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Volunteer Spotlight: “[This work] gives me as much, if not more, than what I am contributing”

August 22, 2018

All over the world, Review and Translation Program (RTP) volunteers dedicate their time and skills to ensure that the tens of thousands of loans that come in from Kiva’s Field Partners are edited or translated into English from Spanish, French, Portuguese and Russian.

In the past nine months, RTP volunteers have reviewed 168,816 loans, averaging over 18,750 loans per month. They enjoy being involved in the process from reviewing the original loans to seeing them fundraise on Kiva!

This month we celebrate nine of our incredible volunteers. Sara, Miranda, Kate, Mary Lou, Darcy, Teresa, Thelma, David and Maureen. Motivated by the opportunity to alleviate poverty and a desire to keep up their editing and translating skills, we are thankful for their dedication and contributions to Kiva!

Sarah Tyler

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, October 2017

“Every place has something … I like many different places for different reasons.”
Location: Baltimore
Language: Spanish
Team: Los Kivatores
Time with Kiva: 5 years, 1 month
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: Sarah has translated 183,838 lifetime words!

Miranda Aalderink

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, November 2017

“... it’s a really easy way to do something to make the world a slightly better place for someone. ”
Location: New Zealand
Language: English
Team: Kivaliers
Time with Kiva: 3 years, 4 months
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: With 452,523 lifetime words reviewed, Miranda has a personal record of editing 400 loans in one month!

Kate Divjak

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, December 2017


“Kiva is sustainable because it’s not just helping one person. It’s helping their families, the people they employ, and their wider communities.”
Location: Atlanta, GA
Language: Spanish
Team: Mil Puentes
Time with Kiva: 10 years
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: Kate translated over 1,500 loans and almost 250,000 lifetime words!

Mary Lou Bradley

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, January 2018

“I love...that Kiva is making loans to people to help them create sustainable businesses and become independent.”
Location: Massachusetts
Language: French
Team: Baobab
Time with Kiva: 2 years, 2 months
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: Mary Lou has translated 880 loans and almost 100,000 lifetime words!

Darcy Palmer

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, February 2018

“Kiva is a great organization and I think giving a small amount of money to people in need can make such a big difference in their lives.”
Location: Niwot, CO
Language: English
Team: The Loan Rangers
Time with Kiva: 2 years, 3 months
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: Darcy has reviewed over 1,400 loans and almost 310,000 lifetime words!

Teresa Davila

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, March 2018

“I feel tremendous gratitude because any partner or any loan that arrives is something that gives me as much, if not more, than what I am contributing.”
Location: Ashburn, VA
Language: Spanish
Team: Saliendo Adelante
Time with Kiva: 3 years, 8 months
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: 270 loans in a year and almost 150,000 lifetime words reviewed!

Thelma Phillips

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, April 2018

“I feel connected to a bigger world through Kiva. I get so much out of it, and I never get tired of editing loans.”
City: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Language: English
Team: Kivaliers
Time with Kiva: 9 years
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: 1,241 loans in a year and 1,175,872 lifetime words reviewed!

David Urry

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, May 2018

“...I also believe in microfinance and its ability to help people with their goals and ambitions…”
Location: West Jordan, UT
Language: Spanish
Team: Mil Puentes
Time with Kiva: 3 years, 11 months
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: 192 loans in a year and almost 110,000 lifetime words reviewed!

Maureen Wharton

Kiva Volunteer of the Month, June 2018

“I can always learn something new from editing different loans.”
Location: Houston, TX
Language: English
Team: Kiva Comma Squad
Time with Kiva: 6 years, 7 months
Outstanding Contributions to Kiva: 1,190 loans in a year and almost 430,000 lifetime words!

Want to be part of this amazing community of editors and translators? Join us here.