Page 40 - IB April 2021

SPBD SPBD SPBD

KIVA KINDNESS

Kiva is an international non-profit, founded in 2005 in San
Francisco, with a mission to expand financial access to help
underserved communities thrive.
Kiva crowdfunds loans and unlocks capital for the under-
served, improving the quality and cost of financial services,
and addressing the underlying barriers to financial access
around the world.
100% of every dollar investors lend through Kiva goes to
funding loans.
In Fiji, Kiva works with SPBD, saying: “in a region that
has seen myriad financial inclusion initiatives fail, the SPBD
network stands out as one of the only viable partners for Kiva
because of its ability to provide socially driven microfinance
services in a sustainable manner.”
Here are some of the SPBD members currently looking for
support through the Kiva platform.

Maria Tubuimakulata Maria Tubuimakulata
Maria runs a kava bar in her village. Married with five chil-
dren, she is the sole breadwinner in her family.
She is seeking a loan to extend her kava bar. Maria hopes to
buy construction materials and extra stocks of kava.

Adi Arieta Mosa
Adi Arieta is well-known in her community and among her
family for being hardworking. She is always eager to help
even if it means giving up what she has.
Despite the recent impact of Tropical Cyclone Yasa, Adi
Arieta is eager to start a business so that she can support the
needs of her family. She wants to sell frozen treats—including
popsicles, cold juice, ice blocks, milkshakes and other items—
to students and nearby workers.
“They would be content to have these items, especially if
they were sold in hot and dry weather,” Adi Arieta says. She
is passionate about starting this business and looks forward to
Adi Arieta Mosa generating an income by selling these products.

Alumeci Tinaiqito
Alumeci is grateful to have received support from Kiva
lenders in the past.
While she has successfully sold kava, earning income for the
family to finance her children going to school, she now wants
to expand her business by opening a kava bar.
The bar will include tables where her customers can sit and
enjoy a bowl of kava. She’s keen to emulate a friend, who is
successfully running a similar business in her village. Alumeci
wishes to implement the same idea.
Alumeci is keen to secure another loan to be able to
expand her business. With the money needed, Alumeci will
be able to buy tables, chairs, and other building materials to
complete the space setup for people to shelter in.
Alumeci has confidence knowing that this business will
flourish thereafter.
Alumeci Tinaiqito WWW.KIVA.ORG

40 Islands Business, April 2021