Author Archive
A $62 Million Dollar Mistake
The cancellation of funds and an expanding economic crisis has left the majority of Nicaragua’s poor without a support system.
What if Kiva had Green Microloans?
If Kiva had green microloans would you support one? Subsidizing initial costs allows borrowers to participate in projects that are beneficial for their business, health, and the environment.
A 25 pound sack of sugar.
Despite entrepreneurial skills, and dedicated work ethic many entrepreneurs are a single business mistake, illness, or natural disaster away from starting at square one.
68 is never too old to learn to read.
One Dominican farmer I met had even unknowingly signed over the title of his land because he was unable to read the document he was signing.
How Dominican Republic Loans Help Haitians
Kiva Haiti loans are on their way, but until then you can…
Micro finance in Haiti!
Micro finance in Haiti -seeing is believing!
Beans, rice and a lot of Esperanza (Hope)
After approximately a year of waiting I finally made it to my destination: the micro finance institute (MFI) Esperanza/Hope International located in balmy, beautiful Santo Domingo! Kalie Gold (another Kiva Fellow) and Analin (Kiva Coordinator) have been gracious enough to show me the ropes, and there is plenty to do. Right now we are currently working on designing a short training course for getting better profile pictures, more journal updates, getting documents sent on a timely manner, etc.
I was really excited to learn that Esperanza/Hope International are getting ready to launch Kiva loans from Haiti! I am really, really excited that I will be part of this amazing opportunity. As many of you know Haiti, the least developed country in the Western Hemisphere, has been experiencing severe economic recession. This has resulted in the majority of its residents to live in extreme poverty. To give you an idea of the situation the current gross national income (GNI) is currently only $560 (USD). Haiti is also severely deforested, with estimates of approximately only 2% of the country forested. The economic and environmental conditions make Haiti a destination of UN Peacekeepers, and development organizations.
We will be traveling to Trou du Nord, Haiti to interview Kiva borrowers. I am unsure of how many loans will be posted. But I am confident that Kiva members will snap them up quickly so keep your eye out for the Haiti loans! I hope you will participate in the important challenge of alleviating poverty one micro loan at a time!
Esperanza/Hope International Central Office in Santo Domingo
This afternoon I had the pleasure to see a group of 5 women receive their loan money. I have to say when I saw the women get their money and talked to them about what they planned to do with their loan I got a bit emotional. One woman planned to sell men’s shoes, another a fruit stand, and another clothing. It is such an amazing thing to see these women get a chance at something more. One of the women told the loan officer that in two years she was going to have a bought a car by then and was going to stop by and pick him up! Now that’s confidence.
Analin, Kalie and I
Loan officer dispersing the loan money.
Where in Latin America will Ashley go, nobody knows…
Hi my name is Ashley and I am a Kiva Fellow in class KF6.
I do have to say that I am jealous of my Kiva Fellows peers who know where they are going and with whom they will be working with, but I know that fate (a.ka. Michelle my Kiva manager) has something great in store for me! I am not leaving til January, but am getting antsy to leave already.
Training has been especially inspiring. The Kiva staff has been incredibly welcoming, and there is no other place I would want to be than right here in San Francisco working for such an amazing non-profit!
