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Showing 1-25 of 32 results
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The Savings behind the Interest
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 13 November 2009
By Eva Wu, KF9 Philippines Having followed the recent debate over Kiva’s transparency and the P2P model, the main critique that stuck with me was that there should be more transparency on Kiva’s partner MFIs. This resonated with me because I believe that Kiva has, on the whole, picked out partner MFIs that do amazing work [...]
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Weekend in training
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 12 November 2009
By Ed Coambs KF9 Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation The morning starts early, its 5:30 and I rise to church bells and a new day’s adventure. At 6:30 I will be leaving with Raymond, Presy and Masa to introduce Kiva to five Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation branches (NWTF). NWTF partnered with Kiva in July of [...]
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CCT Borrowers Often Work in the Sidelines
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 7 November 2009
By Prem Thomas, KF9, Manila, Philippines After visiting many Kiva CCT borrowers, I noticed a trend that the primary business requiring a loan is not the only source of income. In the Philippines side jobs are referred to as “sidelines” or “extra income”. I have met a teachers who also sell clothing, farmers who rent out [...]
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The Most Bizarre Client Interview (Part 2 of 2)
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 7 November 2009
By Eva Wu, KF9 Philippines Bizarre is probably not the best word to describe this client interview, but without a doubt we were intrigued and utterly fascinated by the alien-looking blob we saw sitting pretty before us. Corroi, HSPFI’s Kiva Coordinator and I found ourselves staring at a live (or semi-live) sea cucumber during a visit [...]
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Hey, Joe
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 5 November 2009
By Adam Preston, KF9, Philippines The Filipinos are a very generous people. So generous, in fact, that if they don’t know your name, they will even give you a name – and that name is Joe. I am greeted in this way no less than 3 or 4 times in a day, coming from men and [...]
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The Most Beautiful Client Interview (Part 1 of 2)
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 4 November 2009
By Eva Wu, KF9 Philippines I experienced a lot of firsts during my week in the field visiting HSPFI’s Camiguin Branch. Some good, some intense, all of it exciting. Amongst all these firsts, I’m convinced that I witnessed on Camiguin Island both the most beautiful and the most bizarre client interviews that I’ll get to conduct [...]
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The Show Me Game!
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 30 October 2009
By Prem Thomas, KF9, Manila, Philippines One of the great parts of being a Kiva Fellow in the Philippines is the access it gives you to other countries with relatively inexpensive domestic and international flights. Cebu Pacific is one of a handful of budget airlines in the Philippines that allow you to fly internationally to places [...]
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The Big Blue
Blog: Timothy Allen on BBC Earth - 29 October 2009
An encounter 20 fathoms under the South China Sea
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What’s Masskara?
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 28 October 2009
By Ed Coambs, Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, Bacolod Philippines It is time to smile! That’s right Bacolod, Philippines has a festival that is committed to smiling. After all the city is also known as the city of smiles. I have had the distinct please of witnessing bright colors, load music and smelling chicken [...]
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A Violin Lesson in Geppetto’s Workshop
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 27 October 2009
By Prem Thomas, KF9, Philippines I haven’t picked up a violin in over 12 years despite playing for most of my childhood. But when I saw that CCT had made a Kiva loan to a violin-maker 3 hours outside of Manila, I knew I had to visit. Evelyn Gabute and her husband Angel recently [...]
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Seriously? Another Typhoon?
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 19 October 2009
By Mary Riedel, KF9, Philippines This is how my morning started…woke up around 5 am – packed and ready to go – off on my first trip to meet the Kiva borrowers after 2 weeks in the Philippines! Started humming a little tune to myself…”I’m on my way, I don’t know where I’m going, I’m on my [...]
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“Filipinos are like Bamboo…
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 14 October 2009
By Prem Thomas, KF9, Manila, Philippines We bend, but don’t break.” These are the words Lala, the Kiva Coordinator, at the Center for Community Transformation Credit Cooperative (CCT) used to describe the Filipinos who have and will bounce back from the flooding caused by Typhoons Ketsana and Parma. My name is Prem Thomas, and today is [...]
