Introducing Kiva’s First South African Partner: Women’s Development Businesses (WDB)!

Written by Kevin Chaissan

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of traveling to Richard’s Bay, South Africa, to bring on a new Kiva Field Partner. I was very excited about this trip, as it was the first new partner I have trained and brought on board to Kiva. What was even more exciting, though, was that Kiva was expanding to a new country - South Africa!

While people may view South Africa as the most developed country in Africa, there remains a very large number of impoverished people. Official unemployment stands at just over 25%, and outside of the main cities lies a large percentage of the population living in underdeveloped rural areas. As WDB’s CEO, Ben Nkuna, told me, the poor people in South Africa primarily reside in a belt running through the interior of the country, having been pushed inland from the coast. This is the area where WDB focuses their attention, hoping to improve the living situations of thousands of South African women.

While WDB is headquartered in Nelspruit, in the northeastern part of the country, they chose to pilot this new partnership with Kiva in Richard’s Bay. Located about two hours east of Durban, WDB has 7 branch offices spread throughout the area where they work with thousands of poor women in primarily rural areas. Kiva is extremely excited about this new partnership and the impact it will have on helping WDB expand their services even further from their already large base of around 60,000 clients. As WDB’s first international funder, we all hope to increase the exposure for this organization and highlight the work they are doing to the world.

What excited me most about this visit was the sheer enthusiasm everyone at WDB had for this new partnership. Mr. Nkuna, as well as many other management personnel, made the trip to Richard’s Bay for the week of training so that everyone, from loan officers to the CEO, all had a solid understanding of Kiva practices and policies.Throughout the week I was continually impressed with how engaged everyone was, the questions they posed, and their desire to begin as soon as possible. This attitude was a joy to see, and it was clearly evident in the following week as they posted their first loan on Kiva!

While she was not present during the week, we received a letter from the Chair of WDB’s Board, sharing her excitement:

"We are delighted that Kiva has started a working relationship with WDB. We are very honored to be the first Microfinance Institution in South Africa to partner with Kiva, and WDB will make sure that this relationship assists our clients (Poor Women mostly in rural areas) to improve their livelihoods. The essence of this partnership is that funding support will assist WDB to reach out to many more potential beneficiaries in the country.

We strongly believe that our operational team is also ecstatic about this initiative and are prepared to deliver the products and see the improvements of living conditions of poor rural South African women.

We want to encourage all women out there to make use of this loan facility, invest in business, and ensure that their lives are changing for the better.

We would also like to express our gratitude to Kiva for choosing WDB as their Partner."

- Ethel Matenge-Sebesho

Please join us all in welcoming WDB to Kiva! You can view the WDB Partner Page, or view the WDB website if you would like to learn more. You can also view all WDB's currently fundraising loans to meet their borrowers!

Passport Series: Mongolia: Country Profile

This month, the Passport Series will highlight Mongolia. Stay tuned for a look into the Microfinance sector and a lender profile!

For almost two years, Kiva has been working with field partners in Mongolia! This month we will be highlighting our partners and clients in the country through the Passport Series. Mongolia is a country in Northern Asia surrounded by Russia and China. It is slightly smaller than Alaska and has a population around 3 million.

Mongolians are traditionally nomadic families who live in "gers" (circular structures, built out of felt that are easily constructed, deconstructed, and moved). However, 57% of the total population now live in urban settings. Their official language is Khalkha Mongol. The country has a very high literacy rate (almost 98%!), and a country-wide average of 14 years of education with 99% of the population completing elementary school. Mongolia's per capita GDP is around $3,100, yet 36.1% of the population live below the poverty line. Half of the population have cell phones and about 10% are internet users.

The government runs on a parliamentary system and received their independence from China in 1921 and wrote a constitution in 1992.

Women in Mongolia traditionally receive a high social status. Women account for 49% of the formal labor force, and over half of those in university education!

Photo Credit: Amber Barger

Photo Credit: Kara Estep

Photo Credit: Kate Borkowski

Photo Credit: Kate Borkowski

Celebrating Earth Day Kiva-style

Coming soon to Kiva's Lend tab: loans to purchase solar lanterns in the Philippines!

In celebration of Earth Day, Kiva is happy to announce that field partner "Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation (NWTF) is in the process of rolling out a pilot program to distribute solar lanterns to its clients. It costs about $70 USD and the loan cycle is either one or two years. How do solar lanterns serve the triple bottom line? I’m glad you asked."

