Stories tagged with Vietnam
We've all heard this many a time and every time the unexpected occurs, it catches us by surprise. We feel like we've lost a bit of control (if only for a short moment) because we were so meticulous about our planning and we wonder how we could of found ourselves in such a situation. This is especially true when you're on the road; sometimes the unexpected can become a pleasant surprise, where you get lost in a city, but are still able to maintain a sense of... Continue Reading >>
As I wrap up my fellowship in Vietnam, I guess the best part of being a Kiva fellow that I have experienced so many odd events. Such as, coincidentally celebrated 5-year partnership with Kiva and Fund for Poor Thanh Hoa Women or worked with "latrine experts" at East Meets West. It feels like I relearn everything I knew before, Vietnam under a different perspective. 4 months pass by fast enough to make me realize that I haven’t been... Continue Reading >>
For much of the world, food is fuel. But far more than mere sustenance, food draws us together. It slows our pace and brightens each day. Calling upon all five senses, cusine...
Continue Reading >>By: Tran Chau, KF13, Viet Nam
Vietnam currently has 52 microfinance institutions offering microloans and other services to the impoverished. Kiva is partnered with three, SEDA in Hanoi, TYM in Hanoi, and FPW in Thanh Hoa. Of the 52 MFIs, only one, TYM, is officially licensed by the Vietnamese Government.
I attended the second annual microfinance conference hosted by Citigroup a couple weeks ago. There, TYM was invited to give a presentation on the future of microfinance in Vietnam. The MFI identified three external and internal...
Continue Reading >>By: Tran Chau, KF13, Viet Nam
Modern shopping centers and supermarkets are new to Vietnam. They are frequented mostly by the small and powerful middle class, have western products, and carry western price tags. For the rest of the nation and for those who favor the established ways of the east, traditional open air and partially enclosed markets...
Continue Reading >>By: Tran Chau, KF13, Viet Nam
I am a multi-millionaire, in Vietnamese Dong that is. The Vietnamese Dong (“VND”) is the official currency of Vietnam. The official exchange rate (a black market one also exists) hovers around $1 = 19,500 VND. Therefore in nearly all business transactions in Vietnam, millions, billions, and even trillions of VND change hands.In 2009, Vietnamese GDP was estimated at $92.4...
Continue Reading >>by Elena Kuehn, KF11 Vietnam
“What a woman! How much energy! Wow…” thoughts that have crossed my mind several times during the last two weeks. I was visiting Fund for Poor Women (FPW) in the Thanh Hoa province and got to know the people working there and could meet many of the Kiva borrowers. It wasn’t easy to arrange these meetings as most FPW clients work in agriculture and leave their houses when the sun rises and work until late at night. They can however be encountered at home during lunch break when they try to escape the sun during the hottest time of the day.
... Continue Reading >>By Elena Kuehn, KF 11, Viet nam
Viet nam is a country bursting of energy, activity and a continuous striving of the people to improve their living standards and enable their children to lead a better life. To achieve this people are willing to work incredibly hard. That makes Vietnam a great place for microfinance activities. And not only are the people ready to take on hard work, there is also a financial growth that rewards the effort. In this atmosphere of growth microfinance provides poor families in this country with the means to participate in this growth....
Continue Reading >>My Kiva fellowship has officially ended. I returned to the US two weeks ago and still have plenty of processing to do. The only thing I am certain of is I have yet to understand what it all means down the road. In some ways it seems a dream had ended. But the vivid memories of specific moments that made it worthwhile spring me back into reality. I can’t thank you enough for all the support from friends, family, Kiva Friends, my MFI, and the greater community. Below is a clip of one of my last motorbike rides: returning to my apartment after visiting the Hanoi Hilton (Hoa Lo...
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