Kiva Fellows Program

The Kiva Fellows Program offers individuals a rare opportunity to travel abroad and witness firsthand the impact and realities of microfinance, by working directly with a host microfinance institution (MFI). The Kiva Fellow is an unpaid, volunteer based position designed to increase Kiva's impact and to offer participants a unique insider experience. Past participants have found the fellowship to be a great first step in a career in microfinance or international development.

Application Deadlines — Send in your complete application prior to the appropriate deadline. Due to the large volume of applicants, incomplete applications will not be considered. Applications sent in after the deadline will be included for the following round.

We are now accepting applications online on a rolling basis. Please pay close attention to the application deadlines above, as well as the expected departure dates. In order to better serve our field partners, we now expect all new Kiva Fellows to depart within the timeframes specified. If you are having trouble with the online application, please contact us at kiva...@kiva.org.

Spring 2008 Kiva Fellow Mary Moseley with staff members of CAURIE Microfinance, a Kiva field partner in Senegal.

Successful Kiva Fellows tend to share certain skills and characteristics:

• Overseas experience (preferably in developing countries)
• High degree of flexibility, self-motivation and problem solving
• Excellent writing skills
• Enthusiasm for Kiva!
• Familiarity and comfort with various web applications
• Dedication to working in the field with a microfinance institution
• Ability and commitment to fundraise for their trip
• Sincere interest in microfinance
• Longer stays (4 months +) are preferred

Furthermore, past Kiva Fellows with the following skills have found great success in the program:

• Fluency or advanced communication ability in French, Spanish, Russian, or other language in a country where Kiva has a presence
• Background in economics/finance/consulting will greatly enhance your ability to provide support to the host MFI

Kiva Fellows Program Mission Statement
The Kiva Fellows Program ignites passion in our Fellows to engage in microfinance and empowers them be a voice for Kiva and our field partners. Fellows gain in-field microfinance experience, and an appreciation of the innovative and purposeful grassroots efforts that our network of MFIs implement through their work on Kiva. Kiva motivates our Fellows to seek ways that they can add value to our partnerships and to Kiva. We challenge them to view microfinance both in its successes and struggles from the ground up.

Kiva Fellow Core Responsibilities:
The Kiva Fellow is an integral part of the Kiva Team, acting as Kiva's eyes and ears in the field and helping to extend limited resources to maximum effect. Kiva Fellows fulfill tasks set out in a Work Plan, defined by Kiva along with the host microfinance institution (MFI).

1. Facilitate Connections between Kiva's Borrowers and Lenders
   Your journal entries, business postings and blog entries will help build the rich content that bridges our borrowers and lenders and makes Kiva's model work!
   • Interview no less than 15 businesses per week to assess loan impact, verify data, and gather information for journal updates
   • Develop innovative ways to facilitate connections via creative journaling, YouTube video and other means
   • Write a blog entry every two weeks on the Kiva Fellows Blog
   • Promote awareness of the host MFI and its programs to the Kiva lender community
   • Promote an understanding of the Kiva lending community to borrowers
2. Assist Communications and Maximize the host MFI's Partnership with Kiva
   Tasks may include some or all of the following:
   • Assist the host MFI to regularly collect and post borrower profiles for funding onto the Kiva website
   • Observe, learn and document the MFI's operations and its use of the Kiva platform, including recommendations as appropriate
   • Transfer skills to MFI staff on Kiva processes, policies and best practices
   • Create working documents and templates for the MFI to use during and post-fellowship
   • Complete additional projects for the MFI as time allows and skills match needs
3. Support Kiva's Mission, Product and Procedures
   As a Kiva Fellow, your work will help support Kiva's product, marketing and organizational development. Your consistent feedback is invaluable to Kiva's growth.
   • Communicate regularly with Kiva
   • Understand and promote Kiva Policies
   • Provide updates and feedback through weekly progress reports and a final end-of-fellowship report within one month of returning
   • Create Entrepreneur Press Profiles, as frequently as possible
   • Complete other tasks for Kiva as needed