Click here to read more of Kiva Fellow Josh Weinstein's blog post "Solar Energy in the Developing World"

Why is the last borrower of the day always the most interesting?

By Meg Gray

Kiva Fellows 10th Class

Costa Rica

Well obviously that’s not always true, but it feels like it sometimes. In this case, I have a particular day and a particular borrower- Yorlene Solano Rodríguez – in mind. At the end of a very long day last week, I met Yorlene at her house. It was getting dark and the FUDECOSUR loan officer I was with was anxious to get home. And of course, she had the most interesting story I had heard all day. All borrowers have interesting stories, but Yorlene was eager to tell me hers, which often makes all the difference.

Yorlene showing off her organic lettuce starts

Not surprisingly, Yorlene’s business is much more complicated than it appears in her profile on Kiva. As her profile says, she used her Kiva loan to buy 3 calves. She is planning to keep the calves for a year or year and a half until they are fattened up and big enough to sell. Though her borrower profile stops there, her business initiatives certainly don’t.

While she is raising the calves, she is collecting the cow poop and, in collaboration with 4 friends, composting it into organic fertilizer. They are selling the fertilizer to a local store in the nearby city of San Isidro and making a nice profit. And she doesn’t stop there. She is also using a small covered area behing her house to grow organic vegetables using the fertilizer. She sells the vegetables from her house. Right now her biggest money makers are cilantro and lettuce, but she is currently working 2 days a week for a farmer down the road who grows peppers. She is trying to learn as much as she can about peppers, so she can start growing them too. This is where I will be able to earn the most with vegetables in the future she said.

Worms turning her cow poop into compost!

At this point, all sorts of light bulbs and questions were going off in my head. And there are 4 main reasons I was getting so excited by her story.

1) This was exactly what I was talking about when I wrote a blog about green loans several months ago. Though this loan doesn’t fit into the green loan category (it was filled under “Cattle) at first glance, it clearly belongs there. And I love thinking about all the other Kiva loans that probably belong there just like this one and others I’ve seen.

2) I grew up on an organic farm that uses almost the exact same fertility model. At my parent’s farm, cows poop, they turn it into compost, and use it to grow veggies in rural Oregon. Having this background added a whole extra level of questions and shared interests that I wanted to talk to her about.

3) Yorlene was talkative and excited. Not all clients open up so quickly. And she also understood the concept of Kiva quickly and was excited by it. Read Maia’s blog about trying to explain Kiva to clients for more insight on this. When a client understands and is interested in Kiva immediately, it is always really exciting.

4) Perhaps most importantly, she is a clear success story! For Yorlene, one loan for $925 has turned itself into not one but three businesses. She is looking for other places to sell her fertilizer and is hoping to pay back this loan ahead of schedule, so she can get another to expand her fertilizer business.

So many more questions were on the tip of my tongue. What is your profit on each bag of fertilizer? What markets do you want to expand into? When do you hope to add peppers to your repertoire? How do you divide the work (and the profits) of the fertilizer business between you and your partners? What gave you the idea to get into these various businesses?

But it had been a really long day. I could only ask the loan officer to stay for so long. So instead of talking to Yorlene for hours, which would have been easy, I settled for 30 minutes with a quick tour. I didn’t even see the cows because it was dark, starting to rain, and they are kept away from the house.

As a Kiva Fellow, it definitely wasn’t the first time I wished the day was longer.

Meg Gray is currently working as a Kiva Fellow with Fundación Mujer in San Jose, Costa Rica. Though as evidenced by this blog, she spent a week working with FUDECOSUR (another field partner in Costa Rica) earlier this month doing borrower verification. Make a loan to another entrepreneur like Yorlene today!

Meg's story was originally posted on "Kiva Stories from the Field" on March 25, 2010. Please click here to see the original post.

Stories from the Field: A Kiva Fellowship in Liberia

By Dave McMurtry

Kiva Fellows 9th Class
Monrovia, Liberia

My first thought upon arrival in Monrovia, Liberia, in August 2009 for my Kiva Fellowship was, “Wow, such colors and amazing stories! I should make a movie for those who aren’t as lucky as I am to have this experience.”

So what you have here is just that: an attempt to bring everyone along with me on my amazing 3-month journey to understand, at the most basic-level, exactly how microfinance works and the social impact it has on both borrowers’ and lenders’ lives. The toughest part was keeping it short, ultimately eliminating over 7 hours of footage, to share my thoughts in just 9 minutes.

