KivaFamily and Community Empowerment
In many cases poverty alleviation requires more than access to capital and an understanding of business.
Successful poverty alleviation often requires a variety of services specifically tailored to the particular situation of the individual.
Many Kiva Field Partners implement innovative business practices and offer services in addition to their financial products to meet the needs of the people they serve. For example, many organizations partner with health-focused agencies to provide health care services to their clients who are more likely, as a result of good health, to be able to repay their loan.
Through her local microfinance institution, Gerardina from Ecuador has access to medical care for herself and her family for a small monthly charge. Gerardina and her family can receive regular check ups from a physician, as well as low cost medicine and hospital referrals. The inability to treat health related issues, if she did not have access to health care, has the potential to cause her to fall back into the cycle of poverty despite running a successful business.
Other examples include institutions that stress the importance of education. This can mean loans that enable parents to start businesses and bolster their income so they can send their children to school, as well as educational workshops on topics that are not financial in nature, such as the prevention of disease and domestic violence.
Field Partners who offer comprehensive family support services to the people they serve are awarded the Family and Household Empowerment badge by Kiva.
