HomeKiva News • Article

How do you measure a year? In Kiva Love

December 21, 2015

This year, Kiva lenders supported more than 320,000 borrowers around the world, like Maria, a shopkeeper in Honduras…

Mercy, a hair dresser in Kenya…

And Guadalupe, a chef in San Francisco…

Kiva lenders made more than $130 million in loans in 2015. That’s an average of $2.5 million every week.

We also passed the milestone of 1.3 million lenders! There are now Kiva lenders in 192 countries around the world:

We added 35 new Field Partners this year, bringing us to 305 total, and started working in 2 new countries: Madagascar and Lesotho!

Madagascar, photo by Flickr user Suricate

Kiva’s 500 Review and Translation volunteers translated more than 7 million words for Kiva loan profiles in 2015, and reviewed more than 13 million words. That’s right, 13 MILLION WORDS.

Kiva Fellows went into the field to work with Kiva borrowers and partners: 89 fellows served in 41 countries.

Kiva’s education program, Kiva U, hit 70,000 students and teachers and got a visit from Chelsea Clinton, whose book cites Kiva U as a great way for youth to take action.

Julie Hanna, our Executive Chair of the Board, was named a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship, earning Kiva White House recognition for our work with women entrepreneurs.

Women business owners and Kiva borrowers in India.

We launched our #LendLocal movement at events in San Francisco and New York City, and won a $500k Google Impact Grant for our work in Oakland.

San Francisco City Hall lit up in Kiva green.

We also marked Kiva’s 10th birthday…

And we’re so excited to continue celebrating a decade of impact in 2016!

Will you help us reach more people around the world with a U.S. tax-deductible donation?

Donate today!

Every $1 donated to Kiva helps us facilitate $8 in loans.

Thank you for everything you do to support Kiva’s mission and make the world a fairer place.

Photo credits in order of appearance: John Dillon, Alan Mathers, Brandon Smith, Eric Brandt, Claire Eggers, Ryan Little.