Of course, the best way to really experience this is to go be a Kiva Fellow, so don’t hesitate to follow the link at the end of the movie in order to be the change you want to see in the world!

Dave McMurtry was a member of the 9th class of Kiva Fellows. He was stationed in Monrovia, Liberia and worked with Local Enterprise Assistance Program (LEAP), a partner of World Hope International and World Relief. He worked to create and grow Kiva.org's microfinance presence in Liberia.

Dave's story was originally posted on "Kiva Stories from the Field" on March 11, 2010. Please click here to see the original post.

Featured Kivan: Christina from HR Travels to Colombia

Christina Tierney is Kiva's Human Resources Manager. She's been with the organization since 2007 and recently had the opportunity to visit one of Kiva's Field Partners in Colombia, Fundacion Mario Santo Domingo. We've asked Christina to share her experiences with us here.

Where did you go, for how long and why?

I chose to travel to Colombia because I was curious how a country that was just emerging from years of chaos and oppression could benefit from microfinance. I stayed in Colombia for 2 weeks – one week for work and then one week for vacation. I first flew into Cartagena and spent one night there getting my bearings and practicing Spanish as often as I could. The following day, I hopped on a bus and traveled two hours northeast of Cartagena to a city called Barranquilla. Barranquilla is a large industrial port city that is famous for its annual Carnival festival. Here, our first Colombian partner, Fundacion Mario Santo Domingo (FMSD), has a branch.

I spent the next five days working at FMSD with Rob Packer, a two-time Kiva Fellow, and Liney Pena, an FMSD employee assigned to work specifically with Kiva loans.

Each day, the three of us visited numerous borrowers around Barranquilla to see how their businesses have grown and changed since receiving their loans. Each borrower welcomed us into their homes or places of business and shared their stories, the challenges they have faced, the successes they have celebrated, and their visions for the future.

By the end of the week, I felt so welcomed by the people of Colombia, that my visit felt more like a homecoming. My husband and I spent the following week travelling around Cartagena and the Caribbean coast, soaking up as much of the culture and history of the region as we could by speaking with anyone we could find.

What were your impressions of the people you met and places you saw?

The Colombian people are very passionate and lively – anyone who has been to Carnival in Barranquilla can attest to this! They are also incredibly open and welcoming, and I noticed immediately that they love to share stories and talk for hours. For this, we were able to gather a lot of information from each of the borrowers to share with the Kiva lenders.

What was your favorite part of the trip?

On the third day of my visit with FMSD I met a borrower named Elizabeth Maria Amaris Rodriguez.

Elizabeth is deaf and has difficulty speaking out loud. She and her family never learned sign language, but they taught themselves how to communicate with a combination of hand signals and lip reading. Because of the difficulties Elizabeth had communicating with others, she only completed her education through the 2nd grade. Instead of attending school, Elizabeth began spending her time painting and sewing.

Elizabeth’s family believed in her artistic skills and was able to send her to a local art class. With the skills that she acquired in these classes, she began selling her products and quickly realized that there was a market for her products. So, she decided to ask for a loan from FMSD so that she could buy paint and supplies to grow her business.

When we arrived at Elizabeth’s house in Galapa, we explained that I had come from the United States to meet her and learn more about her business. She was so surprised to hear that anyone would be interested in her business that she became very emotional. She was visibly moved that there were people she didn’t even know that cared about her and that wanted to see her business succeed. Elizabeth had a hard time writing down her message to Kiva lenders, but I felt very lucky to have been there in person to see how grateful she was for everyone’s support. I received a truly heartfelt hug and a big thank you from this inspiring women whose life we have touched.

To me, this was the defining moment of my trip to Colombia. That Kiva connects people – a woman from Galapa and a woman from San Francisco – on a level of mutual respect is what brings me to work every day. I keep the picture of Elizabeth pinned to my desk as a reminder of the powerful connections that Kiva is helping to create and the ways in which we are improving lives, hers and mine.

What did you like the least about your trip?

Having to leave! I had so many wonderful experiences and met so many amzing people that I was very sad to have to say goodbye. I look forward to returning to Colombia someday soon, but in the meantime I plan to watch the progress of FMSD and the borrowers that they post on Kiva. I feel much more connected to Colombia, to our partner FMSD, and to the many entrepreneurs that they work with. And most importantly, I feel much more connected and committed to Kiva’s mission than ever before!

