Rounding out International Volunteer Week with further recognition of Kiva’s volunteers

April 24, 2020

By: Rachel Phandinh

Kiva expresses much gratitude and appreciation for our fellows, volunteers and interns who put in the countless hours to make an impact in our community and the world. With International Volunteer Week coming to a close, we not only commend our volunteers this week but also every day.

We want to wrap up our celebrations by spotlighting some more of our volunteers. Learn about who they are and what they do here at Kiva!

RTP Volunteer: Renata Wolff

Upon leafing through a magazine, Renata stumbled upon an article interviewing one of Kiva’s founders. Entranced by microlending and how Kiva works, she was curious to learn more and inspired to make a difference in the world. Renata first joined the community as a lender and it wasn’t long before she applied to be a volunteer. In the two years that Renata has spent with Kiva, she has proven to be a phenomenal asset as she’s reviewed and translated over 900 loans. Renata moves meticulously, yet efficiently cranking out about five loans per week that are ready to post.

"I love to learn about the borrowers and read their stories. It's heartwarming to know Kiva is making an actual difference in their lives."

Intern: Kathy Gledhill

After spending many years in the for-profit sector, Kathy decided it was time for a change. She wanted to pivot her career and work in an organization that is more socially impactful. By interning with Kiva, Kathy was able to utilize her finance background and social impact knowledge. She’s been able to create new experiences for herself by meeting different people from all over and gaining the opportunity to work with small businesses first-hand.

“I think Kiva is a great opportunity for someone that wants to get a holistic business sense about how an entire organization works and really [be able to] have the opportunity to be exposed to all areas - I mean, being part of an intern class, you meet everyone. And we’re all working in different areas and we have the chance to learn from each other.”

Read about Kathy's intern experience.

Fellow: Jeremy Jue

Meet Jeremy, our Media Fellow. Jeremy was based out of Africa traveling throughout the region connecting with borrowers to understand their journeys, struggles and the impact Kiva has made for them. He brings their stories to life through striking photography and videography. Watch this video as Jeremy takes us through his time in the field!