully I did not pull you into this blog under false pretenses but unfortunately the title is the only relation to the famous Disney movie. My hope is that you will continue reading in order to find out what “The Circle of Life” has to do with microfinance and Kiva.
First off, let me introduce you to the place, which is not Africa. For this circle of life I will be showing you around the workings of my MFI placement in Manila, Philippines. My MFI placement is called Center for Community Transformation (CCT). I have been working with CCT for just a week and already had a whirlwind introduction to what was microcredit services at birth and has transformed into a diverse body of services to enhance the lives of their “partners” in Metro Manila and to the greater body of the Philippines.
Prior to starting my Kiva fellow duties associated with their microfinance activities, the staff at CCT wanted to introduce me to the breadth of services they offer so I can understand how my participation in their microcredit services is contributing to a much bigger picture. I am going to bring you along on the ride, so you can get a glimpse of this bigger picture as well.
- Microfinance services- My first two days here I got to travel to several field offices of CCT, in order to see individual lenders and community lending meetings. One of these areas is just outside of Manila and it is called Payatas. This place is home to Manila’s infamous trash mountain called “The Smokey Mountain” (please see links on bottom for more information). Here many of the entrepeneurs own junk shops to clean and re-sell the items that have been scavenged from the nearby infamous “Smokey Mountain”.
- Payatas, the infamous “Smokey Mountain” landfill
- Health services- In this same field office I was introduced to just a portion of the services offered by CCT in their field offices. Here the CCT staff look for individuals that show leadership and consistency in participation in order to recruit them to be health partners for individuals undergoing Tuberculosis treatment in their area. The reason this is important is because the treatment for TB is a daily, six month long treatment that requires much support to complete correctly. If left to themselves, TB patients will often not complete the treatment without support.
- Feedings for Kaibigans (Tagalog for friends) aka Street dwellers- Manila is home to a large community of street dwellers. CCT has developed a transitional program to help individuals, who desire to do so, get off of the streets and find housing, mentorship, job training and school services for their children.
- Trade/job training- for the Kaibigans in areas of trade that include construction, janitorial work, sewing and agriculture (rice farming).
- School services and job skills for Kaibigan children- CCT has constructed several schools (by Kaibigan construction workers) to provide boarding and school services to students of all ages. In addition to this, they provide trade and job skill training to the teenage students.
- Agricultural services- for those Kaibigans who choose this areas of speciality they get to move out of Manila to help manage the rice fields and agricultural areas that are a part of the CCT portfolio . Not only do they earn a wage and food for their home/community, the food goes to supply the on-going Kaibigan feeding program from which these individuals came.
- Jobs- CCT provides jobs to the Kaibigans that go through their training programs as well as increased leadership opportunities for the entrepeneurs that show potential in these areas. The janitorial staff work at all of the CCT field offices (spanning the Philippines), the construction workers help build the buildings going up for CCT’s growing programs and the agricultural workers get to help raise the crops for the feeding program.
- CCT provides job training for former street dweller which they call Kaibigan (Tagalog for friend)
- Support and create community water programs- CCT finds local spiritual communities to become partners in supply affordable and safe drinking waters to low income areas. Through the water program, CCT is able to offer more jobs to Kaibigan to run the water purification process and packaging. CCT also works with local microentrepeneurs so that they can sell the safe water products.
The aforementioned items are a part of the whirlwind orientation I received over the last four days. I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did. These programs grew out of what was initially just microcredit services. It became a circle where borrowers become health partners and community leaders and former street dwellers find homes, get jobs, supply their products and skills to enhance CCT’s day to day functions. A CCT field staff and I were talking over my time in orientation and she kept emphasizing to me this element of spiritual transformation, long term growth/vision and sustainability. Together we joked about this “circle of life” that CCT is trying to provide. At the end of four days, it is not so much a joke but a serious and inspiring vision to me.
For more information on Manila’s “Smoky Mountain”:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/world/asia/21iht-city7.1790859.html?pagewanted
Jill is a Kiva Fellow (KF16) currently serving with the microfinance institution CCT in Manila, Philippines. In addition to seeing micro-finance work first hand, she’s looking forward to personally assisting food vendor micro-entrepreneurs across the Philippines to increase their revenue. Please be a part of this movement and check out more about the stories of CCT, the Philippines and Kiva. Visit Kiva.org and CCT’s partner page (http://www.kiva.org/partners/1440).
9 September 2011 at 05:08 The Musings of a Sponge 8 comments
Beginning of a Tajikistan Journey
By Chris Paci, KF16, Tajikistan
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Seeing a disheveled American with two huge suitcases standing by the side of the road, the taxi driver cuts the wheel, bombs horizontally across four (blessedly empty) lanes of traffic, and screeches to a stop in front of me. I open the passenger door and stuck my head inside. “To the Tsementzavod bus station, how much?” I rap out. He names a price. I counter. After three rounds of this ritual bargaining, we settle on a number, and I hop in.
Continue Reading 8 September 2011 at 08:00 cpaci 10 comments
Observing Kiva’s Raison d’Etre in my First Field Visit
By Claire Markham, KF16, Kenya
Last Thursday, I had the opportunity to spend a day with a loan officer visiting three different Kiva borrower groups. Though these were fairly routine visits for the loan officer, they were far from ordinary from my perspective; they allowed me to observe real examples that confirm why Kiva does what it does.
Continue Reading 7 September 2011 at 14:00 clairemarkham 6 comments
It’s not just about the money
By Andrea Ramirez, KF16, El Salvador
In recent years the microfinance sector has been hit with harsh criticism about the real impact it has on improving the lives of the low-income clients it serves. If it is true that microfinance, including micro-credit, is not the panacea for poverty; it is also true that Microfinance Institutions (“MFIs”) don’t have an easy job. MFIs and their staff are, in my opinion, the true heroes. Their loan officers and administrative staff are those who are out there, day after day, meeting clients and trying to help them achieve their dreams – and yes, realizing dreams doesn’t come cheap. Although there are many great institutions providing more than microfinance services (often times called “microfinance +”), I have yet to come across an operating model as unique as that of Fundacion Campo (“FC”).
Continue Reading 7 September 2011 at 08:00 Andrea Ramirez 2 comments
New City, New Field Partner: Settling into the “Big Durian” (Part 1 of 2)
By Laurie Young, KF16, Indonesia
A little over 4 months ago Kiva welcomed a new field partner headquartered in Jakarta, VisionFund Indonesia (VFI). VFI operates out of the two largest cities in Indonesia: Jakarta and Surabaya. Because it’s a relatively new relationship, a fellow has yet to spend time with VFI or be placed in Jakarta. That’s where I enter this story. I’m working with VFI to help them move from a pilot to active status. Within my two-part series, I’ll give you a taste of what it’s like to get settled in the field and get to know a new partner.
Continue Reading 6 September 2011 at 04:00 laurie4485 13 comments
Updates from the Field: Costs of Kiva, Donkey Shares + the Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns
Over the course of their fellowship, each Kiva Fellows class gleans a better understanding of innerworkings of microfinance and how a microfinance institution (MFI) can tip the scales of success. We begin to glimpse behind the scenes costs of Kiva to our Field Partners and to comprehend the reasoning behind “high” interest rates across the entire field of microfinance. We’re let in on the secrets to success which keep an organization running and financially viable for five years, and we learn about innovative development of programs- be they microfinance or donkey-shares- in a niche market. Over the course of our fellowships, we obtain these invaluable and instructive lessons piecemeal, and together can contribute to the conversation on a whole. Thus, as one class of fellows departs and another begins, this week our fellows share our insights with you!
Continue Reading 5 September 2011 at 08:00 Kate Bennett 7 comments
The Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns
By Dave Weber, KF16 Cambodia
Do the parts of a pig eaten by Cambodians have anything to do with an economic principle that makes the microlending clock ‘tick?’ Short answer, no. Long answer, no. Both, however, are discussed in my first blog post as a Kiva Fellow. If that isn’t enough to convince you, dear reader, to click on the ‘continue reading’ hyperlink, then perhaps the fact that I was able to track down an animated Disney princess, sidekick, and villain for quotes will seal the deal.
Continue Reading 2 September 2011 at 09:00 bluepotatokiva 7 comments
