Kiva conducts regular, ongoing monitoring of all Lending Partners, but only posts status updates here in response to relevant, major changes at the partner.

Status Update - November 17, 2022

BJS does not owe any further funds to Kiva lenders. Kiva therefore considers this partnership closed. We thank BJS for their partnership.

Status update - December 26, 2016

Due to regulatory changes by the government of India, Kiva is no longer able to send funds to Belghoriya Janakalyan Samity. As a result, Kiva has moved this Lending Partner to inactive status. This means Belghoriya Janakalyan Samity is no longer fundraising loans on the website, though Kiva fully expects the partner to continue to send repayments owed to Kiva lenders for as long as the partner has an outstanding balance. If the regulations change and this partner requests to fundraise on Kiva again, Kiva is willing to re-open their line of funding. We will first conduct any additional monitoring and due diligence tasks we believe necessary before allowing the partner begin fundraising for new loans.

Partner description:

Belghoria Janakalyan Samity (BJS) is an Indian non-profit organization that focuses on poverty alleviation through women’s empowerment. By providing its clients with both financial and non-financial services, the organization aims to promote a more holistic and sustainable approach to development.

BJS strongly advocates for the financial inclusion of vulnerable women. It works with self-help groups to reach women in rural areas, offering them microcredit as well as skill development, vocational training, financial literacy training, and capacity building programs. The organization believes that while financial empowerment leads to self-sufficiency, technical skills ensure economic sustainability. BJS therefore stresses the importance of non-financial services for clients.

BJS also offers social services to the surrounding communities, including programmes for school-aged children. In January 2012, the institution opened an informal primary school, “BJS Siksha Niketan” in Laxminathpur. Over 40 children from the ages of 3 to 10 years attend the school and their books, stationary and uniforms are fully funded by the organization. BJS also regularly disburses scholarships and awards books on a merit basis to other students throughout its network.

Alongside its educational programs, BJS actively promotes medical initiatives throughout rural regions, offering social awareness training on topics including sanitation, hygiene and the environment. In 2011, the organization held medical camps for the surrounding communities that included eye exams and cancer detection.

A unique lending approach:

BJS has only been able to offer clients one income-generating loan product due to extremely limited resources. Through this partnership, Kiva lenders’ funds will be used to reach more rural areas as well as create new loans that the organization would otherwise be unable to offer.

In a region where most other MFIs focus solely on credit products, BJS promotes holistic community development through the social services that it offers. Kiva’s partnership with BJS is critical to these non-financial services, as it will help the organization to continue providing vital support to vulnerable and underserved women and their communities.