"When we come together, when we put aside petty difference, when we cooperate, the results are astounding," author  Fareed Zakaria told Harvard graduates yesterday in his commencement address.As a new crop of young minds steps out of the classroom and into the real world, it's only fitting that we take a moment to remember the profound sacrifices made by those who have fough ...

In February 2000, eight women in Burkina Faso got together to realize a dream. These were women who had managed, in spite of all odds, to start businesses. Each knew firsthand how difficult it is to become an entrepreneur with limited resources and cultural opposition -- but also how rewarding. Inspired by their collective experience, they pooled their funds and started their own microfi ...

Next month, 34 people -- including 13 Kiva employees -- will trek 305 miles across Zambia in just five days, entirely on bikes. The project: Bike Zambia. Its mission: to raise money and awareness to combat AIDS and poverty in Africa.Spearheaded by Kivans, the bike ride will raise $150,000 for these causes. The initiative has already raised 85% of this target and is looking for help to put it over ...

This post is by Mary Lynn Halland, a long-time Kiva lender who took her daughter to Nepal to see the power of microfinance firsthand. This post is part of a May guest series honoring mothers, women and the lenders who help them build brighter futures."Everyone can help." That was the life lesson I was hoping to impart to my daughter when we joined Kiva in 2007.Even better, Kiva lets you help ...

If you've ever managed a large group of people, you know how hard it is to both listen to everyone's needs and understand what is best for the group as a whole. Now think about the many complex challenges faced by the poor around the world, and you can see how difficult it is for microfinance institutions (MFIs) in developing countries to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach.That said, Kiva ma ...

In the six years since Kiva started, 760,663 lenders have loaned a total of $310,382,400 to 776,907 entrepreneurs in 59 different countries. Wow. Now, for the first time ever, we're releasing an Annual Report online, going deep into what Kiva accomplished over the course of the last year. 2011 was full of milestones, meaningful firsts and inspiring achievements as we connected more people through ...