Projects
Medeia
Chiatura, Georgia
Medeia is 59 years old and a married woman, from Chiatura district. She lives with her husband, who is temporarily unemployed, and the family earns a living with the help of Medeia's activity. She works at a private organization and generates 400 GEL in fixed salary.
As the existing income is not enough for the family, and her husband can't help her maintain the family's well-being, Medeia decided to start a new activity. It will be a stable and significant source of income for them. All the financial institutions rejected her loan requests, because of her unstable financial condition and lack of experience. After several unsuccessful attempts, Medeia applied for credit to MFO Credo. Her request was approved in the framework of the Start-Up program, which is a joint initiative with Kiva, permitting poor people to start or re-start businesses.
Medeia plans to purchase all needed merchandise and tools for opening a traditional Georgian bakery. She has already found an appropriate place for her new business. She will get many customers among local people, and passers-by, as well. The family will have a stable income that will enable them to cover everyday costs, as well as expand the business in future. With the support of the Start-Up program, Medeia will get an opportunity to be involved in her own business and tackle the family's financial difficulties support and this opportunity.
Dilek
Sirnak, Turkey
Dilek is a mother of three who worked in temporary jobs in order to support her family. Nowadays she wants to start her own business.
Dilek lives in Sirnak, southeast of Turkey. Due to fact that, Sirnak is close to borders, there were terrorist actions and community of Sirnak has faced with difficult times. However, nowadays situation has been improved and people are trying to readapt themselves to the joy of life. Therefore, Dilek decided to fill in the blanks by creating platform where women could heal up both physically and mentally.
At that point, Dilek met with b-fit Sports and Social Clubs, a social enterprise in Turkey with numerous sports centers throughout the country. All centers are owned by women, helping empower them economically in a society where businesses are often dominated by men. Dilek will be opening her own franchise and it will have 9 platforms and 9 hydraulic equipments. The aim of this center is increasing physical activity of women. However, it is not just a sport center; it is also a place for women to come together to improve their social relationships, gain skills in different topics via experts’ seminars, and organize many activities together, such as raising donations for charity in their neighborhood. For example; they donate toys to children suffering from cancer, or buy gifts for nursing home residents at holidays and special days like Mother & Father Days.
Accordingly, Dilek thinks b-fit center will be most appropriate place for women who live in Sirnak. Thus, they can improve their physical and mental health together.. However, Dilek needs money to buy the necessary hydraulic workout equipments and to decorate the club so women can utilize it best.
Pov's Group
Prey Veng province, Presh Sdach district, Cambodia
Pov is a married mother and she is living with her four children in Prey Veng province. She is 56 years old.
She earns a living farming rice, which has been the single source of her income for 30 years. With this rice growing business, she can earn about $8 USD per day and she manages to save $2.50 USD each day for emergency needs.
She is the leader of her two-member group and this is her third time applying for a loan with VisionFund. She fully repaid all of her prior loans, which she used to support her business.
Due to this gradual improvement, she decided to apply for a new loan to buy a solar panel in order to brighten her house during the night. In the future, she hopes that this solar will provide her enough electricity to use and help to reduce her electricity costs
Voeurn
Chhouer Trach Village, Kork Banteay Commune, Rolae, Cambodia
Working as farmer over 40 years, Voeurn lives with husband in Chhouer Trach village. Voeurn and her husband work hard to improve the family living standard. She always has a concern about her family safety when she is not at home since her family is using car battery for power source that has acid substance. Moreover, she has to go to charge car battery every day for daily usage. It is a time and money consuming activity, and the car battery is very heavy for her to carry to the charging station.
Therefore, Voeurn decided to apply for Kiva in order to buy a solar home system. Her family can live in convenience condition with bright light, and she will have power every day with no need to go to charging station.
Berania
Berania is married and has a daughter. She's a high school graduate and she and her husband own a 13 Mz plot of land where they plant coffee, beans, and corn. In their community there isn't electricity and that's why she's applying for a loan to purchase a solar system to install in their home. It would be very useful for every member of the household since it would provide lighting at night and early in the morning so that they can do chores at home and in the field.
She would be very grateful if given the opportunity to use this loan to purchase a solar system.
