Kiva

👭 This International Women's Day, let’s talk about financial access for women. Access to financial services isn’t just about money—it’s about confidence, resilience, and opportunity. 📊 The 2024 Microfinance Index by 60 Decibels highlighted the impact of financial inclusion for women. For those served by Kiva Lending Partners: 🚺 90% of women reported an improvement in their quality of life. 🥘 59% of women reported an improvement in the quality of their family's meals. 💪 82% of women reported increased confidence in themselves and their abilities. When women gain access to the right financial tools, they make smart investments that strengthen entire communities—from creating jobs to increasing spending on education and improving family wellbeing. Yet, women around the world still face greater financial challenges than men, limiting their ability to invest in their businesses, families, and futures. At Kiva, we’re working to expand financial opportunities for women by supporting local organizations that provide critical capital to underserved entrepreneurs. 📖 Read more about the findings in our latest edition of the Invest in Women newsletter and join us in taking action this #InternationalWomensDay. 💚 #InvestInWomen #FinancialInclusion #WomenEntrepreneurs

Access to money changes everything — especially for women. When women get support from the Kiva community, great things happen: their confidence increases, they can meet their financial goals, and they make better independent financial decisions. Our #InternationalWomensDay goal: fully fund the dreams of 5,000 women. Your organization has the power to help. Reach out to the team to learn how to help #AccelerateAction for women. P.S. Check the first comment to see how YOU can support a woman this #IWD!

When this Ugandan social enterprise began, women comprised just 13% of the people in some coffee-selling memberships. However, women in these communities did a large chunk of the agricultural work. There was an imbalance. Kiva CEO Vishal Ghotge interviews Kenneth Barigye, Founder and Managing Director of Mountain Harvest Coffee, about how this social enterprise boosted the amount of women selling coffee and helped improve gender equity:

💡 We bet you didn’t know… …that men are 46% more likely to have someone more senior advocating for them at work. Too many women don’t get the support they deserve. And with 80% of women struggling with low self-esteem and self-advocacy at work, strong mentors and role models make all the difference. This #InternationalWomensDay, let’s honor the women who have paved the way, clearing obstacles so other women can walk with confidence. Thank a woman who has guided you, encouraged you, or helped you believe in your own power. 💚 Tag your mentor! ⬇️ #IWD

🇺🇬💚 Help Mountain Harvest Coffee increase incomes for smallholder coffee farmers in Uganda: Despite coffee’s importance to Uganda’s economy, smallholder farmers often face poverty due to low market prices and limited access to infrastructure, training, and financing. Mountain Harvest is a social enterprise that sources high-quality coffee from farmers in the Mount Elgon region of Uganda, paying farmers 30% above market rates. This premium pricing funds farm improvements, hands-on training, and access to global specialty markets. With a Kiva loan, they’ll buy 60,000 kg of parchment coffee—providing fair prices to 1,250+ farmers while promoting sustainable farming that enriches the soil, boosts biodiversity, and captures carbon. Click here to support!: https://bit.ly/41AUCtp

“I was 19 years old and was seeking capital to expand our business," says Maria-Ines. "No bank would give a 19-year-old some business capital.” But 632 Kiva lenders did. With a Kiva loan, Maria-Ines invested in her mother’s business, JC Jewels—revamping their marketing, upgrading packaging, acquiring jewelry displays, and expanding inventory. She wasn’t the first in her family to turn to Kiva. Her sister had already used a loan to grow her candle business. Then, inspired by their success, their father, Angel, took out a loan to build his own venture. Read how this entrepreneurial family turned their passions into thriving businesses—powered by the Kiva community. And don’t miss future stories of underestimated U.S. entrepreneurs—subscribe now! 👇

As Black History Month comes to a close, learn about the financial inequalities Black business owners face.: When applying for loans with traditional banks, Black entrepreneurs often face discriminatory financial practices like redlining, limited access to mortgage lending, and even fewer bank branches in Black neighborhoods. The inequalities exist, and so do ways to help. In the comments, let us know why you think it’s important to support Black-owned businesses. #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackOwnedBusinesses #BlackHistory #Equity

📢 Small business owners! 📢 At Kiva, we're passionate about helping entrepreneurs from all backgrounds thrive. So we're sharing this tip: AI tools can help you create content for your small business! Kiva teamed up with OpenAI to share actionable tips & tricks to help you use ChatGPT for content creation:

🎧 💚 Listen now: Kiva's Don Carter, EVP of People & Culture, shares key insights about community wellbeing in the workplace with the Employee Wellbeing Council! Tune in! ✨

Access to financial resources changes everything, transforming lives and addressing global challenges. For 20 years, Kiva has facilitated over $2.3 billion in loans, reaching more than 5 million people worldwide. Here are four things we know to be true: • Lending to refugees is transformative • True impact starts with women at the center • Supporting underserved business owners makes a difference • Funding the front lines of climate change pays off Read more insights from Kiva here: https://bit.ly/41pnWTy