The difference between Islamic finance and “regular” finance is this: generally, in Islamic finance, risk and profit are shared between lenders and borrowers thereby tying the success of lenders to borrowers. It has grown steadily since the emergence of large Islamic banks in Saudi Arabia in the 1970’s and opens a new avenue for current cash-only populations (Garrett 2011). This is particularly true for the poor and less educated who face many obstacles to benefiting from modern institutions, including a reluctance to participate in culturally and religiously condemned... Continue Reading >>
Nadia grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, a city she loves for many reasons, including that driving from one end to the other takes just 25 minutes. While attending the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Nadia earned her BA in International Studies with concentrations in Business Management and Middle Eastern Studies. When she was a student, she studied Arabic abroad in the occupied Palestinian Territories, Jordan, and at the Critical Language Scholarship's institute in Rabat, Morocco. She also spent time studying politics, religion, and economics in Turkey. During her travels, she was inspired by entrepreneurs who managed to create opportunity out of nothing, like a woman she met selling flowers on a street in Rabat's old city. Instead of begging alongside Morocco's large homeless population, this woman took control of her own destiny and runs her own business. Nadia would like to help others do the same. After graduating from UNO, Nadia began managing accounts receivable for a Halal certifier in the US which approves meat and poultry producers to export to the Middle East. She looks forward to shifting her focus to empowering individuals during her Kiva Fellowship. After her fellowship, she plans to pursue a master’s degree. In her downtime, she is an avid runner, reader, and country line dancer.
Fellows Blog Posts by Nadia Al-Absy
Oct 8, 2014
Jordan
The difference between Islamic finance and “regular” finance is this: generally, in Islamic finance, risk and profit are shared between lenders and borrowers thereby tying the success of lenders to borrowers. It has grown steadily since the emergence of large Islamic banks in Saudi Arabia in the 1970’s and opens a new avenue for current cash-only populations (Garrett 2011). This is particularly true for the poor and less educated who face many obstacles to benefiting from modern institutions, including a reluctance to participate in culturally and religiously condemned... Continue Reading >>
The difference between Islamic finance and “regular” finance is this: generally, in Islamic finance, risk and profit are shared between lenders and borrowers thereby tying the success of lenders to borrowers. It has grown steadily since the emergence of large Islamic banks in Saudi Arabia in the 1970’s and opens a new avenue for current cash-only populations (Garrett 2011). This is particularly true for the poor and less educated who face many obstacles to benefiting from modern institutions, including a reluctance to participate in culturally and religiously condemned... Continue Reading >>
Oct 7, 2014
Jordan
Near the Mediterranean Sea, Jordan shares many of the regions culinary traditions, such as fresh veggie based dishes filled with healthy fats like olive oil. With only a handful of ingredients, Bamia comes together quickly and easily. While traditionally made with lamb, goat, or chicken, my recipe is a vegetarian version. Serve over rice, with fresh bread, or on its own. It's a quick meal for a Kiva Fellow on the go! Serves 2 Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups fresh okra stemmed and washed 3 tomatoes, diced 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil Salt and black pepper to taste... Continue Reading >>
Near the Mediterranean Sea, Jordan shares many of the regions culinary traditions, such as fresh veggie based dishes filled with healthy fats like olive oil. With only a handful of ingredients, Bamia comes together quickly and easily. While traditionally made with lamb, goat, or chicken, my recipe is a vegetarian version. Serve over rice, with fresh bread, or on its own. It's a quick meal for a Kiva Fellow on the go! Serves 2 Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups fresh okra stemmed and washed 3 tomatoes, diced 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil Salt and black pepper to taste... Continue Reading >>