What would you recommend to others who may want to travel there?

Go! Colombia is a beautiful country with a lot of potential for growth and advancement in the coming years. In Colombia, you quickly get the sense that small businesses and big ideas reign. It’s evidenced in the popularity of street businesses, the initiatives to promote coffee and flower exports, and the support of developing sustainable communities. The Colombian people are hardworking, passionate, and dedicated to improving their communities. They are very proud of their country and culture, and are eager to share it with visitors!

- Christina Tierney, Kiva's Human Resources Manager, on her recent trip to Colombia.

Thanks so much Christina for sharing your stories with us!

When Cows Attack (with video)!

By Kevin Chaissan

Kiva Fellows 10th Class
Juhudi Kilimo, Kenya

Juhudi Kilimo CFO: "Kevin, when you’re out in Litein, make sure you ear-tag at least one cow for our Micro Insurance program.

Me: "Ummm yea, I may pass on that one, but I’ll think about it."



Microfinance… To most people this word is synonymous with providing small loans to very low-income entrepreneurs. But microfinance is so much more than that. It involves Microcredit, Microsavings, and our topic today, Micro Insurance. Most people are surprised to learn that many of Kiva’s Field Partners offer these different services to clients, and I admit that I did not really understand all of this before arriving in Nairobi.

Micro Insurance at Juhudi Kilimo is one of the most important services offered to clients, and because of recent competition, premiums keep getting lower. As of now, the cost to insure a dairy cow is 4% of the price of the cow, per year, and is mandatory for clients. Since there have been over 5,000 loans in recent years for dairy cows, this is big business for Juhudi Kilimo.

Juhudi works with C.I.C. Insurance in Kenya, the current market leader in Micro Insurance services. Loan officers here do the initial assessment after a client purchases a cow, and Juhudi submits the forms to C.I.C. along with the premium payment. In the event that a cow dies, a Juhudi loan officer will assist in the autopsy process with a licensed Agrovet owner and handle all the paperwork and payments with the insurance company.

Another interesting Micro Insurance service that Juhudi Kilimo provides is mandatory life insurance for the client. The premium is set at 1% of the loan amount, and covers the outstanding loan balance in the event a client passes away.

All of these services are designed to protect clients and their income-producing assets. In the event of an unexpected death, a client or their family is protected and they are not forced to shoulder a burden they are incapable of paying. This keeps the default rate low, and also provides a relief system where no cycle of debt is necessary to pay off outstanding loan balances when tragedy occurs.

The video above is my rather weak attempt at ear-tagging a Juhudi cow. It normally takes only 2-3 people to restrain and tag a cow, but this was no ordinary cow! We also had a problem where C.I.C. sent us new tags that do not seem as strong plastic, making the whole process much more strenuous than need be. Thankfully this issue has been addressed and new, better tags are being issued again for future tagging. Yea, I know, excuses excuses, but I’m sticking with that reasoning.

And in case anyone is wondering, I will NOT be attempting to ear-tag any more cows! My first, and last, attempt was sufficient for me, and I’ll leave it to the clients or loan officers from here on out to perform the task, as I’m quite happy being an interested observer. I would also like to point out that in almost all cases, the cow does not suffer during this process. It is quite similar to a human having an ear-piercing, where there will obviously be a bit of discomfort, but it is short-lived and not as painful as it may seem.

Kevin Chaissan is a member of the 10th class of Kiva Fellows, stationed in Kenya, working with Juhudi Kilimo. He is seeking to help move the new Field Partner from Pilot to Active stage in order to increase their funding on Kiva and maximize their impact on poor, rural farmers across Kenya looking to gain access to capital.

Kevin's story was originally posted on "Kiva Stories from the Field" on March 16, 2010. Please click here to see the original post.

Kiva Stories from the Field: Mongolia goes green!!!

By Beth Ritchey, Kiva Fellows 10th Class, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Yes, it might be the dead of winter in Mongolia, with temperatures hovering around -30 degrees Fahrenheit, but the loan products here have been turning green. Thanks to the hard work of the Eco Products Team at XacBank in Mongolia, Kiva lenders saw an introduction of 3 new types of personal consumption ‘green loans’ in December 2009:

• Energy Efficient Stoves

• Ger (yurt) covers

• Energy efficient fuel

Currently around 60% of the population of Ulaanbaatar (the capital of Mongolia) lives in gers (a yurt-like structure heated by a central stove). Pollution is a big problem in Ulaanbaatar, especially in the winter when pollution levels increase substantially due to the extra coal and wood burned in the gers to keep warm. The World Bank estimates that 60% of the pollution in the city during the heating season is attributed to coal burned in the Ger Districts*.

