Originally from the beachside city of Newcastle, Australia, Kate was lucky enough to travel with her family at a young age. This exposure to the world and different ways of living gave Kate a taste for exploration and instilled within her an ambition to help others who had not won the “lottery of birth”. At 18 she moved to Melbourne to study a Bachelor of International Relations at La Trobe University. Learning about development methods that empowered women and the burgeoning ‘grass-roots’ movement inspired Kate to embark on a year-long journey through Eastern Africa and India. She spent three months volunteering for an organisation that operated an adult education centre in Moshi, Tanzania. As well as teaching computer studies, Kate also met past students who had established small businesses after graduating. It was in Tanzania that she witnessed first-hand the opportunities that came from education and financial inclusion. Back in Australia, Kate worked in local government where she developed her skills in project coordination and administration. She continued to travel and volunteer internationally, developing a deep connection to South-East Asia. Kate first heard of Kiva after reading ‘Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity’. Kate is looking forward to returning to South East Asia as a Kiva Fellow and eagerly anticipates being part of Kiva’s work in Cambodia and Indonesia.