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Bayanihan from Cagayan de Oro, Philippines
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 8 October 2009
By Eva Wu, KF9, Philippines Two days ago I learned that bayanihan means a community coming together as one, with lots of love and support – this is the way of Filipino culture. I feel like this is a perfect word to describe everything that I’ve experienced since becoming a Kiva Fellow. With all the news [...]
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5 bars where to get wasted this Saturday
Blog: 99 + 1 countries - 22 August 2009
1. Rock Bar Mother, Shinjuku, Tokyo, JapanA tiny bar with larger than life character. The bar functions on two principles: darkness and songs on demand.
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A Road Is Paved, A Mall Opens
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 10 August 2009
By Sloane Berrent, KF8, Ahon sa Hirap, Inc, Philippines strong> “How has Ahon sa Hirap, Inc.” (ASHI and my host microfinance institution) “being here in your barangay or in your town helped your community?” I ask the women from ASHI during each Center meeting that I attend. There are a few variations on this question. I ask [...]
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5 do's for Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Blog: 99 + 1 countries - 7 August 2009
1. Learn more about the special bond Filipinos have to prisoners. Unlike in Palawan where you can go see prisoners work on a farm, in Cebu City you can go watch them hip hop. They promise you mass murderers! Now if that's not an enterprising approach to tourism then what is? Serial rapists square dancing? The show goes on every last Saturday of the month and you can watch them dance to Bonnie Tyler's I need a hero here.
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El Nido, Palawan, Philippines, 5 do's
Blog: 99 + 1 countries - 6 August 2009
5 do's for El Nido, Palawan island, The Philippines. A vintage post from February o9.View from the tour C.
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5 do's for Port Barton, Palawan, Philippines
Blog: 99 + 1 countries - 5 August 2009
5 do's for a few lazy days in Port Barton, Palawan. This is a vintage post from February 09.
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10 Do's for Sugar Beach, Sipalay
Blog: 99 + 1 countries - 25 July 2009
10 Do's for for Sugar Beach, Sipalay, Negros, Philippines
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Wanted: Tagalog Speaking Kiva Fellow / Reward If Found!
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 13 July 2009
By Sloane Berrent, KF8, Philippines Special Mission should you choose to accept. The Kiva Fellows Program is looking for a Tagalog-speaking (or Cebuano) person of Filipino descent for a placement at a microfinance institution on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines. That means you must be comfortable being placed there and traveling around the [...]
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Determination for Education
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 6 July 2009
By Sloane Berrent, KF8, Philippines “Tell Ma’am Sloane about your recent project.” Sir Rexon asks Sir Ronnie while we sit having lunch on Talim Island in Binangon, Rizal, where I am visiting an ASHI branch for the day. Everyone here goes by Ma’am and Sir as a sign of respect. This island, is the 12th and final [...]
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CCT’s First Kiva Loan
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 29 June 2009
Last Tuesday was the first day of the Kiva Partnership with CCT, and my first day as a Kiva Fellow. The highlight of the day was posting CCT’s first borrower profiles on Kiva.org. Laughter filled the room as CCT workers took turns writing their first profiles. For CCT to move to the “Active” stage as soon as possible, and for entrepreneurs in the Philippines to get much-needed loans quickly, there’s no time to waste.
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What a difference a government makes
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 12 June 2009
Four weeks ago I left my first placement in Cambodia and came to the Philippines where I started my second assignment with Kiva Field Partner ASKI. With each day at ASKI I have been more and more impressed by the dedication of the staff and the amazing programs that they are running. Last week I started [...]
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Welcome to “Kiva Country”!
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 10 June 2009
“Kiva Country” is what ASKI-MFI (Alalay sa Kaunlaran, Inc.) staff like to call the Isabella Province, the region where their Kiva clients live and work. ASKI MFI is a new Kiva partner in the Philippines. Their headquarters are in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija about 3 hours north of Manila, 10 hours if there is traffic [...]
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A Handsome Gentleman Came Calling
Blog: Kiva Stories from the Field - 13 May 2009
What do you get when you cross a woman named Matilde Tamon and an organization like Ahon Sa Hirap, Inc. (ASHI)? A love song. Matilde, who is a spry 75 years of age, has been a member of ASHI for 13 years. She loves to sing, and also loves what ASHI has done [...]
