Finn- Oamaru New Zealand. I set up Kiva Kiwis because, as is the story of my life, it seemed like a good idea at the time.
I loan because: Trite as the words are I'm just happy to be doing some worthwhile and making a difference.
I loan because: Trite as the words are I'm just happy to be doing some worthwhile and making a difference.
Recently Finn made a loan to Mrs. Dang Thi Tuyen in Vietnam. She is 31 years old, joined the TYM Fund since 2003. With a starting fund of 80 USD, she invested in raising animals. However, it was not very profitable. Therefore, she decided to invest in selling beverages. Her husband, beside being a taxi driver, also helps her in her business. With an average income of 200 USD/month, she is now able to send her children to school and improve living conditions. This time, she has borrowed 1100 USD to buy more beverages to sell.
Raf: A social entrepeneur from Christchurch.
From Raf's Kiva page:
I loan because: Money makes the world go round :-) let's empower people directly and help them to help themselves.
About me: I am a social entrepreneur investing in and working with businesses that can contribute to a more sustainable society. I also work on policy ideas for making society work better for all.
Check out: www.sustento.org.nz/blog
From Raf's Kiva page:
I loan because: Money makes the world go round :-) let's empower people directly and help them to help themselves.
About me: I am a social entrepreneur investing in and working with businesses that can contribute to a more sustainable society. I also work on policy ideas for making society work better for all.
Check out: www.sustento.org.nz/blog
One of the many loans Raf has made via Kiva is to Vaioalisi Faaiuga who lives in Samoa. She is 47, is married with six children. She has many years of experience in the fishing business. She sells to the village and general public 4 days per week. Vaioalisi is using the loan to improve her business, make some repairs to her home and and help pay her childrens' school fees.
Su Yin
A designer in Auckland
From Su Yin's Kiva page:
I loan because: Hard work pays dividends
About me: I design magazines and the occasional website.
Check out: idealog.co.nz
A designer in Auckland
From Su Yin's Kiva page:
I loan because: Hard work pays dividends
About me: I design magazines and the occasional website.
Check out: idealog.co.nz
One of Su Yins loans is to Litiana Faleni who lives in Samoa. Litiana is 30, is married with four children. She has five years of experience in the BBQ business; she sells to the public at a food market three days per week. These loans are Litiana’s only access to capital because she was never able to qualify for a loan with the traditional banks. Part of her loan is being used be used for her children's educational needs, the remainder for running her business and improving her home.
XAU
From Maidenhead in England
From XAU's Kiva page:
We loan because: XAU is a UK company directed by James Barron. Kiva is a key part of XAU's investment strategy with the difference that the interest and returns are seen in others lives rather than our balance sheet.
About us:We help businesses with a lot of employees manage and pay their staff using computer software called SAP.
Check out:www.xau.com
From Maidenhead in England
From XAU's Kiva page:
We loan because: XAU is a UK company directed by James Barron. Kiva is a key part of XAU's investment strategy with the difference that the interest and returns are seen in others lives rather than our balance sheet.
About us:We help businesses with a lot of employees manage and pay their staff using computer software called SAP.
Check out:www.xau.com
XAU has loaned to Seng Channy, who 28 and lives with her husband, Nov Virak, and their four children in Dangkao, Vietnam. She works as a tailor and makes about US$ 5 each day, while her husband transports passengers in his tuk-tuk (a motorbike with an attached passenger cart). She has recieved a loan of US$ 1200 to purchase a new motorbike for her husband's business. His bike is frequently in need of repair and the family believes that it can save them money to purchase a new one.
(Finn says: I just love this photo so click on it to see it full size)
(Finn says: I just love this photo so click on it to see it full size)
One of Stepan's loan is to Evelyn Ebinah in Ghana. Evelyn is 39 years old and married with 4 children.
Robert
Is retired and lives in Auckland.
One of Roberts loans is to Hilda Marina Flores Falconis. She lives in San Martin in the Bellavista region of Peru. Hilda is 51 years old and has one child who is studying at a university and is her pride and joy.
Is retired and lives in Auckland.
One of Roberts loans is to Hilda Marina Flores Falconis. She lives in San Martin in the Bellavista region of Peru. Hilda is 51 years old and has one child who is studying at a university and is her pride and joy.
She cuts hair in a small shop she owns. She also tends to customers at home. She has been a widow for the last nine years, and she is proud that she created her business and has made it on her own.
With her loan she is buying supplies for her business like chemicals for perms, hair dye, curlers, new clippers, nail polish and other beauty products such as lotions, facial creams, makeup and a mirror.
With her loan she is buying supplies for her business like chemicals for perms, hair dye, curlers, new clippers, nail polish and other beauty products such as lotions, facial creams, makeup and a mirror.
Megan
A volunteer at Amnesty International and a part-time student
I loan because: I like to help people
A volunteer at Amnesty International and a part-time student
I loan because: I like to help people
One of Megan's loan is to Emilia Neba in Cameroon.Emilia is married and has three children. Things became very difficult for her when her first son died in a car accident. In 2004 Emilia received her first loan of $40 which she used for retailing foodstuffs. As demand increased there was the need for her to increase the size of her business. She is using her loan to buy plantains, yams, beans, and maize, to meet more of her customers demands. The profit she gets from the business she uses to meet her children’s schooling needs and for medication.
Alistair
Located in Jakarta, Java Indonesia.
