Clik here to view.
Hear that?? It’s Kupang Bemo Rap!!
By Lisa Skowron, KF14, Indonesia My experience with public transport in Kupang, West Timor, Indonesia! Also, please vote for your favorite Kupang Bemo at the end of the post! :)
View ArticleClik here to view.
Update from the Field: Social Quirks, Justin Bieber + Lots of Carbs
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa While it may have been a slower "official" news week than usual, I can assure you that the Fellows are keeping busy. One Fellow spent hours searching...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Special Update from the Field: Beaches, Safaris + Cambodian Glamour Shots
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa Kiva Fellows are nothing if not creative. We’ve gone to elaborate lengths to convince you that it can be hard to visit borrowers and that when we’re not...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Different Spin on “Mobile Savings”
When I first arrived at TLM in January I read their 2011 business plan and was thrilled to see that the MFI was planning to launch mobile savings by mid-year! I proceeded to read the text under the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Update from the Field: Trash, Delicious Treats + Community Outreach
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa Let’s take a moment to vicariously consume baked goods in Colombia, coffee in Nicaragua, tomatoes in Ukraine, and a traditional meal in Nepal. Once...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Share Taxis Around The World: The How, Why & Design
By Adam Cohn, Kiva Fellow KF14, Kigali, Rwanda Share taxis around the world exhibit a variety of names, including Poda-Poda, Tro-Tro, Marshrutka, Jitney, Bemo, and Bush Taxi. Similarly, the colors and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
West Timor Research Insights from a Boren Fellow
Yvonne Chen, a Boren Fellow in Indonesia (2010-2011) and a graduate student at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, contacted me after reading about my experience...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Update from the Field: Farewells, Mistaken Identities + Micro-Microfinance
Compiled by Alexis Ditkowsky, KF14, South Africa We've officially hit the point in the Kiva Fellows cycle where the current batch says goodbye just as the latest group is getting their bearings at Kiva...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pig Loans in Paradise: Microfinance for Livestock in West Bali, Indonesia
By Anne Conlin, KF15 Indonesia When I told my family, friends, and prior employer that I would be spending my Kiva Fellowship in Bali, I got a lot of rolling eyes, good-natured ribbing, and questions...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Update from the Field: New Partners, Country-Specific Microfinance + Stories...
Compiled by Kathrin Gerner, KF15, Togo This week, fellows located on three different continents were busy writing blogs to share their experiences. Learn what it takes to become a new Kiva partner in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Green Microfinance: Backyard Biogas in Bali, Indonesia
By Anne Conlin, KF15 Indonesia In a past blog post, I discussed how loans from Kiva’s partner MUK in rural West Bali, Indonesia are helping women expand the scale of their pig breeding businesses. As...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Update from the Field: Working Animals, Green Microfinance + The Ends of the...
Compiled by Kathrin Gerner, KF15, Togo This week, learn how microfinance could help working animals and their wild cousins in Senegal. Find out more about pigs in Indonesia and how pig waste can be put...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New City, New Field Partner: Settling into the “Big Durian” (Part 1 of 2)
By Laurie Young, KF16, Indonesia A little over 4 months ago Kiva welcomed a new field partner headquartered in Jakarta, VisionFund Indonesia (VFI). VFI operates out of the two largest cities in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New City, New Field Partner: Getting to know VisionFund Indonesia (Part 2 of 2)
By Laurie Young, KF16, Indonesia When we last left off in this new adventure, I hadn’t yet stepped foot into the office of my Field Partner, VisionFund Indonesia (VFI). It’s amazing what a difference...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Update from the Field: Starting Capital, Development Levels + Adventurous...
Compiled by Kathrin Gerner, KF16, Rwanda This week on the Kiva fellows blog, start your journey in Indonesia and read about some early lessons of a Kiva fellow. Then continue on to the Americas to take...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Stuff Kiva Fellows Like
Compiled by Jim Burke, KF16, Nicaragua We are Kiva Fellows. This is the stuff we like. Here is an insider (often critical, or satirical but always true!) view of what it means to be a Kiva Fellow and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Meeting Karsinah: Maximizing My Social Return on Investment
By Laurie Young, KF 16, Indonesia For you mathematicians out there, what’s the probability that out of the 43 VFI borrowers that were on Kiva.org at the time a random sample of 10 borrowers was drawn...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Remembering Rizky: VisionFund Indonesia Loses One of Their Own
By Laurie Young, KF16, Indonesia Monday, October 31st marked the end of Rizky’s three-month probationary period as a loan officer in VisionFund Indonesia’s (VFI) Cilincing office. This means on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Update from the Field: Earthquakes, 5Ks + The Pain of Sickness and Loss
This week’s Fellows Blog is armed with stories from the field: stories of the uncertain world borrowers live in, and how they (and we) cope with it. We’ve learned that everyone gets tired running a 5K...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Microinsurance in Indonesia: What are the Options for Kiva Borrowers?
By Laurie Young, KF16, Indonesia According to the World Bank of Indonesia, more than 50% of Indonesians live on less than $2 US per day/per person and more than 80% live on less than $4 US per day/per...
View Article
