A loan helped to pay for labor costs and fertilizer.


Victoire's story

Victoire is aged 35. He is a father of four children and has been practicing rice farming for the past 10 years. He will use the Kiva loan to pay for labor costs and fertilizer during rice production. Fertilizer is needed in order to increase production. With profits from his farming he wishes to invest in his business so that in the future he can acquire machines and tractors that will enhance his farming capacity.

This loan is part of Urwego Opportunity Bank's program targeting farmers who are members of cooperatives. The loan goes to the cooperative's leader (pictured) on the group's behalf, and all borrowers benefiting from this loan receive financing such as quality seeds from the Rwandan government. The loan is also covered by insurance in case of crop failure. As the cooperative's leader, Victoire is responsible for repaying the loan

The agriculture sector accounts for 37% of Rwanda's gross domestic product, generates 65% of Rwanda's export revenue, and employs approximately 90% of Rwandans (as of 2009). Despite the importance of agriculture to Rwandans and their economy, financial institutions view lending to fund agricultural activities as a high-risk proposition because the profitability of these activities is affected by weather, natural disasters, and price fluctuations. For this reason, farmers in Rwanda remain underserved by financial institutions. Urwego Opportunity Bank is expanding into this market and is happy to provide Kiva lenders with the opportunity to support Rwandan farmers.



Loan details


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Loan details