My first boda experience in Kenya occurred on a wet morning, in the pitch-black darkness that is the 5 o'clock hour, on uneven dirt roads winding through the rural farmland of Isibania, Kenya. I was wearing the broken helmet of a former Kiva Fellow who had been in a motorcycle accident in exactly these conditions. The beauty of being a person afflicted with many fears is that is doesn’t take much to experience an adrenaline rush. In this situation, I might as well have been free climbing Mt. Kenya for the amount of dopamine that was rushing through my brain. My... Continue Reading >>
Born in Pittsburgh, Stephanie Skinner received her B.A. from Kenyon College, followed by an M.A. in psychology from San Diego State University. After nearly a decade in community mental health, Stephanie shifted her career path to photography. Guided by a multidisciplinary background in the social sciences and art, Stephanie uses photography as a device for social change. A common theme in both her research and clinical background is the identification of barriers encountered by underrepresented populations, and the process by which individuals may be empowered to overcome these barriers. Her ambition is to convey the struggles and successes of individuals through captured images, both to give voice to underserved people, and to spread awareness of global issues. Stephanie has been involved in small-business initiatives throughout California, which inspired her interest in Kiva’s mission to alleviate poverty through microfinance lending practices. Stephanie is excited to travel to East Africa this summer as a Media Fellow with Kiva.
Fellows Blog Posts by Stephanie Skinner
Sep 8, 2014
Kenya
My first boda experience in Kenya occurred on a wet morning, in the pitch-black darkness that is the 5 o'clock hour, on uneven dirt roads winding through the rural farmland of Isibania, Kenya. I was wearing the broken helmet of a former Kiva Fellow who had been in a motorcycle accident in exactly these conditions. The beauty of being a person afflicted with many fears is that is doesn’t take much to experience an adrenaline rush. In this situation, I might as well have been free climbing Mt. Kenya for the amount of dopamine that was rushing through my brain. My... Continue Reading >>
My first boda experience in Kenya occurred on a wet morning, in the pitch-black darkness that is the 5 o'clock hour, on uneven dirt roads winding through the rural farmland of Isibania, Kenya. I was wearing the broken helmet of a former Kiva Fellow who had been in a motorcycle accident in exactly these conditions. The beauty of being a person afflicted with many fears is that is doesn’t take much to experience an adrenaline rush. In this situation, I might as well have been free climbing Mt. Kenya for the amount of dopamine that was rushing through my brain. My... Continue Reading >>
Aug 26, 2014
Kenya
Check out Kiva's most recent Exposure post, featuring inspiring stories of borrowers doing everything from sheltering orphans to creating a safe space for HIV-positive people: Continue Reading >>
Check out Kiva's most recent Exposure post, featuring inspiring stories of borrowers doing everything from sheltering orphans to creating a safe space for HIV-positive people: Continue Reading >>