Kiva conducts regular, ongoing monitoring of all Lending Partners, but only posts status updates here in response to relevant, major changes at the partner.
 

July 2020 - COVID-19 Update:

Kiva has been in contact with KosInvest to understand how we can best support their business and borrowers during the ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic. We continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of all staff, borrowers and their families as this global pandemic continues.

While country-specific responses to the crisis vary, most governments have imposed curfews, travel restrictions, and nation-wide shutdowns. This has caused many economies and businesses to grind to a halt. 

As a result, KosInvest has allowed some of its borrowers to temporarily postpone loan repayments due to the aforementioned restrictions or fallout effects of the virus. Because of this, it is possible that lenders will see a delay in repayments over the coming months. As an impact-first funder, Kiva is committed to serving our Lending Partners as in past crises. We are sympathetic towards temporary increases in repayment delays and delinquency in order to help Lending Partners and borrower communities recover. 

Kiva is working closely with KosInvest to support them and their borrowers through the COVID-19 crisis. KosInvest is sending regular updates to Kiva, and we'll update Partner Pages as we learn more. 

On behalf of Kiva and KosInvest, we’re grateful for your continued support and understanding through this difficult time. 

Status update - November 12, 2015:

Kiva recently re-assessed the level of risk associated with loans from this Lending Partner. During this process, our analysts gathered updated operational and financial information about the institution, spoke with key members of the staff and analyzed the Lending Partner’s loan products. As a result, KosInvest's risk rating is now listed as 1.5 stars instead of 3.0 stars. The primary reasons for this change in rating are an increasingly competitive market in Kosovo and governance changes at the organization.

Partner Description:

KosInvest started its operations in Kosovo in October 2001 as a micro-enterprise development division of World Vision, and has been a separate entity since January 2007.

In Kosovo, 30% of the country lives below the national poverty line, according to the World Bank, with 13% living on less than $1 a day, according to World Vision. The country is one of the poorest in Europe, with a per capita GDP of $3800.

KosInvest operates exclusively in rural areas in Kosovo, where two-thirds of the nation’s poor live. Through inclusive financial services, KosInvest aims to help marginalized and economically active poor families generate more income and improve their living conditions. KosInvest works in ethnically divided areas and expressly focuses on strengthening ties across these communities by promoting shared economic interests and building business relationships. 

As of December 2013, KosInvest had disbursed more than US $30 million in loans. Since it started providing loans, KosInvest has helped create over 7,000 new jobs.

KosInvest offers a wide range of loans, including loans for vulnerable populations, agriculture, and women-headed households. In 2014, KosInvest began offering a new livestock loan product that allows farmers to receive livestock or machinery directly, rather than receiving the loan amount in cash. This loan product is the first of its kind in Kosovo.

In 2011, KosInvest won the Social Performance Reporting Award in the Silver Category from the Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX). The organization is member of MIX, the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Kosovo (AMIK), and the Microfinance Centre, a regional microfinance network.