Status Update: May 4, 2010 Kiva is currently performing a preliminary investigation on LAPO Nigeria to answer many of the questions raised about the organization’s social mission. While Kiva has begun to receive important information from LAPO Nigeria, we've chosen to take the prudential step of pausing the institution and its subsidiary, LAPO Sierra Leone, from further fundraising on Kiva. Please see LAPO Nigeria's partner page for further information.



Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO) launched its African Regional Initiative (ARI) in 2007. In March 2008, it began its operations in Sierra Leone with the primary aim of assisting a number of honest-hearted less privileged ones in the country break out of the grip of poverty, as well as expanding its operations to other African nations. This it does by doing the following:

1. Financially empowering owners of small scale businesses and micro-enterprises on affordable terms.

2. Support the development of Micro financing in the country by providing training and technical assistance to operators of micro finance.

3. Help individuals become self-dependent through access to credit in the micro finance sector.

Vision To be a first choice microfinance institution in delivering financial services while meeting the expectations of all stakeholders on a sustainable basis.

Mission To achieve the goal of economic empowerment of its target group through access to affordable financial services, delivered in a cost effective and innovative manner.

Core Values
• Innovativeness
• Integrity
• Simplicity
• Excellence
• Customer-centeredness

Repayment Performance on Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Start Date On Kiva Mar 2, 2010 Oct 12, 2005
Total Loans $31,450 $2,056,436,760
Amount of raised Inactive loans $0 $246,055
Number of raised Inactive loans 0 235
Amount of Paying Back Loans $0 $158,330,245
Number of Paying Back Loans 0 188,292
Amount of Ended Loans $31,450 $1,854,343,460
Number of Ended Loans 55 2,501,455
Delinquency Rate 0.00% 12.18%
Amount in Arrears $0 $11,905,982
Outstanding Portfolio $0 $97,730,170
Number of Loans Delinquent 0 63,551
Default Rate 0.06% 1.84%
Amount of Ended Loans Defaulted $19 $34,038,827
Number of Ended Loans Defaulted 1 91,258
Currency Exchange Loss Rate 0.00% 0.47%
Amount of Currency Exchange Loss $0 $12,742,203
Refund Rate 4.21% 0.55%
Amount of Refunded Loans $1,325 $11,261,520
Number of Refunded Loans 2 9,866

Loan Characteristics On Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Loans to Women Borrowers 100.00% 78.49%
Average Loan Size $575 $393
Average Individual Loan Size $575 $585
Average Group Loan Size $0 $1,913
Average number of borrowers per group 0 8.3
Average GDP per capita (PPP) in local country $2,100 $5,592
Average Loan Size / GDP per capita (PPP) 27.38% 7.03%
Average Time to Fund a Loan 1.73 days 9.13 days
Average Dollars Raised Per Day Per Loan $332.25 $43.04
  Average Loan Term 7.28 months 11.5 months

Journaling Performance on Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Total Journals 0 1,225,264
  Journaling Rate 0.00% 41.91%
  Average Number of Comments Per Journal 0.00 0.02
  Average Number of Recommendations Per Journal 0.00 0.55

Borrowing Cost Comparison (based on 2009 data)

    This Lending Partner Median for MFI's in Country All Kiva Partners
  Average Cost to Borrower N/A 47.00% PY 26.61% PY
  Profitability (return on assets) N/A -9.5% -1.32%
  Average Loan Size (% of per capita income) N/A 28.00% 0.00%

Country Fast Facts

Lending Partner Staff