I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas as one of four brothers with a single mom. Our life was not easy, and we moved constantly from one neighborhood to another. Through our struggles, I loved spending time with my grandma. Often I wanted to surprise her would “clean” the house. Grandma loved my effort but quickly taught me the difference between just straightening and really cleaning. She instilled in me a love for cleaning, the discipline to succeed, and the importance of putting your all into a task.
I started working in high school to help out with expenses. After high school I was working a minimum wage job and trying to support my wife and children but strayed from the values my mom and grandma had taught me. I began selling drugs and eventually went to prison. Prison like anything in life is what you make of it. I chose to spend my time getting my life in order and being who I needed to be to honor my God, support my wife and help raise my children. I earned my GED and graduated with a trade.
Since my first Kiva loan, things have been moving along slowly but surely. I am happy to share we now have three new clients that we love serving. I still have my job driving a cement truck in order to keep working capital. I joined the local Chamber of Commerce and City Vending for government contacts in order to network with other local businesses. I recently took a trip to Baltimore, Maryland to speak on prison reform and re-entry, giving the audience a firsthand look at someone living a reformed life and being a giver to his community, not just a taker
Adding to basket
Funded
Total loan: $7,500
Powered by 193 lenders
A loan helped .
Gerald's story
This loan is special because:
It supports a previously successful borrower by significantly improving their day-to-day operations.
More about this loan
Business Description
What is the purpose of this loan?
buying_equipment
Loan details
Loan length:
36 months
Repayment schedule:
Monthly
Disbursed date:
February 8, 2017
Funding model:
Fixed
Endorsed by Trustee:
Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP)
Risk rating:
Unrated
Repayment schedule
A loan's repayment schedule describes the frequency with which repayments are sent to Kiva lenders:
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
The disbursed date indicates the date that the borrower receives their loan funds. Loan disbursal for loans on Kiva can happen anywhere from 30 days before to 90 days after the loan is posted on the Kiva website. Direct loans are always post-disbursed, and will be done only after the loan has fully fundraised on Kiva.
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
Every loan has only 30 days to fundraise on Kiva. There are 2 different options for how that funding is sent to the field:
Fixed: the total loan amount must be raised in order for funds to be sent to the Lending Partner. If the loan is not funded in full within the fundraising period, the loan will expire and any funds raised will be returned to lenders' Kiva accounts.
Flexible: any funds raised within 30 days will be passed along to the Lending Partner facilitating the loan and they will come up with other sources of funding to cover the rest of the loan amount.
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
When lending internationally, the local currency in a borrower's country may lose some of its value compared to the US dollar -- requiring the partner to use more of its local currency to repay Kiva in USD. We offer some Lending Partners the option to protect themselves against currency fluctuations by choosing to pass on these losses to Kiva lenders. By bearing this risk, lenders protect the partner and its borrowers from catastrophic currency devaluations and contribute to the sustainability of their operations.
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Yes, most Kiva borrowers do pay interest to our Lending Partners in some form. Kiva and Kiva lenders themselves do not receive interest on these loans.
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
What is a risk rating?
There are many levels of risk associated with Kiva loans, which are explained on our website here: kiva.org/about/risk
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Lending Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Lending Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Lending Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Lending Partners often work with borrowers over time to help them build credit and expand their businesses. In order to make it easier for partners to post loans for borrowers who have been listed on Kiva before, we allow some partners the ability to relist a loan without having to re-enter all of the borrower's information. When this occurs, you'll see an updated loan description, as well as excerpts of the original descriptions from an earlier loan.
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
About Viasion Janitorial
Industry: Services
Years in operation: New Business
Lenders and lending teams
Country: United States
Trustee: Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP)
Trustee type:
N/A
Location:
,
Time on Kiva:
N/A
Kiva borrowers:
16
Total loans:
$78,500
Paying on time:
Not enough data
Paying back late:
Not enough data
Defaulted:
5
Repayment rate:
76%
What are Trustee tiers?
Trustee tiers determine the number of endorsements a Trustee can make and what loan sizes they can endorse. All Trustees begin as a pilot and can advance in tier depending on their borrowers' repayment performance.
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
Tags
Loan tags help lenders find loans that match certain areas of interest.
Loan details
Loan length:
36 months
Repayment schedule:
Monthly
Disbursed date:
February 8, 2017
Funding model:
Fixed
Endorsed by Trustee:
Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP)
Risk rating:
Unrated
Repayment schedule
A loan's repayment schedule describes the frequency with which repayments are sent to Kiva lenders:
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
The disbursed date indicates the date that the borrower receives their loan funds. Loan disbursal for loans on Kiva can happen anywhere from 30 days before to 90 days after the loan is posted on the Kiva website. Direct loans are always post-disbursed, and will be done only after the loan has fully fundraised on Kiva.
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
Every loan has only 30 days to fundraise on Kiva. There are 2 different options for how that funding is sent to the field:
Fixed: the total loan amount must be raised in order for funds to be sent to the Lending Partner. If the loan is not funded in full within the fundraising period, the loan will expire and any funds raised will be returned to lenders' Kiva accounts.
Flexible: any funds raised within 30 days will be passed along to the Lending Partner facilitating the loan and they will come up with other sources of funding to cover the rest of the loan amount.
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
When lending internationally, the local currency in a borrower's country may lose some of its value compared to the US dollar -- requiring the partner to use more of its local currency to repay Kiva in USD. We offer some Lending Partners the option to protect themselves against currency fluctuations by choosing to pass on these losses to Kiva lenders. By bearing this risk, lenders protect the partner and its borrowers from catastrophic currency devaluations and contribute to the sustainability of their operations.
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Yes, most Kiva borrowers do pay interest to our Lending Partners in some form. Kiva and Kiva lenders themselves do not receive interest on these loans.
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
What is a risk rating?
There are many levels of risk associated with Kiva loans, which are explained on our website here: kiva.org/about/risk
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Lending Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Lending Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Lending Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Lending Partners often work with borrowers over time to help them build credit and expand their businesses. In order to make it easier for partners to post loans for borrowers who have been listed on Kiva before, we allow some partners the ability to relist a loan without having to re-enter all of the borrower's information. When this occurs, you'll see an updated loan description, as well as excerpts of the original descriptions from an earlier loan.
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
Trustee: Prison Entrepreneurship Program (PEP)
Trustee type:
N/A
Location:
,
Time on Kiva:
N/A
Kiva borrowers:
16
Total loans:
$78,500
Paying on time:
Not enough data
Paying back late:
Not enough data
Defaulted:
5
Repayment rate:
76%
What are Trustee tiers?
Trustee tiers determine the number of endorsements a Trustee can make and what loan sizes they can endorse. All Trustees begin as a pilot and can advance in tier depending on their borrowers' repayment performance.
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
You are opting out of using Free Trial.
You have selected to not use your Free Trial and will be prompted to pay for this loan using your own money.
Agree Use a Free TrialShoot! This loan is ineligible.
Your free credit can't be applied to this loan. If you would like to make a loan to this borrower anyway, you will have to use your own money.
Lend Anyway Find an Eligible LoanYou cannot use your Free Trial to support this loan.
Free Trials cannot be used to make loans during their private fundraising period on Kiva. If you would like to lend to this borrower anyway, you will have to use your own money.
Agree Find an Eligible Loan