Location:: Santiago Metropolitana Chile
Occupation:: Kiva Fellow
I loan because:: I believe in the mission of Kiva and the ability of microfinance to change the lives of borrowers.
About me:: I am currently working as a Kiva Fellow with Fondo Esperanza, in Santiago, Chile as part of KF15.
Check out:: http://www.johngwillim.com
Member Since:: Jun 3, 2010
Bio:: Originally from Traverse City, Michigan, John graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in finance and public policy. During college and immediately following, he ran his own photography business specializing in sports and general photojournalism, including a project on cacao production by an indigenous cooperative in Ecuador that appeared in the New York Times. He worked as a technology and trading consultant for a financial services company in Boston, before accepting a position as the operations and sales manager of an internet start-up for the past year. John's passion for international travel began during a study abroad program in college; he has since traveled and volunteered in 26 countries, including Colombia where he is excited to return. John is looking forward to the learning as much as possible about microfinance and international development through on the ground experience with Kiva, which he plans to use while pursuing a career in non-profit strategy/management after completing his MBA.
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JohnGwillim's Kiva Fellowships

What is a Kiva Fellowship?

Member of Kiva Fellows Class KF14

Fellow at Fundación Mario Santo Domingo (FMSD)

Colombia

Jan 31, 2011 to Apr 29, 2011

Member of Kiva Fellows Class KF15

Fellow at Fondo Esperanza

Chile

May 23, 2011 to Sep 15, 2011

Updates From The Field

The Top 10: My favorite borrower photos from Colombia and Chile

Aug 23, 2011

Kiva Fellows come from a vast variety of backgrounds, both in regards to their professional experience and hobbies. When the Kiva Fellows Program Team is trying to decide where to send people they evaluate what [...]

Measuring Social Performance

Aug 12, 2011

How should a microfinance institution (MFI) measure performance? Should they focus solely on the most common method, financial performance, or are things like client retention rates and social indicators also [...]

Faces from the field: A day of visits and photos from Chile

Jul 15, 2011

Early this week I had to the opportunity to go out into the field with Kiva staff member Nicolas Lafaye (Portfolio Manager for South America) as he visited Fondo Esperanza in Santiago, Chile. This day gave me [...]

Communal banks? Why not just an individual loan?

Jun 30, 2011

This is the question I asked myself as I arrived in May at Fondo Esperanza (FE). After spending 3 months working with Fundación Mario Santo Domingo (FMSD) in Barranquilla, Colombia as part of KF14, I saw first [...]

Colombia: Lose your perception of the past and come visit!

Apr 18, 2011

Ever since I first visited Colombia in 2007 up until today I constantly get asked one question over and over: “is it safe in Colombia?” After spending nearly 4 months I almost laugh as I have had zero [...]

Conflict Generated Displacement and Microfinance: Helping People Build a New Life

Apr 13, 2011

Merys María Mejía Velasquez is always one of my favorite clients to see in the offices of Fundación Mario Santo Domingo (FMSD); I am always greeted with a huge and a warm welcome spewing with energy. Merys is [...]

Entrepreneurs JohnGwillim Has Visited

Update for Luis Fernando

Jun 24, 2011

Thank you for lending to an entrepreneur through Fundación Mario Santo Domingo (FMSD), one of Kiva\'s two field partners in Colombia, which serves the communities in and around Barranquilla, Cartagena, and [...]