Status Update — October 8, 2018

Rural Agency for Development (RAFODE) has now repaid Kiva in full for its past due amount.

Status Update — November 8, 2017

Kiva terminated its partnership with Rural Agency for Development (RAFODE) in October 2007, and at that time, refunded all RAFODE loans made by Kiva lenders using its own funds. Recently, RAFODE proactively reached out to Kiva about amicably resolving its past due amount, and has agreed to a payment plan that will make good on its obligation to Kiva. Kiva has received the first installment in accordance with this plan.

Status Update — October 1, 2007

As you may be aware, each business on Kiva’s website is posted by one of Kiva’s 60+ Lending Partners in 39 developing countries.  A Lending Partner is an independent microfinance institution that has a history of lending to the poor for a social purpose. They screen each entrepreneur, post his/her profile on the Kiva website, and administer your loan.

Kiva routinely audits each Lending Partner to ensure your loan is being dutifully administered to the entrepreneur you’ve selected. In the course of auditing our Lending Partner, Rural Agency for Development (RAFODE) in Kenya, Kiva discovered that some entrepreneurs were not receiving the full amount of their loans. 

This violates Kiva’s policies and we have terminated our relationship with Rural Agency for Development (RAFODE). All of the loans made to entrepreneurs served by this Lending Partner have been refunded. We hope you realize that our audit uncovered a true exception to the norm; the vast majority of our Lending Partners administer your loans with the highest integrity. Kiva will continue to audit Lending Partners to ensure your loan is being dutifully administered – and to make our website a model for transparency in international development.

Partner Description:

Rafode is a non-profit community development organization formed to provide financial services to the low income people in Kenya. We aim at reaching out to economically poor populations through the provision of savings and credit facilities. Our mission is to enable the poor to get access to credit and save in order to help them adress life cycle risks.