Kiva

Addressing climate change calls for commitment and action across all levels, from systems and global organizations to communities and individuals. Here are a few ways you can do something about climate change 🌍: 🌱 Turn off lights and appliances when not in use 🌱 Carpool or use more public transportation 🌱 Eat less red meat 🌱 Reduce single-use plastic use 🌱 Minimize food waste 🌱 Plant a garden of your own The effects of climate change have already begun to take a toll, especially on people already vulnerable to instability. The UN reports that since 2008, an average of 21.5 million people a year have been displaced by environmental disasters, and the number continues to grow. While adapting to the reality of climate change isn’t simple, there are plenty of actions we can take as individuals and communities. Learn more about Kiva's work with climate-affected communities: https://bit.ly/46F61Jj

In the midst of a crisis, refugees need immediate support to help them access food, safe shelter, and medical care. As these basic needs are stabilized, they must face the long-term rebuilding that follows. And at all stages of this journey, refugees should have access to financial services that address their needs and help them overcome their unique challenges. Learn more in this first article of our new newsletter. 👉 Subscribe for more on how we can reimagine refugee finance together. 👈

Congratulations to Kiva’s Executive Vice President of People & Culture, Don Carter, MBA, SHRM-SCP, who is now also a founding member of the Employee Wellbeing Council! Together, they work to achieve sustainable workplace well-being through a holistic approach, something Don brings to Kiva's culture each day through his leadership. We can’t wait to follow this vital work.

𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗙𝗔𝗥𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝗠𝗢𝗟𝗗𝗢𝗩𝗔 Tatiana begins work at 5 a.m. She owns seven greenhouses in Moldova, and Monday through Saturday, she cultivates ripe vegetables—crisp cucumbers, bright peppers, juicy eggplants, and more. After noon, Tatiana and her workers take refuge from the harsh sun and later, they return around 5 p.m. to continue working. But one day, strong winds severely damaged her greenhouses, and she didn’t know where to turn to repair them. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘯: She didn’t start out in agriculture. Tatiana grew up in the Chernivtsi region of Ukraine and moved to Moldova after earning her diploma to begin her new career as a teacher. There, she met her late husband, who introduced her to agriculture. They grew radishes together in open fields before building two greenhouses for tomatoes and cucumbers. Tatiana balanced teaching and farming until her husband passed away, leaving her to look after their land and greenhouses. She worked to take care of her family and pay off debt, which was going well until the greenhouses were damaged one day. “It was a big wind, it broke all the films, and I didn’t know where to get it and what to do,” recalls Tatiana. After talking with a woman from a nearby commune, Tatiana decided to look into a Kiva loan. “When they approved my loan, I was very happy. Because if I didn’t have the film, I’d lose everything,” she says. Now, all seven of Tatiana’s greenhouses are functional, and she dreams of acquiring two more. We are going forward. Maybe we’ll put some berries in there,” she muses. “We don't stop — we go.” Learn more about Tatiana’s small business and how you can support entrepreneurs like her worldwide: https://bit.ly/3A9Ejbz

We were featured in The New York Times' crossword puzzle! “Big name in small loans,” that’s us! Learn more about how Kiva expands financial access to help underserved communities thrive—and how you can be a part of it: https://bit.ly/3WvqhZb

"Understanding how and why women’s financial experiences not only differ from men’s, but also from those of other women, will be key to dismantling the barriers that prevent women’s financial success." In this edition of the Invest in Women Newsletter, Barrett Redmond shares how Kiva aims to address gender equity at an institutional level through the use of a Gender Equity Assessment Rating tool, developed with support from USAID. Subscribe for more articles about women's financial inclusion, and share your thoughts in the comments 👇 #genderequity #genderequality #financialinclusion

Akirah and Mancoba grew up in different corners of the globe, but years later, a shared passion brought them together. Akirah is from Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in a food desert in the city—an area that did not have access to fresh and healthy food options. Even still, she was raised to be a steward of the Earth and yearned to create something new. Mancoba grew up in the southern African kingdom of Eswatini. In his childhood, he watched his father use permaculture techniques on their family farm. Through the years, Mancoba became passionate about education about growing food indigenously. Akirah’s passion led her to the Peace Corps, moving to Eswatini to volunteer. Here, she met Mancoba, and they bonded over their shared views on permaculture, food, and caring for the Earth. Mancoba moved to Newark to join Akirah in 2021, and later, they founded the Ubuntu Permaculture Mission. They dreamt of creating the opposite of a food desert—a food forest. This is an area with a variety of diverse edible plants that mimic the ecosystems and patterns found in nature. But to build this dream, they needed funding. They applied for a loan from Kiva and received a $7,000 loan in 2023. Today, Ubuntu Permaculture Mission is thriving. Learn more about Akirah and Mancoba's work: https://bit.ly/3y6QiWF #agriculture #permaculture #food #foodsystems #entrepreneurship #microfinance #blackowned

Refugees and displaced people face significant barriers in accessing credit, loans, and insurance, making it difficult for them to establish financial stability in their new homes, secure education, and fulfill their dreams. But what are these barriers? To understand these challenges, we conducted a listening tour with 15 organizations in the Kiva Refugee Investment Fund portfolio to learn about the difficulties of lending to refugees and displaced people. Here are five key barriers: 1. Documentation and legal status: Many refugees are hesitant to share personal information, fearing it may affect their support from organizations. Others might have expired documentation, or no documentation at all 2. Lack of credit history, collateral, or business stability: Lack of formal credit histories and stable incomes makes the evaluation of creditworthiness complicated 3. Cultural differences: Language barriers, differing mindsets around finance, and other differing cultural norms can impact how an organization serves refugees 4. Public opinion and policy: Having stable and transparent policies around regulation, legal status for refugees, and clear guidelines around documentation enable some countries to lend to refugees and displaced people with more ease. But in countries where these components are less clear, refugee lending becomes more complicated 5. Operational costs and risks: Institutions serving refugees and displaced people can face challenges such as an increased risk of violence in conflict zones, difficulty reaching remote locations, inadequate infrastructure, and more Despite the challenges, our partner organizations are already implementing innovative solutions to solve these problems. Organizations are turning to digital tools to help reach remote areas, finding new ways to forecast income for those without formal credit histories, putting forth policy proposals to make refugee IDs an eligible form of identification for loans, and more. Read more about the challenges and solutions here: https://bit.ly/4680H10

The volunteers of the Review and Translation Program (RTP) help make Kiva lending possible. From translating loan profiles into clear, concise language to meticulously reviewing profiles for accuracy and adherence to policy, they play a critical role in bridging the language gap, telling borrowers' stories, and enabling Kiva's mission. Meet Jeff, one of the volunteers in the RTP program. Jeff is from Washington, USA, and has been volunteering with Kiva for two years (fun fact: he has edited over 9,220 loans!). “When I start reviewing a loan profile, I spend time with the photo. It reminds me that all of us humans are family, and we need to take care of each other.” Thank you, Jeff, for all your support! Learn more about our Review and Translation team volunteers: https://bit.ly/4d0JNTZ

Worldwide, not all women have equal access to financial services needed to start businesses, provide for their families, and thrive. Think services like bank accounts, capital, and credit. In fact, out of all the people in the world who are unbanked, more than 50% are women. Many barriers contribute to this. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3S01R8I #gender #genderequality #genderequity #money #microfinance #entrepreneurship