Update from the Field: Tropical Business Trips, Less Exhilarating Fellow Roles + Education Inspiration

Compiled by Allison Moomey | KF16 & KF17 | Bénin

Kiva Fellows have been busy checking items off their workplans. From borrower verifications to loan officer trainings to collecting borrower stories, each fellow’s workplan is a diverse set of tasks dealing with both the glamorous and less-exciting aspects of a Kiva-partner relationship. This week’s blog posts give you an inside view into how fellows are spending their time to maximize the potential of that relationship for you, the lender. Nessa shares inspiration from students at Kiva’s first university partner in Kenya, David shares one of the crucial but rarely blogged about tasks of a Kiva fellow from his post in the Dominican Republic, and Jamie cures “lack of human contactitis” with his first borrower visits in the Philippines.

Campus Kiva Students Provide Inspiration and Rejuvenation!
Nessa E. French | KF 17 | Kenya
Nessa leads her first Campus Kiva meeting at Strathmore, Kiva’s first university partner. Students who have received a partial tuition or laptop loan gather to meet each other and discuss the role of the Kiva loan in their education. Nessa shares their inspirational stories with you in this encouraging blog post.

Training Kiva’s MFI Field Partners
David Gorgani | KF 17 | Dominican Republic
David shares about one of the more practical sides of a Kiva fellowship: the loan officer training. Although borrower verifications often fill the pages of this blog, they are but a small part of what we as fellows do in the field. David shares about his time working with the often unsung heros of Kiva, the loan officers whose work you see posted on the website.

The Best Business Trip Ever – Part I: Tagbilaran City to San Roque
By Jamie Greenthal | KF 17 | Philippines
Jamie shares images and stories from his first borrower visit (and most importantly how to eat a coconut). While business trips from New York were often a nice change of pace, this Kiva business trip was not only a welcome variation but also inspirational.

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Updates from the Past Month:
Update From The Field: Finding Epiphanies, Sharing Wisdom + Standing Up to Sassy Nigerian Mamas
A New Perspective from Mexico, Second Chances for Borrowers + A Microfinance Medical Mission
Inspiring Field Partners, Cultural Adjustments + Girl Scout Cookies (No Wait, That’s Not Right)
Client Visits in Bethlehem, A New Partnership in Cameroon + A Peek Into a Loan Officer’s World

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Plus More Pictures from the Past Week: