This is 22-year-old Tara B.. She is married and has two children, aged 4 and 1. In 2000, she established her vegetable farming business. Working seven days a week and five hours a day, she supports her family. She has already received and successfully repaid two loans from Patan BPW and used her most recent loan to buy seeds and fertilizers for her farm. In the future, Tara plans to raise the economic conditions of her family. She thanks you for your support.

Over 70 percent of Nepal's economy is agricultural. Typically, Nepali households grow crops on small plots of terraced land. Rice (bhat), lentils (daal), and vegetables (thakari) are the staples of the Nepali diet. With a Kiva loan, BPW's borrowers are able to purchase greater amounts of seed and fertilizer. With more seeds and fertilizer, a borrower is able to grow cash crops to be sold in the local market. Such crops allow households to move beyond subsistence and provide much-needed cash income throughout the year.

This loan was administered by Kiva's local partner MFI (microfinance institution), Patan Business and Professional Women. Patan BPW became Kiva's first field partner in Nepal in 2007. Patan BPW operates throughout the Kathmandu Valley, offering micro-credit and business training programs to low-income women. In addition to providing economic opportunity to their clients, Patan BPW seeks to empower Nepali women within the home and community. For more information about Patan BPW, visit our our partner page and keep an eye out for new loans and borrower updates by joining the BPW Kiva lending team.