That's not fog! The pollution in Ulaanbaatar


XacBank recognized this problem and its connection with poverty. Most families spend up to 40% of their incomes, roughly a $140 per month, in the winter time on heating fuel alone. This money most often comes from cuts in nutrition and health budgets*. To address this relationship between pollution and poverty, XacBank started offering new loans to make eco products financially accessible to the residents of the Ger Districts. XacBank currently offers 3 types of green loans for personal consumption: energy efficient stoves, ger covers and energy efficient fuel.

The energy efficient stoves were developed and tested by GTZ, an international enterprise for sustainable development run by the German Government. The stoves are lined with a type of brick similar to that found in a pottery kiln and are designed to circulate and retain heat for longer periods than traditional stoves. This in turn reduces fuel consumption by more than 60% each month and helps to reduce a family’s air pollution.

Energy efficient stove

Ger covers are essentially large insulating blankets composed of three separate layers that wrap the entire outside of the ger. The specialized insulation helps to keep heat within the ger and results in a 50% reduction in fuel burned each month. The Ger covering was designed by the United Nations Development Program, but is produced locally in Mongolia. As an additional note, XacBank provided start-up loans to local producers to increase production of both the stove and the ger cover.

Ger blanket

The third XacBank Eco loan is for energy efficient fuel. Borrowers can obtain a loan to buy fuel from producers who create efficient fuels from things like compacted sawdust and gasified coal. The efficient fuels are more expensive than traditional fuels but they have less of a negative impact on the environment by burning longer and producing less carbon output. Overall, the price difference between clean fuels and brown coal is made up through clients using less fuel to achieve the same heating results.

Energy efficient fuel - sawdust briquettes

The majority of XacBank’s green loans are posted in the fall, as Mongolians prepare their gers for winter and stock up on fuel. To date, XacBank has posted 22 green loans on Kiva and plans to do more in the future, so keep an eye out for new eco-loans coming soon! In the meantime you can also check out XacBank’s carbon partnership with yurtcozy which is helping to make the program sustainable.

*Energy Efficient and Cleaner Heating in Poor, Peri-urban Areas of Ulaanbaatar, World Bank Consultant Summary Report on Activities, October 2008

This story was originally posted on "Kiva Stories from the Field" on February 23, 2010. Please click here to see the original post.

Chile: Update on Fondo Esperanza and its borrowers

We have received the following update from Consuelo Herreros, Social Responsibility Manager at Kiva Field Partner Fondo Esperanza, following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile on February 27th:

“Of our 25 national offices, 60% (15 offices) are operating under completely normal conditions. Of the rest, 5 offices are operating in a state of emergency, since they lack electricity and basic services, and the remaining 5 offices (20%) are not operating because they are located in the area of the catastrophe (Regions VII and VIII).

In regards to the Fondo Esperanza borrowers who have been affected by the earthquake, half of our total loan portfolio (20,000 borrowers) is located in the area of the catastrophe. We have suspended communal bank meetings due to the difficulty of traveling to meeting places. In the coming days, our regional offices – with the support of our main office – will be communicating with all of the affected communal banks (500 in all) to evaluate their situations. We are particularly concerned about communal banks located in the communities of Concepción, Lota, Coronel, Talcahuano, Tome, San Pedro, Talca, Linares, Curicó, Sagrada Familia and in rural areas of Region VI.

We are confident that Fondo Esperanza will emerge in good shape following this event, thanks to the strength and hard work of our staff, borrowers and supporters.”

Our thoughts are with Fondo Esperanza staff and borrowers during this difficult moment. We will continue to post updates on the situation as they become available.

Earthquake in Chile: Update on Kiva borrowers and Field Partner Fondo Esperanza

As many of you have probably heard, a 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Chile on Saturday morning. The southern part of the country was the area hardest hit by the quake, particularly Concepcion, the country's second largest city.

