The Field Updates vind ik trouwens erg fijn.
Dear Kiva Lender,
I am a Kiva Fellow and I'm finishing my Kiva Fellowship with Pearl
Microfinance. I have been working in Kampala, Uganda with Pearl since
February 2009. My daily tasks have mainly involved visiting the Kiva
entrepreneurs and helping Grace, the Kiva Coordinator at Pearl, to
improve the system that is used to post loans from Pearl on Kiva’s Web
site.
First, I want to say - thank you for all your support for the
entrepreneurs at Pearl Microfinance Limited!
Pearl has been working with Kiva for about 20 months. In that time, Kiva
lenders have funded over 5,000 entrepreneurs and lent more than $1.5
million! You are receiving this message because you were one of those
lenders.
Pearl is an interesting microfinance institution. Unlike many other
microfinance institutions on Kiva, Pearl is a for-profit organization.
Although this may make some people cringe, during my time here, I have
come to see it as a tremendously positive thing. Pearl is constantly
trying to make its processes as efficient and effective as possible.
They are concerned about retention of clients and having a good
reputation. I think this forces them to create loan products that are
appealing to the clients.
Uganda’s microfinance market is very large. There are many clients and
many providers. Although there are a large number of providers, the
providers are not necessarily in multiple locations in Uganda. Pearl is
one of the most widespread microfinance institutions in Uganda. It has
offices in many different locations, and the credit officers are
committed to using public transport or riding their motorcycles for
hours to meet clients which makes the range even larger!
Until a few weeks ago, Pearl was not able to post loans from this huge
geographical area on Kiva’s Web site. They could post only from their
central location. While I was serving there as a Kiva Fellow, Grace and
I were able to change the process so the Pearl employees can post from
several locations in Uganda.
Pearls’ clients have been incredibly inspiring! I loved meeting them,
hearing the ways that their lives have changed because of their loans,
and meeting their children, who will grow up more comfortable because of
the investments that their parents are making.
• Read about a hairdresser whose loans really changed her life:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=62179&_te=mj• Read about a Ugandan florist with many dreams:
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=94810&_te=mj• Read about a woman who just went into the business of raising pigs!
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=96144&_te=mjAlthough there are many wonderful stories that you hear, there are also
stories of clients who fall sick or lose family members and cannot repay
their loans. These stories are rarely reported on the Kiva Web site,
because the Pearl entrepreneurs who cannot repay are members of loan
groups, and when a group member cannot repay, the group covers for the
individual.
Listen to one young lady speak about her mother, who fell sick and will
be unable to repay her part of the group loan. Her mother has since
passed on and the group has repaid Maritta’s portion of the loan.
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=68212&_te=mjThanks again for all your support for Pearl!
Sincerely,
Stephanie Koczela
KF7 Uganda