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Where are Alumni now? -->

 

The Alumni Perspective

 

"As a Kiva Fellow, you are integrated into an incredibly unique community which extends from your fellow Fellows to staff at Kiva headquarters to Kiva borrowers and lenders all over the world. It is not only energizing and inspiring but challenging and tangibly supportive. KFP exceeded my expectations by the caliber and diversity of people in the program, the fun and ambitious office atmosphere, and most of all, its consistent dedication to community and innovation. It was awesome, thanks Kiva!"

 

- Amy-Kyleen Lute, KF15, Jordan

 

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"As a Kiva Fellow you find yourself involved in every aspect of microfinance during and after your felllowship - from meeting the engineers at Kiva HQ, working with your partner MFI in your host country, to visiting borrowers in the field, you get to see it all!"

 

-Gustavo Visalli, KF14, Guatemala

 

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"The Kiva Fellows Program is an opportunity to better yourself personally, socially, and professionally. It's a serious arrow in the quiver. There are few if any other programs that offer a similar combination of work, adventure, and human connection. In my experience it has been universally received with interest, admiration, and respect."

 

-John Murphy, KF12, Costa Rica

 

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"After eight years in an investment bank, one starts doubting one's ability to live outside of the corporate rat-race. Of course, one still dreams about making the world a better place - but there is no clear path. The Kiva Fellowship was the voice that said "Jump! We'll catch you". The KF program brings together other committed souls who want to make a difference and took the leap. The Kiva Fellowship was an opportunity to discover that various skills picked up in the corporate world had use in a specific hands-on grassroots development project. Positive proof that there was a place for people like me to make a difference."

 

- Carlos Pierre, KF11, El Salvador

 

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"I actually came to the conclusion that microfinance wasn't for me. I had reservations -- I didn't like how credit history was made public, I was concerned about the use of social pressure in keeping default/delinquency rates low, and I thought it would be difficult to replicate the biggest advantage microfinance has over macrofinance, which is the relationship between loan officers and clients. However, I fell in love with Kiva as a social enterprise. I loved how it provided a platform for people to connect with each other and do some good. I loved how a crazy idea (lending money over the Internet) had become a movement. And I decided to find my own crazy idea - e-books to revolutionalize education in Africa - and the very next year, helped launch the first-ever e-book program in a sub-Saharan African classroom with Worldreader." 

 

-Zev Lowe, KF9, Indonesia

 

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"My Kiva Fellowship led me to a greater understanding of the kinship between all of humanity, that we are all a part of a global community, growing ever more connected to one another."

 

-Laura Buhler, KF8, Rwanda

 

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"My Kiva Fellowship allowed me to discover commonalities with women who live on the opposite side of the world and gave me the chance to bring these women new opportunities for self-empowerment."

 

-Emily Sweeney Romanelli, KF7, Peru

 

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"I was able to integrate everyday experiences from my time as a Kiva Fellow into the curriculum I designed for the course I now teach. The lending models utilized and stories gathered from the field provided vivid color to our classroom discussions on microfinance."

 

-Adam Grenier, KF6, Sierra Leone

 

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"The opportunity to be a part of the Kiva family and work with one of their partners on the ground is a life changing experience. Not only did I learn a lot about microfinance and development, but I can also proudly say that I did so through one of the most innovative and well-respected organizations in the industry."

 

-Jara Small, KF5, Tanzania