Kiva currently has one field partner in Chile, Fondo Esperanza. We have not yet been able to contact the staff at Fondo Esperanza. Many of the telecommunication systems in Chile appear to be struggling, so it has been difficult to obtain information. We do know that in the Maule region, near the epicenter of the earthquake, Fondo Esperanza has many borrowers. The majority of the loans Fondo Esperanza has funded through Kiva were from this area, so no doubt borrowers are likely affected there, hopefully not seriously.

We are working to get more information as soon as possible, and will be providing a further update as we receive it. Our thoughts go out to the staff of Fondo Esperanza, all their borrowers, and of course the rest of the population in Chile.

In the meantime, if you are looking for ways to help, you can refer to this link.

Update from Cusco: Flooding and Arariwa borrowers

A number of concerned Kiva lenders have written in following last week's news of torrential rains and flooding in the Cusco region of Peru, where Kiva field partner Asociación Arariwa is based. The region is currently experiencing the heaviest rainfall it has seen in the past 15 years. While most of the international news coverage has focused on tourists stranded near the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, the effect on the local populations has been far more devastating.

Most houses in Cusco are built of clay and straw adobe bricks; many of these homes were destroyed or severely damaged when they were unable to withstand the heavy rains and flooding. A number of the communities surrounding the city of Cusco, like Lucre, Huacarpay, Oropesa and Anta were severely affected. Many residents lost their homes, animals, crops and/or possessions. The Peruvian government and local organizations have provided temporary tent shelters for homeless families. However, the rainy season will likely continue for another 1-2 months, delaying any reconstruction effort significantly. At present, most local discussion of the situation has centered on fulfilling immediate needs by providing emergency supplies rather than on mounting an effort to rebuild the homes that were destroyed.

It is not yet clear how many Arariwa borrowers have been affected by the heavy rains. A significant impact is expected, however, since most of Arariwa’s clients live in the Cusco region and many are residents of the communities that were hardest hit by the floods. One loan officer I spoke with estimated that of the clients he has been able to contact thus far, about 40% have seen their homes or their livelihoods significantly affected. Arariwa is currently organizing a relief effort to distribute basic emergency supplies like food, clothing and blankets to some of these communities. Some of the affected borrowers are Kiva clients; however, at this point it is too soon to know any precise numbers. We hope to start publishing journal updates detailing the flood’s impact on specific clients soon.

On a personal note, as a resident of Cusco I would like to say that I have been impressed and moved by locally organized relief efforts and the degree of solidarity being shown with flood victims. University students have launched door-knocking campaigns to collect emergency provisions and blankets and have traveled to hard-to-reach communities to deliver the supplies and help residents salvage their remaining possessions. Many Arariwa staff members are voluntarily giving a portion of their salary to support the relief effort. Nearly every plaza in the city of Cusco has been converted into the center of operations for a group collecting donations and funds to send to one of the affected communities.

We will continue to inform Kiva lenders of the situation on the ground as additional information becomes available. In the meantime, for more information or to find out how you can help, please contact Asociación Arariwa’s Kiva Coordinador, Raquel Villafuerte, at raquel.villafuerte@arariwa-microfinanzas.org.pe.

News from Samoa: Update from the Field

On September 29, 2009, an 8.3-magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami that claimed 184 lives in the Pacific Islands of Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga. It was the deadliest disaster in the history of Samoa – a country with a population of 188,000 – and a date that Samoans say “will live in the heart of Samoa forever.” Many of you have emailed Kiva, concerned about the particular person you have lent to. Please know it was very touching for those here in Samoa. It has been heartwarming and comforting to see so much support.

As a Kiva Fellow with South Pacific Business Development (SPBD), Kiva’s Field Partner serving entrepreneurs in Samoa, I have seen first-hand SPBD’s non-stop work since the disaster to

assess the extent of the tsunami’s damage and to organize both a short- and long-term aid effort for tsunami victims. It has been hectic to continue normal operations while conducting an emergency relief effort, but I can proudly say that SPBD has been one of the leaders of a group of international organizations brought together by the United Nations to head the aid effort in Samoa. Here is an update from the ground:

The Aftermath

Fortunately, none of SPBD’s borrowers have lost

their lives. Out of over 5,000 borrowers, 143 have lost their homes and businesses and an unfortunate few have lost multiple family members. Children and the elderly, the most vulnerable demographic, made up a large part of the death toll. The tsunami’s effects on Samoa’s infrastructure and economy are still unraveling. In one village, women report that their bakery sales have decreased by 20% because the school where they usually sold their goods is temporarily closed. Shop owners have seen their consumer base disappear along with tourism.

