Kiva

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), an average of 21.5 million people per year since 2008 have been displaced globally from climate-related hazards like floods, storms, wildfires, and extreme temperatures. That means that there are more than 320 million climate refugees who have left their homes already. And the issue does not appear to be slowing down. Learn more about climate refugees: https://bit.ly/3L3x1s1

🌟 We love seeing schools incorporate Kiva into their learning programs 🌟 Like these inspiring 6th graders, who showcased their creativity and innovation — all while supporting Kiva borrowers. Thank you, Seattle Academy, for fostering entrepreneurship and making a positive impact in the world. 🙌 #Kiva #Entrepreneurship #YouthImpact #GlobalChange

Worldwide, 740 million women don’t have access to traditional financial services like bank accounts and credit. This can make it difficult for women to start and grow their own business. But lending to women is a win-win. Research shows that women are more likely to invest their earnings and in ways that have a long term impact on their families and communities. Laura is a Colombian immigrant living in Ecuador who was displaced from her home during the pandemic. See how she started her own business using a Kiva loan: https://bit.ly/3zbUlkE

💻 💚 How does technology fuel collective social impact and what's next in the world of philanthropic-related tech and AI? Vishal Ghotge, #CEO of Kiva, shares his insights from a recent conversation with Steve Kaufer, CEO of Give Freely, in the latest edition of the Rooted in Impact blog series. #techforgood #socialimpact. #ceoinsights

There are many misconceptions surrounding refugees. This #WorldRefugeeDay, we invite you to challenge yours. Being a refugee is an experience, not an identity. Displaced people are small business owners, setting up restaurants, convenience stores, and other services for their new communities. They’re aspiring journalists, poets, artists, and embroiderers. They’re parents and caretakers. They’re human. But before they can start to set down roots, they need resources. Unfortunately, many traditional financial services often say “no” to lending to refugees. The Kiva community says “yes”. Do you believe that refugees deserve the resources they need to rebuild after leaving their lives behind? Help us transform the narrative. Every share of this post has the power to help us change outdated perceptions about refugees.

Being a refugee is an experience, not an identity. Displaced people are just that: people. And at Kiva, we believe in financial inclusion, for every person. That’s why we’ve facilitated loans to refugees since 2016. When other financial institutions said “no”, Kiva lenders said “yes”, changing the lives of people like Xiomara. After migrating to Ecuador from Venezuela, Xiomara faced multiple tragedies. Pancreatic cancer took her daughter’s life — COVID-19 took her husband’s. Despite losing her loved ones, Xiomara refused to return to the hardships of Venezuela. Now, Xiomara is the owner of Xiomi Centro de Estética Integral, where she provides facial and body treatments. You can help us change the narrative for more refugees like Xiomara. Every share has the power to change minds. Will you share this post to take action and help transform outdated perceptions about refugees?

Who do you think has a higher likelihood of repaying a loan: a small business owner, or a refugee forced to leave everything behind? . . . . Turns out, their repayment rates are exactly the same. Refugees are human beings, not “risky investments”. Yet biases and false beliefs that "refugees can't repay loans" stand in the way of displaced people rebuilding their lives. These beliefs turn into rejections from financial institutions when trying to access money. Money that turns into housing, education, and opportunities to build a sustainable livelihood. This #WorldRefugeeDay (and every day), we’re changing the narrative around the creditworthiness of refugees. Since 2016, refugees have repaid their Kiva loans at the same rate as non-refugee borrowers. It’s time to challenge outdated perceptions of refugees. Like, share, and comment with your thoughts — you have the power to change minds.

Even though research shows that women are more likely to invest their earnings in ways that have a long-term impact on their families and communities, an overwhelming number still lack the economic agency to do so. 80% of the loans funded on Kiva support women, and independent research like the annual Microfinance Index by 60 Decibels helps us to better measure the outcomes that women experience as a result of taking microloans. In this edition of the Invest In Women Newsletter, we share what women microfinance borrowers think about how loans have affected their lives.

Many financial service providers do not provide equitable access to finance for refugees for fear they are a ‘flight risk’. Kiva, along with our partners, has been working to change this perception and improve financial inclusion for refugees since 2016. That year, of the 466 clients we lent to who were refugees, our data showed a 99.71 percent repayment rate — far exceeding the expectations of those who believe that refugees represent a riskier market segment. Fast forward to 2024 and we’ve now reached over 109,000 refugees and internally displaced people with equitable access to finance — and the repayment rate of refugee loans remains on par with that of other Kiva borrowers. Find out more here: https://bit.ly/4cjKYxM

When UGG wanted to create a meaningful initiative to engage their customers, they reached out to Kiva’s partnership team. Pledging to donate $20 from each pair of Scrunchitas sandals sold in March 2023, UGG was able to match loans to women on the Kiva site, engaging Kiva lenders who wanted to double their impact for borrowers they were supporting. Once the loans began to be repaid, the funds were relent to new borrowers, facilitating the “Kiva effect” that has more than doubled the impact of UGG’s initial investment in a single year. Learn more about this impactful partnership here: https://bit.ly/3VnuuxD