loans that change lives
Monday, 8. June 2009, 18:06:41
We Let You Loan to the Working Poor
Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.
The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals in need of funding - not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need.
Kiva partners with existing expert microfinance institutions. In doing so, we gain access to outstanding entrepreneurs from impoverished communities world-wide. Our partners are experts in choosing qualified entrepreneurs. That said, they are usually short on funds. Through Kiva, our partners upload their entrepreneur profiles directly to the site so you can lend to them. When you do, not only do you get a unique experience connecting to a specific entrepreneur on the other side of the planet, but our microfinance partners can do more of what they do, more efficiently.
Kiva provides a data-rich, transparent lending platform. We are constantly working to make the system more transparent to show how money flows throughout the entire cycle, and what effect it has on the people and institutions lending it, borrowing it, and managing it along the way. To do this, we are using the power of the internet to facilitate one-to-one connections that were previously prohibitively expensive. Child sponsorship has always been a high overhead business. Kiva creates a similar interpersonal connection at much lower costs due to the instant, inexpensive nature of internet delivery. The individuals featured on our website are real people who need a loan and are waiting for socially-minded individuals like you to lend them money.
Kiva Fellows Program
The Kiva Fellows Program offers individuals a rare opportunity to travel abroad and witness firsthand the impact and realities of microfinance, by working directly with a host microfinance institution (MFI). The Kiva Fellow is an unpaid, volunteer based position designed to increase Kiva's impact and to offer participants a unique insider experience. Past participants have found the fellowship to be a great first step in a career in microfinance or international development.
Application Deadlines — Send in your complete application prior to the appropriate deadline. Due to the large volume of applicants, incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications sent in after the deadline will be included for the following round.
Successful Kiva Fellows tend to share certain skills and characteristics:
Overseas experience (preferably in developing countries)
High degree of flexibility, self-motivation and problem solving
Excellent writing skills
Enthusiasm for Kiva!
Familiarity and comfort with various web applications
Dedication to working in the field with a microfinance institution
Ability and commitment to fundraise for their trip
Sincere interest in microfinance
Longer stays (4 months +) are preferred
Furthermore, past Kiva Fellows with the following skills have found great success in the program:
Fluency or advanced communication ability in French, Spanish, Russian, or other language in a country where Kiva has a presence
Background in economics/finance/consulting will greatly enhance your ability to provide support to the host MFI
Kiva Fellow Core Responsibilities:
The Kiva Fellow is an integral part of the Kiva Team, acting as Kiva's eyes and ears in the field and helping to extend limited resources to maximum effect. Kiva Fellows fulfill tasks set out in a Work Plan, defined by Kiva along with the host microfinance institution (MFI).
Facilitate Connections between Kiva's Borrowers and Lenders
Your journal entries, business postings and blog entries will help build the rich content that bridges our borrowers and lenders and makes Kiva's model work!
Interview no less than 15 businesses per week to assess loan impact, verify data, and gather information for journal updates
Develop innovative ways to facilitate connections via creative journaling, YouTube video and other means
Write a blog entry every two weeks on the Kiva Fellows Blog
Promote awareness of the host MFI and its programs to the Kiva lender community
Promote an understanding of the Kiva lending community to borrowers
Assist Communications and Maximize the host MFI's Partnership with Kiva
Tasks may include some or all of the following:
Assist the host MFI to regularly collect and post borrower profiles for funding onto the Kiva website
Observe, learn and document the MFI's operations and its use of the Kiva platform, including recommendations as appropriate
Transfer skills to MFI staff on Kiva processes, policies and best practices
Create working documents and templates for the MFI to use during and post-fellowship
Complete additional projects for the MFI as time allows and skills match needs
Support Kiva's Mission, Product and Procedures
As a Kiva Fellow, your work will help support Kiva's product, marketing and organizational development. Your consistent feedback is invaluable to Kiva's growth.
Communicate regularly with Kiva
Understand and promote Kiva Policies
Provide updates and feedback through weekly progress reports and a final end-of-fellowship report within one month of returning
Create Entrepreneur Press Profiles, as frequently as possible
Complete other tasks for Kiva as needed
http://www.kiva.org/app.php
Kiva's mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty.
Kiva is the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe.
The people you see on Kiva's site are real individuals in need of funding - not marketing material. When you browse entrepreneurs' profiles on the site, choose someone to lend to, and then make a loan, you are helping a real person make great strides towards economic independence and improve life for themselves, their family, and their community. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates and track repayments. Then, when you get your loan money back, you can relend to someone else in need.
