What’s next for KF16? (Part 2)

January 9, 2012

By: laurie4485

Compiled by Laurie Young, KF16, Indonesia

Last week you read about about what six of the fellows from KF16 were doing once their fellowships ended. Read on to see what adventures 2012 will bring to some more!

Jill Hall, CCT, Phillipines

My Kiva fellowship has really been a joy and I am sad to see this time come to a close. I have a desire to continue to work in development and non-profit work and so the next few steps after my Kiva fellowship is to contribute to that goal. After Kiva I will spend the next couple of months visiting friends who are working at various NGO’s and non-profits in different parts of the world. This mission will take me to London, Uganda, Haiti and hopefully Honduras before I return to the states with a few stops for “fun travel” in Argentina and Hong Kong. I can’t wait to see what work is in store for me in the future and hope to stay involved and connected with Kiva as I roam around the world.

DJ Forza, Credo, Georgia (Tbilisi, not Atlanta!)

Even though I’m writing this update from Switzerland; my friends, colleagues and Kiva borrowers in Georgia are always in my thoughts. I’ve relocated to Geneva to begin my PhD studies and was fortunate enough to be invited to see US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton address the General Assembly at the United Nations and deliver a groundbreaking speech on human rights. It occurred to me that access to appropriately designed financial services also ought to be a basic human right, much like having access to health care and education are recognized as universal rights by the United Nations. I hope to work on poverty reduction issues and will continue to support Kiva anyway I can. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as a Kiva Fellow and am already missing spending time in the field meeting with Kiva Borrowers and, occasionally, providing volunteer labor to harvest grapes, persimmons and pomegranates in exchange for a lovely supra

Claire Markham, SMEP Deposit Taking Microfinance Limited , Kenya

I was sad to say goodbye to Kenya after four months exploring the fascinating country, but glad to be welcomed back into Toronto just in time for the holiday season. There are certain aspects of Kenya that I miss already, including the good-hearted nature of absolute strangers offering to help me find my way, and the entrepreneurial and selfless outlook of the expat community. That being said, I am looking forward to settling back into a routine and reconnecting with family and friends in Toronto. I started working again at KPMG in the infrastructure advisory practice which I where I was working prior to the fellowship. I plan on remaining actively involved in the microfinance community after seeing first-hand its positive effects.

Allison Moomey, Micro Start, Burkina Faso

In January I will be starting a KF17 fellowship with Finadev in Benin. After a few weeks at home in chilly Chicago, I am excited to return to hot, sunny Africa! I am also looking forward to seeing how things work at a new partner in a new country. After my next fellowship, I will be moving to New Haven, CT to attend Yale School of Management in the fall. I dearly miss the wonderful staff at Micro Start who made me laugh everyday. I loved how easy they were to work with, whether implementing new processes or adjusting old ones. From our Kiva Coordinator to loan officers to management staff, I was so lucky to be placed at such a welcoming, hard-working, and fun partner!

Marcus Berkowitz, Cooperativa San José (CSJ), Ecuador

I’m returning from my fellowship in the western Andes of Ecuador’s Bolívar province to live in New York City. I’ll be working as Branch Associate for Grameen America. I’m sorry to end my awesome experience with KF16 at CSJ, but I’m excited to start this new endeavor in January

Thanks for following our journey as KF16 during the past four months with your views and comments on the blog!