2012 was a great year! So we're taking this opportunity to look back at some of the incredible accomplishments that people like YOU made possible:
1) We surpassed $380 million in loans to over 940,000 borrowers in more than 60 countries worldwide, all while maintaining a 99% repayment rate. This is no easy feat, and has required a lot of patience, understanding and feedback from our lender community. This achievement is truly yours.
2) We launched in India! This was a long-standing dream for us as an organization, and it finally happened in August. And we nailed it. By partnering with three remarkable organizations -- People's Forum, Mahashakti and WSDS -- we are reaching India's poorest and most vulnerable communities. We're also pleased to report than hundreds of you funded loans to India despite complex regulations and a 3-year waiting period for repayments. You rock! And we can't wait to see what Kiva funding makes possible in India in 2013.
3) We started focusing on cause areas. Starting last year, lenders can now make loans to support higher education, clean energy, fresh drinking water, improved sanitation, the disabled, quality health care, fair trade goods and more. That's the beauty of microfinance. It's not just about local economies -- it touches so many more issues that impact people's lives.
4) Kiva Zip continued to grow, providing over $380,000 in loans to borrowers in the U.S. and Kenya through a network of Trustees. When you lend on Kiva Zip, you can message back and forth with the borrowers to see how things are going. Learn more at zip.kiva.org.
We founded Kiva so that everyone in the world could become a part of the fight against poverty. And we hope you'll join us in 2013 to do even more for borrowers around the world this year!
Want to get more involved with Kiva?
Join a lending team. Lend with a community of people who share your interests, and talk about the loans you see on the website.
Invite a friend. Introduce someone in your life to Kiva so that they'll have the opportunity to change the world too. It's always more fun to lend together!
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. Ask questions, share thoughts and see some of the best stories and photos we collect from the field.
Apply to be a Kiva intern or a Kiva fellow. Work at our headquarters in San Francisco or venture into the field to meet borrowers, gain field experience and do good.
Make a donation. Kiva relies on generous donations to keep the lights on and reach more borrowers. Every $1 donated makes $8 in loans possible around the world. Now that's a good deal.
We're so grateful for everything you do to support us and microfinance. We'd also love to hear from you about what you'd like to see on Kiva and any other ideas you may have. Send them our way at blog@kiva.org.
Happy New Year!