Sreyroth's Group
Kampong Speu province, Oral district, Cambodia
A local resident of the Kampong Speu province, Sreyroth is 20 years old and the mother of a young dependent child. To support her family, Sreyroth has been growing rice. In her spare time, she and her husband work as paid workers on cassava farmland to earn additional income. She can earn about 9 USD per day via her businesses and she is able save up to 2 USD each day for future needs.
This is Sreyroth's second loan with VisionFund. She used the previous loan to support her family’s daily needs and repaid that loan completely. As a group leader of two members, she plans to use this loan to buy a home solar energy system to use in her household. She hopes this loan will allow her to illuminate her house at night.
Mildred
Binalbagan 2, Negros Occicental, Philippines
Mildred works hard to support four children. She is married and has a home products dealership business in the Philippines.
Mildred requested a PHP 10,400 loan through NWTF in order to buy a solar fan.
She is getting the solar fan because she wants to save money by minimizing her electric expenses.
Mildred is aware that by using the solar fan, she is not only saving money, she is also helping the environment and reducing health and hazard risks to her family.
Ma. Cherry
Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Ma.Cherry works hard to support three children. She is married and has a food vending business in the Philippines.
Ma.Cherry requested a PHP 10,400 loan through NWTF in order to buy a solar fun.
She is getting the solar fun because she wants to money by minimizing her electric expenses.
Ma.Cherry is aware that by using the solar fun, she is not only saving money, she is also helping the environment and reducing health and hazard risks to her family.
Ghada
Ghada, who appears in the photo, is 23 years old from Jabalia City in Gaza strip. She is a wonderful wife to her husband. She is trying to provide her family with all the things they need and ensure they live in a healthy condition. Her husband works in the public sector where he earns a low income, barely enough for basic needs.
Because of the problem of electricity in Gaza and the economic situation in general, she is taking a US dollar loan from Palestine for Credit and Development (FATEN) to buy a solarium (solar panel) so her family will feel comfortable. She hopes you will help her buy it for her family so they can live in good conditions.
Zakea
Dier Al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Palestine
Zakea is a 29-year-old married woman from Dier El Balah city, located in the Gaza Strip. Her husband works as an employee in the public sector where he gets a low income. This income barely covers all the family needs. However, Zakea wants to improve her family's standard of living to help them live more comfortably.
Zakea took a USD loan from FATEN in order to buy a solar system for heating water for the family house. By taking this loan, Zakea will be able heat water more efficiently, enabling the family to take warm showers while also decreasing the electricity expenses.
Nona
Meet Nona, age 38. This nice woman is an agronomist with many years of experience. She lives with her husband and in-laws. The whole family is engaged in farming activities. They are able to provide for their daily living needs thanks to their developed farm. Nona heats her house with electricity and natural gas, which according to her is pretty expensive.
Nona has requested this loan to pay for a solar heating system for her house. She hopes to save more money and use that saved money to develop her family farm. Nona is thankful in advance.
Ebah
Indonesia
Ebah is a 45-year-old married woman with one son. Ebah has a small shop, and her husband has been a driver for three years.
Ebah has asked for a loan of IDR 7,200,000 from KPP UMKM Syariah. This loan will be used to build a sanitation system at her home to improve access to sanitation and clean water for her family. Her family income is insufficient to build toilets and water sources, but Ebah will be able to repay the loan received.
She and her family want to live a healthy life with healthy sanitation and clean water. She is very grateful for the opportunity and wants to thank to all lenders.
Savann Group
Savann is 40-year-old farmer and a married woman with three dependent children, who are all in school. She has cultivated rice for more than twenty years. Her husband is 39, a civil servant and farmer as well. All of them live in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia. Savann and her husband can earn approximately $10 per day.
Savann, as group leader, would like to request a loan for a group of four members. She will use her portion to buy fertilizer and a water pump for cultivating rice. With this loan, she will be able to earn more income for the family. Savann is pictured 1st from the right. In the future, she wants to buy more farmland to cultivate rice and save money to build a new house and support her children to go to university.
Jamie
United States
The funny thing about the town where I was raised are the properties: old farm land turned suburban, small houses, vast lawns of grass. My beloved childhood home is no different. I grew up with no knowledge of agriculture except for the personal garden my grandfather grew. After he passed away in late 2009 I had a strong desire to connect with him through agriculture. I traveled across the USA on a live/work farming tour. When I finally arrived back to my home state of NJ, I became very involved in urban agriculture through Newark's adopt-a-lot program.
