Author Archive
How Microfinance Helps Cacao Farmers
By Kelsey Quam, KF12 Ecuador
The agricultural work of cacao farmers of the rural loan group ¨Progreso Comunitario¨(¨Community Progress¨) in the subtropical region of Ecuador is not easy. They laugh when asked how they spend their free-time– agriculture is a full time job. Lately, farmers have been griping about pests called “mal de machete” and ¨escoba bruja¨ that have destroyed a large part of the cacao harvest this year.
Food Month at Kiva: Humitas from Ecuador
Since today is the last day of ¨Food Month¨ at Kiva, I´d like to share a recipe for humitas, corn-cheese tamales that are common throughout the highlands of Ecuador. Humitas are often made during the months of the corn harvest (August and September) when corn is abundant. They are often enjoyed in the evenings as a light snack accompanied by a hot cup of coffee.
By Kelsey Quam, KF12 Ecuador
Lenders Push Kiva Connections
By Kelsey Quam, KF12 Ecuador
Kiva is about connections. In a rural Ecuadorian community, I tested a new way to strengthen the dialogue between lenders and borrowers.
First Week as a Fellow…Off to a Running Start!
After attending an exciting week of training in San Francisco, a wave of 37 new Kiva Fellows have been pouring into new places across the globe. The emails we exchange as we transition into the field reflect both excitement and hesitation. What am I forgetting on my packing list? Am I prepared to work in microfinance? How will my MFI receive me?
