Kiva and Dr. Bronner's, the family-owned company that makes the most popular brand of natural soap in North America, are kicking off an exciting new partnership called Seedlings for Small Farmers!
Starting April 23, Kiva will crowdfund 0% interest loans to support smallholder farmers in Ghana who grow certified organic and fair trade oil palm used in Dr. Bronner’s soap. And, for a limited time, Dr. Bronner's will match each loan made to these farmers.
Dr. Bronner's sister company, Serendipalm, manages the sourcing and supply of their raw materials in Ghana to ensure they are both organic and fair trade. The Kiva loans to Serendipalm's smallholder farmers will help them purchase more productive oil palm seedling varieties and expand their farm acreage.
While Serendipalm has offered loans to farmers previously, the partnership with Kiva will allow for a significant expansion of the program. So far, more than 80 farmers have requested microloans for seedlings. Seedlings purchased and planted today will result in a long-term, reliable source of income for farmers for years to come.
"Through the expansion of our seedling loan program, we hope to help Serendipalm farmers increase their production—ultimately contributing greater resources for a better quality of life," says Dr. Bronner's President, David Bronner.
Dr. Bronner's and Serendipalm have already had a profound impact in Ghana. The company is now sourcing palm fruits from more than 670 family farms, across 4,000 acres of organic-certified farmland, making it one of the largest employers in the region.
Serendipalm also invests part of its income in community development projects. Past projects have included building nurses' quarters for a local hospital and constructing 4 deep water wells to provide clean drinking water to the community.
Kiva supports Dr. Bronner's commitment to transparent sourcing and sustainable agriculture and is very excited to work alongside the company in making an impact in the lives of Ghanaian farmers.
If you want to make a loan to one of Serendipalm's farmers, visit www.kiva.org/drbronners or for more information on Dr. Bronner's, please visit www.drbronner.com