Kiva partners with existing expert microfinance institutions. In doing so, we gain access to outstanding entrepreneurs from impoverished communities world-wide. Our partners are experts in choosing qualified entrepreneurs. That said, they are usually short on funds. Through Kiva, our partners upload their entrepreneur profiles directly to the site so you can lend to them. When you do, not only do you get a unique experience connecting to a specific entrepreneur on the other side of the planet, but our microfinance partners can do more of what they do, more efficiently.
Kiva provides a data-rich, transparent lending platform. We are constantly working to make the system more transparent to show how money flows throughout the entire cycle, and what effect it has on the people and institutions lending it, borrowing it, and managing it along the way. To do this, we are using the power of the internet to facilitate one-to-one connections that were previously prohibitively expensive. Child sponsorship has always been a high overhead business. Kiva creates a similar interpersonal connection at much lower costs due to the instant, inexpensive nature of internet delivery. The individuals featured on our website are real people who need a loan and are waiting for socially-minded individuals like you to lend them money.
Kiva Fellows Program
The Kiva Fellows Program offers individuals a rare opportunity to travel abroad and witness firsthand the impact and realities of microfinance, by working directly with a host microfinance institution (MFI). The Kiva Fellow is an unpaid, volunteer based position designed to increase Kiva's impact and to offer participants a unique insider experience. Past participants have found the fellowship to be a great first step in a career in microfinance or international development.
Application Deadlines — Send in your complete application prior to the appropriate deadline. Due to the large volume of applicants, incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications sent in after the deadline will be included for the following round.
Class - Application DeadlineIn-house Training DatesDeparture Dates
KF9 - June 1, 2009September 21-25, 2009, San FranciscoOctober 1-7, 2009
December 1-7, 2009
KF10 - October 1, 2009Five days in mid-January, 2010, San FranciscoFebruary 1-7, 2010
April 1-7, 2010
KF11 - February 1, 2010Five days in late May, 2010, San FranciscoJune 1-7, 2010
August 1-7, 2010
KF12 - June 1, 2010Five days in mid-September, 2010, San FranciscoOctober 1-7, 20010
December 1-7, 2010
Successful Kiva Fellows tend to share certain skills and characteristics:
Overseas experience (preferably in developing countries)
High degree of flexibility, self-motivation and problem solving
Excellent writing skills
Enthusiasm for Kiva!
Familiarity and comfort with various web applications
Dedication to working in the field with a microfinance institution
Ability and commitment to fundraise for their trip
Sincere interest in microfinance
Longer stays (4 months +) are preferred
Furthermore, past Kiva Fellows with the following skills have found great success in the program:
Fluency or advanced communication ability in French, Spanish, Russian, or other language in a country where Kiva has a presence
Background in economics/finance/consulting will greatly enhance your ability to provide support to the host MFI
Kiva Fellow Core Responsibilities:
The Kiva Fellow is an integral part of the Kiva Team, acting as Kiva's eyes and ears in the field and helping to extend limited resources to maximum effect. Kiva Fellows fulfill tasks set out in a Work Plan, defined by Kiva along with the host microfinance institution (MFI).
Facilitate Connections between Kiva's Borrowers and Lenders
Your journal entries, business postings and blog entries will help build the rich content that bridges our borrowers and lenders and makes Kiva's model work!
Interview no less than 15 businesses per week to assess loan impact, verify data, and gather information for journal updates
Develop innovative ways to facilitate connections via creative journaling, YouTube video and other means
Write a blog entry every two weeks on the Kiva Fellows Blog
Promote awareness of the host MFI and its programs to the Kiva lender community
Promote an understanding of the Kiva lending community to borrowers
Assist Communications and Maximize the host MFI's Partnership with Kiva
Tasks may include some or all of the following:
Assist the host MFI to regularly collect and post borrower profiles for funding onto the Kiva website
Observe, learn and document the MFI's operations and its use of the Kiva platform, including recommendations as appropriate
Transfer skills to MFI staff on Kiva processes, policies and best practices
Create working documents and templates for the MFI to use during and post-fellowship
Complete additional projects for the MFI as time allows and skills match needs
Support Kiva's Mission, Product and Procedures
As a Kiva Fellow, your work will help support Kiva's product, marketing and organizational development. Your consistent feedback is invaluable to Kiva's growth.
Communicate regularly with Kiva
Understand and promote Kiva Policies
Provide updates and feedback through weekly progress reports and a final end-of-fellowship report within one month of returning
Create Entrepreneur Press Profiles, as frequently as possible
Complete other tasks for Kiva as needed
http://www.kiva.org/app.php
WIDGETIZE