The businesses affected most by the tsunami are plantations, shops, and fishing operations. Beachfront plantations were reduced to brown reeds and others located further inland were damaged by salt water. Demolished tourist shops have only the concrete foundation remaining. Those who fished for a livelihood have seen their nets washed away and their canoes broken.

The silver lining in the wake of all this destruction is that it was limited. The tsunami hit the touristy southeast coast of Samoa and spared Apia, the capital. At 7 a.m., when the disaster struck, most Samoans were awake and in the middle of morning chores. Uninhabited islands and reefs shielded some villages from the full brunt of the wave. Overall, less than 5% of SPBD’s portfolio was affected by the tsunami.

In the week following the tsunami, I traveled to the villages where SPBD’s borrowers were affected. The stories of survival and loss are incredible. One woman recalled how she woke up surrounded by water and grabbed a wooden panel to float to safety. She did not feel the earthquake when it struck. Another woman told of holding on to a doorknob while gushing water pushed her off her feet. The force of the wave ripped some people’s clothes off. Most Samoans, however, were able to run uphill to safety, only to watch helplessly as the water swept their belongings out to sea. Most of the Samoans I met are still in shock. They say little, which is unusual for a culture famed for long speeches!

Below are a couple of stories from SPBD women that I had the opportunity to speak with:

Fiataua Loto

Fiataua Loto is a pretty 31-year-old whose house on Manono Island was located a few feet from the shoreline. Before the tsunami, her house was an idyllic spot, with the Pacific as a backyard. She had just used her second loan from SPBD to renovate her house. But now, her home is reduced to rubble and her fishing nets and canoes have also been washed away.

Fishing was Fiataua’s main source of income. Fishing three times a week typically allowed Fiataua to save 100 talas per week. She now estimates that it will cost 20,000 talas to rebuild her house. Though Fiataua has experienced a heavy loss, her spirit remains strong. “I’m angry at the wave, sad that I lost my house, but thankful that I have my three children and family. I won’t forget what happened, but it isn’t going to change the way I live.”

Ruta Sao

Ruta Sao lives in Saleapaga, a coastal village that was decimated by the tsunami. Thirteen of SPBD’s borrowers in Saleapaga have lost their homes. The village can now be found interspersed among the bushy outgrowth in the hills, where some of it was cleared for plantations. Sadly, Ruta lost four of her children during the tsunami, but her two remaining children can still be seen playing in the sun.

Ruta has set up a makeshift shelter (a tarp held up by wooden poles) next to her plantation, a quarter of a mile away from the other plantations. Due to her shelter’s distance away from the beach, Ruta was unable to receive relief aid until two days after the tsunami struck Samoa. It was only after driving around and asking villagers that we were able to find her. Amazingly, Ruta was ready to make her weekly loan repayment to SPBD. She now plans to rebuild her home inland away from the beach.

Help is On the Way

On October 9 and 10, SPBD distributed an aid package to each of the borrowers who had lost a home or business to the tsunami. Each package contained basic items such as water, tinned fish, rice, toiletries, buckets, tableware, mosquito coils, and a bush knife (the most popular item!) along with 150 Tala (spending power of approximately $75 in the U.S.) to buy other necessities. Each aid package totaled 400 talas, more than a month’s salary for underprivileged Samoans. The women were all very excited and appreciative for this assistance.

In the next several weeks, SPBD will roll out a larger relief effort for all of the victims of the tsunami. They have committed over 100,000 talas to this initiative and have brought in two consultants to help with the relief projects. In addition to offering each of the 143 affected clients an additional 1,000 tala loan, SPBD will be experimenting with a cash-for-work program that will hire tsunami victims in community clean-up and reconstruction projects. Not only will this initiative put money into the pockets of those who have lost their homes and businesses, but it will also pump back money into the local community.

Samoa will recover from the tsunami. Plantations can be replanted and regrown in 6 months. A fale – the typical Samoan home – can be rebuilt in days, though Samoans will probably want to use sturdier materials in the reconstruction of their houses. Most of the tourist resorts have announced plans to rebuild. However, it remains to be seen when the tourism industry – which accounts for about 25% of Samoa’s gross domestic product – will come back. The prime minister has pledged that Samoans will never forget what has happened and will learn the lessons of the tsunami.

