RLabs

Kiva conducts regular, ongoing monitoring of all Lending Partners, but only posts status updates here in response to relevant, major changes at the partner

Status update: December 3, 2020

Kiva and RLabs have agreed to end their partnership after two years as RLabs no longer needs Kiva financing. This Lending Partner has repaid its outstanding balance to Kiva in full, and these funds have been distributed to lenders. We thank RLabs for the years of collaboration and wish them success in their future endeavors.

Partner Description:

Launched in a marginalized community in Cape Town, South Africa in 2008, the goal of RLabs has always been to create systems and environments where the lives of many can be impacted, and individuals may find empowerment and transformation through hope, technology, innovation, training and economic opportunities.

RLabs is comprised of an academy that offers free learning programs and training to unemployed and underemployed youth; a living lab with platforms for communities to create solutions to social problems with public, private and academic institutions; and an incubator to provide social enterprises with mentorship, support and funding.

A unique lending approach:

Kiva loans are used to support an RLabs initiative called Lengo, which enables entrepreneurs to open shops and sell fast moving consumer products to customers living in low-income communities in Cape Town. Lengo shops build economic empowerment and reduces unemployment by creating opportunities and jobs for Lengo owners and staff. 

Lengo shop owners buy goods in bulk at a discount from RLabs, which allows them to give a profit percentage to their customers. Lengo shops are fully stocked with retail products and resourced with basic equipment to provide digital transactions such as the sale of airtime and data. RLabs provides skills training and education to Lengo retailers, and offers them scholarships to attend courses in customer service, marketing, retail, financial and small business management.

Kiva loans will be used by borrowers to set up the physical Lengo shops in their underused rooms and spaces at home, allowing them to join a supplier program that delivers products directly and focus on growing their small businesses.

Lengo shops are unique among retail spaces because as customers purchase items, they automatically earn points that can be either withdrawn from the shop to purchase additional goods or pooled with other customers’ points to fund larger community projects.