Kiva Translation

What do Kiva Volunteer Translators do?

Kiva’s Review and Translation Program is made up of 400+ volunteers that support Kiva's mission by editing, translating, and providing a thorough policy review of borrower loan profiles before they are published to Kiva.org. As a Kiva Translator, your responsibilities would include: 

• Translating borrower loan profiles while maintaining the Lending Partner's voice
• Reviewing each loan profile for clarity and adherence to Kiva's policies. 
• Important: Volunteers do not determine borrower creditworthiness. This is done by Lending Partners in coordination with Kiva; volunteers neither approve nor deny loans.

Once you complete volunteer testing and training, you will have access to Kiva's loan review platform. You can review Kiva loans on your computer wherever you have an internet connection, e.g., your home, office, local coffee shop, airport lounge, the beach, etc. Unfortunately, complete review on devices other than desktop or laptop computers is not possible at this time, as key policy fields are not accessible for smartphones or tablets.

Although loans are posted by Kiva's Lending Partners daily, the loan review platform is flexible. It allows you to self-assign loans to review at any time of the day or night. In return for your time and effort translating for Kiva, you will have the chance to use your language skills to help create opportunities worldwide! 

Kiva currently has volunteer teams for translation from French, Portuguese*, Russian, and Spanish into English.

*Due to low Portuguese loan volume, translators must also be proficient in another Kiva review language.

Requested qualifications

We are looking for applicants who are proficient in English and who have experience in one (or more) of Kiva’s translation languages. A personal or professional interest in microfinance or international development is also welcome! 

You should be: 

• Proficient and comfortable with written English
• Proficient and comfortable with written French, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish
• Able to pay close attention to detail
• Able to preserve the Lending Partner’s voice while translating loans
• Able to commit at least 2 hours per week (i.e., about 20 loans per month) for a minimum of 6 months, though one year is preferable
• Responsive and communicative via email
• Comfortable with new technology
• Able to access a desktop or laptop computer and internet -- loan profiles cannot be reviewed properly on a tablet or mobile device
• Willing to sign Kiva's volunteer agreement
• At least 18 years of age to apply

• Name 
• Email

• An application with questions related to your interest in the volunteer role and potentially relevant experience
• The application also includes a Kiva loan review policy exercise. Kiva's loan policies relate to borrower privacy and the overall logic of the information shared in the loan profile. You will never be asked to verify if someone should receive a loan.
• Upon successful completion of the policy review exercise, you will be asked to take a translation test. This translation test will ask you to retain the voice of the Lending Partner--as well as the profile details shared--by producing a highly literal translation and not adding, removing, or distorting any of the information. Please note that all applicants, regardless of experience, are required to take a language test.
• Upon successful completion of the translation test, you will be asked to complete a loan review training. 
• Upon successful completion of training, you will begin reviewing 20 loans per month on your own time.