In the upcoming weeks, I will try to speak with each affected Kiva borrower and share their stories. Out of the 143 SPBD borrowers affected, 36 are currently on Kiva and 42 others have previously been posted on Kiva (as of October 14).

Listed below are the women with active loans on Kiva:

	Name	Status
1	Silia Oa	No House
2	Nora Taleni	No House
3	Koreti Potoi	No House
4	Alofa Saupo	No House
5	Solema Ese	No House
6	Kalameli Tiligo	No House
7	Salaevalu Matila	No House
8	Kiona Levasa Pela	No House
9	Soonalote Tuigamala	No House
10	Satelite Falanaipupu	No House
11	Mamaioa Nuuali	No House
12	Mu Pato	No House
13	Samalaulu Vaa	No House
14	Maseiga Iosua	No House
15	Laumoe Seuala	No House, Badly Injured
16	Talaleu Toafa	No House
17	Sosefina Taupega	No House
18	Tae Pologa	No House
19	Sefau Kaisa	No House
20	Makerita Tootoo	No House, No Business
21	Iemaima Peni	No House, No Business
22	Loimata Ioapo	No House, Lost tourist fale, but still has plantation
23	Ato Ailaulau	No House, No Business
24	Iloa Tovia	No House
25	Soo Lefale	No House
26	Lemapu Fialua	No House
27	Veronika Silipa	No House
28	Soo Perise Maulolo	No House
29	Faalaeiau Tauailoto	No House
30	Folole Tanuvasa Lefao	No House, No Business
31	Pele Faasisila	No House
32	Suati Lima	No House
33	Otilia Ulu	No House
34	Elena Pasina	Furniture/Kitchenware/Clothes lost
35	Iuni Siaosi	No Fishing Boat
36	Olataga Faapito	No House

Listed below are the women with loans that have ended on Kiva:

	Name	Status
1	Iloga Niko	No House
2	Siulepa Sakalaia	No House
3	Tauala Feagai Sale	No House
4	Meleseke Tagaloa	Furniture/Kitchenware/Clothes lost
5	Vaioalisi Faaiuga	No House, No Fishing Boat
6	Fiataua Loto	No House, No Fishing Boat
7	Faanimo Togitasi	No House
8	Fofoa Meleisea	No House
9	Maota Asasa	No House
10	Falanika Nuu	No House, No Business
11	Noela Alataua	No House
12	Vitolina Fiaaiti	No House
13	Mele Popea	No House
14	Alataua Mefi	No House
15	Faisealofa Puletiuatoa	No House
16	Faia Muavae	No House
17	Lematea Anapu	Furniture/Kitchenware/Clothes lost
18	Pua Laga	No House, No Fishing Boat
19	Talita Alaivaa Foleni	No House
20	Talaleu Maota	No House
21	Tivalo Vaa	No House
22	Faletaulupe Lui Paulo	No House
23	Nina Pati	No Business
24	Patisepa Neli	Furniture/Kitchenware/Clothes lost
25	Seutaatia Unasa	Furniture/Kitchenware/Clothes lost
26	Talele Mua	Furniture/Kitchenware/Clothes lost
27	Potoae Unasa	Furniture/Kitchenware/Clothes lost
28	Tuli Faia	No House, No Business
29	Olovesi Tafeaga	No House
30	Pogisa Frazer	No House
31	Palolo Mainuuoti	No House
32	Sieraseta Fiu	No House
33	Ana Samoa	No House
34	Alofa Fili	No House
35	Faalua Pata	No House
36	Fofoa Gasolo	No House
37	Moegau Soamauli	Furniture/Kitchenware/Clothes lost
38	Akenese Pauli Afoa	No House
39	Pepe Levaai	No House
40	Seaga Faatoe	No House
41	Amia Suafai	No House, No Business
42	Toeafe Tiatia	No House

For SPBD’s perspective on the tsunami and its relief efforts, see the blog of Greg Casagrande, the founder of SPBD, on MercyCorps here.

You can join SPBD’s lending team on Kiva here.

Kiva plans to post some of the 1,000-tala calamity loans for tsunami victims on its website here. Please check back at a later date to help fund these and other new loans for borrowers in Samoa.

Also, check out Agnes Chu's latest post on the Kiva Fellows Blog here.

- Agnes Chu is a Kiva Fellow who arrived (safely) in Samoa on September 30, the day after a tsunami devastated the area, for a 3 month assignment with Kiva Field Partner South Pacific Business Development (SPBD).