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

June 9, 2020 - COVID-19 Update:

Kiva has been in contact with Esperanza International to understand how we can best support their business and borrowers during the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of all staff, borrowers and their families as this global pandemic continues.

While country-specific responses to the crisis vary, most governments have imposed curfews, travel restrictions, and nation-wide shutdowns. The Dominican Republic has imposed temporary moratoriums on loan payments, affecting not only microfinance, but the economy as a whole. 

As a result, borrowers and Esperanza International may experience difficulty making and collecting loan repayments due to the aforementioned restrictions or fallout effects of the virus. Over the coming months, it’s possible that lenders will see a delay in repayments and new loans posted by Esperanza International. As an impact-first funder, Kiva is committed to serving our Lending Partners, as in past crises. We are sympathetic to temporary increases in repayment delays and delinquency in order to help Lending Partners and borrower communities recover. 

Kiva is working closely with Esperanza International to support them and their borrowers through the COVID-19 crisis. Esperanza International is sending regular updates to Kiva, and we'll update Partner Pages as we learn more. 

On behalf of Kiva and Esperanza International, we’re grateful for your continued support through this difficult time. 

Status update — January 11, 2016

Esperanza International has decided to end operations in Haiti after nearly 3 years and more than $500,000 in loans raised. The outstanding balance of all Haiti loans has been repaid in full, and these funds have been distributed to lenders. We look forward to continuing to work with Esperanza to support borrowers in the Dominican Republic.

Partner description:

Founded in 1995 by former Seattle Mariners catcher, David Valle, and his wife Vicky (read the story here), Esperanza International, a partner of HOPE International, was created in order to help mothers in the Dominican Republic through finance and other services that would affect the most sustainable change in a child’s life. The organization began official operations in the DR in 1999 and today has 9 branches throughout the country. 

Esperanza International Foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the State of Washington, USA and as a non-governmental organization in the Dominican Republic.

Vision & values: 

The vision of Esperanza International is for each person served to understand that they have been created in the image of God with value, dignity, and purpose, while experiencing hope for themselves, their family, and their community.  Esperanza achieves this via a holistic, Christ-centered model that combines microfinance and complementary services to generate income, education, and health, restoring self-worth and dignity to those who have lost hope.

The three values that guide Esperanza in the fulfillment of this vision are (1) glorifying and honoring God, (2) loving and serving one’s neighbor, and (3) achieving results with excellence.

A unique lending approach: 

Esperanza International focuses its work on serving the following: 

Women -- when mothers are empowered through microfinance and income generating projects, the entire family is helped, as mother tend to think of their families first.

The Materially Poor -- the majority of Esperanza loan applicants live below the national poverty line, and may struggle on a daily basis to make ends meet.  Esperanza works with those who may not be able to put up collateral, but who have a dream to make their futures brighter.  Esperanza is there to provide hope, because they believe in their potential.

The Socially Marginalized -- Esperanza’s target population has been rejected by formal banks, lives in the most remote areas of the island, has little or no formal education, and may only have access to capital through loan sharks with high interest rates - but is composed of people with indomitable entrepreneurial spirits. Esperanza knows they deserve better.

Join Esperanza’s lending team here to help make loans in support of Esperanza!