Georgia has one of the oldest histories of any country on Earth. In fact, the recent discovery of 8,000-year-old storage containers show that Georgians may be the first inventors of wine. For that alone, we thank them. Despite neighbors that have tried to conquer them for centuries, they have maintained a unique culture. Situated in the Caucuses right where Europe meets Asia, Georgians have borrowed from many cultures that have traveled through their land along the Silk Road. Here’s Georgia’s location: Their impressive history lasts for thousands of years. As a Kiva Fellow, I was lucky... Continue Reading >>
Kevin was born in the U.S. in Missouri. He pursued his undergraduate education at Georgetown University, majoring in Finance in Accounting. At Georgetown he was active in AIESEC, an organization dedicated to peace and positive impact through personal development and shared global experiences. He obtained his CPA certification while working in New York and promptly decided to travel around the world for two years, living mainly in developing countries. Upon moving to California, he worked in accounting, financial audit, and internal controls, with assignments that frequently involved international travel. Having learned about microfinance at Georgetown, Kevin has always been intrigued by the concept and finally decided to enter the field. In order to obtain lending experience, Kevin worked for four years as the Quality Assurance Manager at an independent mortgage company in San Diego. When he learned about the Kiva Fellowship, he knew it was the perfect opportunity to put his past skills and experience to work. His ultimate goal is to combine his love of business, travel, cultural experiences, and social entrepreneurship into a lasting and meaningful career.
Fellows Blog Posts by Kevin Dougherty
Georgia has one of the oldest histories of any country on Earth. In fact, the recent discovery of 8,000-year-old storage containers show that Georgians may be the first inventors of wine. For that alone, we thank them. Despite neighbors that have tried to conquer them for centuries, they have maintained a unique culture. Situated in the Caucuses right where Europe meets Asia, Georgians have borrowed from many cultures that have traveled through their land along the Silk Road. Here’s Georgia’s location: Their impressive history lasts for thousands of years. As a Kiva Fellow, I was lucky... Continue Reading >>
A week after I got to Georgia as a Kiva fellow in the field, I received an email from Giorgie, one of the guys I had contacted when looking for a place to stay in Tbilisi. He asked if I was interested in coming to his parents’ village to help pick grapes over the weekend. Of course I was! I knew an adventure was afoot. For context, Georgia is a former soviet republic located in the Caucasus, the region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. Georgia has been struggling to transistion to a market economy after the soviet break up, and you can help them by clicking here and backing... Continue Reading >>
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the new republics had varying degrees of success in adapting to the introduction of capitalism. Tajikistan struggled more than most, compounded by the fact that it suffered a five-year civil war soon after declaring independence. By 1997, a half-million people had fled the country to avoid persecution and poverty. Many ended up in Russia, and the exodus continues to this day. Although the country is stable now, every year hundreds of thousands of Tajiks work abroad in Russia and other countries as opportunities in Tajikistan are limited. Over a... Continue Reading >>