Microfinance Worldwide: Kiva by the Numbers

Founded in 2005 as a non-profit organization to alleviate poverty through microloans to small entrepreneurs worldwide, Kiva has facilitated $1.18 billion in total lending to some 2.9 million entrepreneurs in over 80 countries. Having established a global network of microfinance field partners, Kiva currently has a repayment rate of 97% across all loans. 

To date, the Common Curator has made 200 microloans for projects in 84 countries in the following sectors: agriculture; food; retail; services; arts; construction; clothing; health; education; personal use; manufacturing; housing; wholesale; and transportation. 

To learn more about how Kiva works and its history, visit the organization's website and consider joining the effort to fund entrepreneurs around the world. 

Kiva Surpasses $1 Billion in Microloans Worldwide

Founded in 2005 as a non-profit organization to alleviate poverty through microloans to small entrepreneurs worldwide, Kiva has just surpassed $1 billion in total funds lent to some 2.5 million entrepreneurs in over 80 countries. Having established a global network of microfinance field partners, Kiva currently has a repayment rate of 97% across all loans.

To learn more about how Kiva works and its history, visit its website and consider joining the effort to fund entrepreneurs around the world. To date, the Common Curator has made over 180 microloans for projects in 82 countries.

Kiva Celebrates 10 Years of Microlending

Founded in October 2005, Kiva currently networks with 302 Field Partners in 83 different countries, and has provided $733,911,800 in microloans to 1,787,306 borrowers. To date, the Common Curator has made 142 loans through Kiva to small entrepreneurs in 79 countries. Kiva loans are interest-free and the overall repayment rate presently stands at 98.47%. As loans are repaid, most Kiva lenders choose to reloan their funds to new borrowers of their choosing.

Visit the Kiva website to learn more about microfinance and how the lending process works, as well as the many milestones in Kiva's history as an organization dedicated to alleviating poverty around the world.

Kiva 101

Since Kiva was founded in 2005, it has networked with 250 Field Partners in 75 different countries to provide $566,835,175 in microloans to 1,317,699 borrowers. To date, the Common Curator has made 101 loans through Kiva to small entrepreneurs in 64 countries. Kiva loans are interest-free and the overall repayment rate is currently 98.86%. As loans are repaid, most Kiva lenders choose to reloan their funds to new borrowers of their choosing.

Visit the Kiva website to learn more about microfinance and how the lending process works, as well as the many milestones in Kiva's history as an organization dedicated to alleviating poverty around the world.

Kickstarting "To Catch a Dollar"

The Common Curator only just heard about this Kickstarter project, but consider supporting filmmaker Gayle Ferraro as she works to complete the documentary, "To Catch a Dollar: Muhammad Yunus Banks on America." Professor Yunus is a pioneer of microcredit, and in 2006 was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Grameen Bank, which he founded in Bangladesh.

Ferraro describes her project as follows:

The film follows Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Yunus as he brings his unique and revolutionary microfinance program to the US. We witness the birth of Grameen America and the compelling stories of the first women borrowers; from the challenges they face to the successes they achieve, as they learn to sustainably lift themselves and their families out of poverty by starting and growing their own businesses with the education, support, and non-collateral microloans they receive.

As of early afternoon September 19, 2011--the last day for funding--the project has garnered over 100 backers but is still short of its $20,000 goal. To learn more, visit Kickstarter.

Update: With a final burst of support, "To Catch a Dollar" surpassed its goal, netting $20,909 from 118 backers.

Kiva Surpasses $200 Million in Microloans

Founded in 2005 as a non-profit organization to alleviate poverty through microloans to small entrepreneurs worldwide, Kiva has just surpassed $200,000,000 in total funds lent to over one-half-million entrepreneurs in 58 countries. Having established a global network of microfinance field partners, Kiva currently has an outstanding repayment rate of 98.63% across all loans. The following is a statistical snapshot as of March 18, 2011:

:: Total value of all loans made through Kiva: $200,366,950
:: Number of Kiva Users: 897,447
:: Number of Kiva Users who have funded a loan: 565,662
:: Number of countries represented by Kiva Lenders: 210
:: Number of entrepreneurs that have received a loan through Kiva: 518,878
:: Number of loans that have been funded through Kiva: 269,141
:: Percentage of Kiva loans which have been made to women entrepreneurs: 81.45%
:: Number of Kiva Field Partners (microfinance institutions Kiva partners with): 126
:: Number of countries Kiva Field Partners are located in: 58
:: Current repayment rate (all partners): 98.63%
:: Average loan size (This is the average amount loaned to an individual Kiva Entrepreneur. Some loans - group loans - are divided between a group of borrowers.): $381.65
:: Average total amount loaned per Kiva Lender (includes reloaned funds): $223.14
:: Average number of loans per Kiva Lender: 6.65

To learn more about how Kiva works and its history, visit its website and consider joining the effort to fund entrepreneurs around the world. The Common Curator has made a number of microloans for projects on several continents.