In early 2013 I started to grow produce with other gardeners on tiny parcels of land, much smaller than the backyard I grew up with. It's incredible how much you can produce in a small space. I love “urban” agriculture so deeply not only because of the obvious need for green development, but because of the diversity of the city and its innovative pace. In 2014 I began a year in service with Foodcorps teaching youth about food systems and urban gardening. At the same time I became very interested in finding solutions to our country's most unsustainable systems.
Today I share the role of managing director for P3 Organic Exchange with two incredible founders, Victoria Petrovsky and Emilio Panasci. I dream to see our business survive and thrive, impacting both commercial and residential organic waste management in a way that benefits people and planet. I'd like P3 OrganiX to set an example for our city that sustainable businesses are not only possible but ARE the future.
Virginia
Virginia is a 23-year-old entrepreneur and volunteer Camfed Learner Guide living with her family in the Buhera district. Her work involves running her own clothing and shoes selling business at the local flea market in order to cater for her family's needs. She also volunteers as a Camfed Learner Guide leading life skills sessions with her students in the nearby high school. She focuses on effective communication and on building her students’ confidence.
She is now requesting a Kiva loan in order to construct her own boutique. Virginia plans to use the profit she earns to further her education and improve her family's wellbeing. The interest on her “social-interest” loan will be repaid through Virginia's weekly two and a half hours of volunteering which are so valuable for Camfed’s younger students.
Liezel
Phillipines
Liezel is a hardworking micro-entrepreneur. She is married and has a food vending business in the Philippines.
Liezel requested a PHP 10,000 loan through NWTF to build a sanitary toilet for her family.
Liezel knows that using the sanitary toilet will ultimately reduce health and hazard risks to her family
Nenita
Nenita works hard to support three children. She is married and has a general store in the Philippines. She applied for a PHP 15,000 loan through NWTF in order to build a sanitary toilet for her family.
Nenita knows that, by using the sanitary toilet, she is also helping the environment and reducing health and hazard risks for her family.
Donalyn
Phillipines
Donalyn works hard to support four children. She is married and has a fishing business in the Philippines.
Donalyn requested a PHP 15,000 loan through NWTF in order to build a sanitary toilet for her family.
Donalyn is aware that by using the sanitary toilet, she is also helping the environment and reducing health and hazard risks to her family.
Cheril
Cheril is a married woman with five children. She is a very hardworking entrepreneur. She is 35 years old and has four children who are in school.
Cheril has a general store business in the Philippines. She requested a PHP 6,990 loan amount through NWTF to buy a solar lamp.
Cheril has been in this business for three years. In the future, she would like to save enough money so she could afford to send her children to college.
Casimira
Nicaragua
Casimira is a widow who has four children. Since she was very young, Casimira always helped her parents with household tasks and agricultural work. She went to school up through fifth grade of primary school. Currently, she works growing staple food products such as coffee, cocoa, beans, corn, and sorghum.
In the community where Casimira lives, there is no electric energy. For this reason, she is requesting a loan to buy a solar power system, which will come to greatly benefit her home. It would change her way of life, since she would stop using oil lamps and candles and start using solar energy.
Cristina
Cristina is a widow and has three children. She studied through the fifth grade of primary school. Currently, she grows beans and corn.
In the community where she lives, there is no electricity, and this is why she is requesting a loan to buy a solar energy system, which will be of great use to the members of the home since they will be able to have light at night and in the early morning in order to do their work.
She would be very grateful if she were given the opportunity to get this solar energy system.
Maria Del Pilar
Mexico
María del Pilar is a housewife and mother of four from the municipality of Candelaria in the estate of Campeche. She was one of the first women to buy a basic solar energy home system for her house. Nowadays she is convinced that, that decision was one of the best. Since she invested in that system, her and her family have had a better life. They have stopped using candles, she can spend more time with her kids and husband and also, her kids are able to study for longer hours.
María del Pilar wants to buy a bigger system now, she is sure that this will have more positive impacts on her family's health, and her kid's education.
Ra'eda
Ra'eda is a 39-year-old married woman from Jabalia city, located in the Gaza Strip. Her husband works as an employee in the public sector where he gets a low income. This income barely covers all the family needs. However, Ra’eda wants to improve her family's standard of living help them live more comfortably.