Occupation: Academic Director
I loan because: I am a New Zealander who has lived the past 11 years in the Pacific and South East Asia. I have been a member of Rotary International for many of these years, and a number of the projects that I have been involved in included Micro Finance components. Have seen the major differences and changes to families in poor communities from a small (in western terms) investment in their future.
Located in Jakarta, Java Indonesia.
Occupation: Academic Director
I loan because: I am a New Zealander who has lived the past 11 years in the Pacific and South East Asia. I have been a member of Rotary International for many of these years, and a number of the projects that I have been involved in included Micro Finance components. Have seen the major differences and changes to families in poor communities from a small (in western terms) investment in their future.
About me: I am the Academic Director of a new private university in Indonesia, running the 4 Year American degree program in conjunction with Schiller International University based in Florida. We provide courses in International Business and in Hotel Management presented by lecturers from many countries around the world, including New Zealand, Australia, United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Spain, Philippines and of course Indonesia.
Check out: www.i-uni.org
One of Alistairs loans is to Pauai Tauta's Group in Malae Faga,Samoa. Malae Faga is a lovely village with natural and beautiful beaches. They also have very fertile soil suitable for farming and planting. These ladies work on different agricultural businesses such as cattle farming, taro plantations, vegetable plantations in order to earn income for their families. The loan was for them to buy tools, facilities, and chemicals for their businesses.
Check out: www.i-uni.org
One of Alistairs loans is to Pauai Tauta's Group in Malae Faga,Samoa. Malae Faga is a lovely village with natural and beautiful beaches. They also have very fertile soil suitable for farming and planting. These ladies work on different agricultural businesses such as cattle farming, taro plantations, vegetable plantations in order to earn income for their families. The loan was for them to buy tools, facilities, and chemicals for their businesses.
Bennion has loaned to The Cruz del Sur group.This group is made up of nine women and three men, all of whom live in a rural area outside of El Alto, Bolivia. Most of the group members come from families of five or six people with limited resources and live in adobe houses. The group is involved in various activies, but mostly in the food and clothing sales sectors. More specifically, Wilfredo, Valeria, Santuza, Eugenia and Salome make and sell clothing (sweaters, skirts and shawls). Viviana, Cristina, Feliza and Vicenta sell food, including prepared meals, chicken, fruits and chuño (dried potato). Santiago is a policeman, and Juan Carlos works as a mechanic.
For the most part, the loan was for group members to increase their inventory or to buy raw materials and ingredients to sew clothing and prepare food.
For the most part, the loan was for group members to increase their inventory or to buy raw materials and ingredients to sew clothing and prepare food.
She completed basic education and did a catering course at the vocational level. With this background, she began a fast-food joint some 7 years ago. This has grown steadily and she has added a general store also. She is using the loan to improve the environment in which she operates in order to give value to her teeming clients.
( I love this photo too, so again, click on it to see the large version)
( I love this photo too, so again, click on it to see the large version)
Anna & Olly
A resource management consultant
I loan because: I'd like to do more.
About me: Anna helps people to build things in a way that does the least amount of damage to the environment.
Olly goes to playschool and likes to play with cars.
Check out: www.padraiggrant.com
A resource management consultant
I loan because: I'd like to do more.
About me: Anna helps people to build things in a way that does the least amount of damage to the environment.
Olly goes to playschool and likes to play with cars.
Check out: www.padraiggrant.com
( Finn says-padraiggrant is a fantastic site- just wonderful photos. Do visit it.)
Anna and Olly have loaned to Immaculée Mukabyagaju in Rwanda who runs a hair salon. And you know a hair salon run by someone called Immaculee is just going to work.
Kivas description: "Greetings from Immaculee in her hair salon business in Kigali, Rwanda. Immaculee is 51 years old and married with four children. Immaculee has been in a group lending association since 2002. She owns her hair salon business for both women and men. She rents a house near a big Catholic church in Kigali. Most of her clients are the church's staff and other business ladies in Kigali.
Anna and Olly have loaned to Immaculée Mukabyagaju in Rwanda who runs a hair salon. And you know a hair salon run by someone called Immaculee is just going to work.
Kivas description: "Greetings from Immaculee in her hair salon business in Kigali, Rwanda. Immaculee is 51 years old and married with four children. Immaculee has been in a group lending association since 2002. She owns her hair salon business for both women and men. She rents a house near a big Catholic church in Kigali. Most of her clients are the church's staff and other business ladies in Kigali.
Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest days, because many ladies come to the salon for hair treatment. Saturdays are wedding days in Rwanda! She earns about US$135 every month from her business. She employs three people to help her in the business. The challenge in her business is not having enough hair-drying helmets for the increasing number of clients. Therefore, she has loaned money to buy two hair-drying helmets for her salon."
Entrepreneur
Bruce recently made a loan to Elena who lives in Huancayo, Peru. Three years ago, Elena was presented with a chance to start a business selling food products including trout and other fish. She travels out to mines to sell her products and to see her husband who works in the same area. At home, she also earns money by making fruit yogurt which she stores in her freezer.
She sells the yogurt in nearby markets and on the street to passers-by. She is using the loan to buy another larger freezer so as to become a great yogurt entrepeneur.
MEET THE KIVA KIWIS
Jean has loaned to Haider, who is 39, married and has three children. He lives in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Haidar owns a automotive repair business, and he has taken a loan of $1000 USD to purchase a compressor for painting cars. In the past he has rented a compressor from his neighbors but this is very expensive. By purchasing his own compressor, he can increase his profit by 50 percent.