Ra'eda took a USD loan from FATEN in order to buy a solar system for heating water for the family house. By taking this loan, Ra'eda will be able heat water more efficiently, enable the family to take warm showers, while also decreasing the electricity expenses.
Hà
Vietnam
Mrs. Hà is 44 years old and married with two children. Hà lives in Nong Cong district, a semi-urban town in Thanh Hoa province.
She has had a service business selling waste materials (scrap) for nine years. Hà gets up at 6:00 a.m. every day to begin her working day. Her family is a low-income household in village. Moreover, the market need is low in this region.
The main hardship that Hà faces is lack of capital. She is requesting a loan to purchase waste materials (scrap) to resell (to the factories that can reproduce them).
With her business profit, Hà hopes for her business to do well, for her children to find good jobs, and to be able to buy more supplies and equipment for her business.
Sumyati
Sumyati is 37 years old and married and has one son. Sumyati and her husband have been selling foods such as snacks, cakes, bread, drinks, etc. for four years. They work very hard. They would like to improve their living conditions and create a happy and healthy life for their child.
Sumyati has asked for a loan of IDR 7,000,000 from KSPPS BMI. This loan will be used to build a clean water source facility at their home to improve access to water sources for their family. Today her family has no access to a water sources in their home and must rely on the river for bathing. Her family income is insufficient to build a water facility, but Sumyati will be able to repay the loan received.
She and her family want to live a healthy life with clean water. She is very grateful for the opportunity and wants to thank all lenders
Viola
Kenya
Viola is 40 years old. She is married with 7 children.
She has had a farming business for 6 years and it has been profitable.
Viola has requeseted for a loan from VisionFund Kenya which she will be using to buy kale seedlings to plant on her farm.
She will use the anticipated profits to repay her loan and pay school fees for her children.
Her hopes and dreams for the future are to live a successful life.
Yien
Yien is a widowed mother of six children in the Kaoh Kandal Village, Chieb Commune, Tuek Phos district, Kampong Chhang Province. Four of her six children are married while the other two are still under her care. In her farming business, she can earn a net income about USD 10 per day.
Now Yien wants to install a set of solar home systems at her house but she doesn't have enough money to order them yet. She made a decision to request a loan from Kiva via HKL to order a set of solar home systems. The systems will help her family to get light at night and for other uses such as charging phones and connecting the TV. This is the first loan for her with Kiva and she hopes that this loan will help to promote her living. Yien is planing to enlarge her business by buying more farmland. She would like to say thanks to all lenders for helping poor people.
Fathyi
Palestine
Fathyi, who appears in the photo, is a 40-year-old from Jabalia, in the Gaza strip. She is a wonderful mother for her children. She has four adorable children. She is trying to provide them with all the things they need and ensure that they stay healthy. Her husband works as a construction worker and earns a very low income--barely enough to cover their basic needs. Because of the problems with electricity in Gaza and the economic situation in general, she is applying for a USD loan from Palestine for Credit and Development (FATEN) to buy a Solarium so her family will be comfortable. She hopes you will help her buy the heating system for her kids so they can grow up in good conditions.
Norma Guadalupe
Norma was born in the Yorito community, when she was six years old her parents moved to the Laguna Seca community where they started a coffee plantation. Her father acquired a parcel and started growing beans. She used to help her mother in the house and attended the community school. When she finished primary school, she had to go to another community to study. With a lot of effort she was able to finish and earned a teaching degree. With the degree she was able to find work in the school community. She is currently married and has four children.
There is no electric energy in her community, for this reason she is requesting help to acquire a solar energy system with 5 luminaries to be able to illuminate her house.
Mai
Cambodia
Mai, pictured here on the right of the picture with her husband on the left, lives with her husband and daughter and continues the family business.
Mai is a hard working farmer. She always gets up early to prepare her equipment to do farming. She puts out all her effort in order to make her family live in a better condition.
However, her current power won’t let her achieve her goal. Her home does not have any electricity, and she has to go to charge the battery every two or three days.
After she found out that solar energy is the source she needs, she decided to apply for a Kiva loan to pay for a good quality solar home system from Kamworks. She believes a solar home system can reduce her burden and help her achieve her goal.
