Kiva: Make a Loan, Change a Life

At RAW Travel, we believe that travel isn’t just about where you go – it’s about supporting people and communities as well. And being a certified B Corp means we actively look for ways to support a more inclusive, sustainable world.

One way we do that is through Kiva, a non-profit that enables everyday people to make micro loans to entrepreneurs and small businesses in communities underserved by traditional finance methods around the globe. These loans help people invest in their futures and create real, lasting change.

They’re not donations. They’re loans that get paid back, which means our donations can be re-lent again and again, making a ripple effect of impact.

So far, we’ve made 67 loans and counting – and the stories behind them are incredibly inspiring. Here’s a look at a few of the people we’ve had the privilege to support.

🌱 Ruth’s Story – Kenya

Loan: $625 | Status: Repaying | RAW staff loaned: $425

This loan is special because: it helps reduce farming costs and environmental damage by transforming waste into biogas and organic fertiliser.

Ruth lives in western Kenya with her seven children. She works hard as a vegetable farmer and raises cows to support her family. Like many farmers, Ruth struggled with the rising cost of petroleum-based fertilisers, which she also suspected were damaging the quality of her crops and harming the local environment.

Through Kiva, she was able to invest in an 8-cubic-meter Sistema Biobolsa biodigester. This technology turns cow manure into renewable biogas and rich organic fertiliser using a natural process called anaerobic digestion. Now, Ruth uses the biofertiliser to boost her crop yields and quality – without needing chemical fertilisers – and the biogas helps her cook meals and heat bathwater for her family without needing propane.

This one loan is saving Ruth money, reducing pollution, and improving her family’s quality of life.

🚰 Valentina’s Story – Moldova

Loan: $5,350 | Status: Repaying | RAW staff loaned: $200

This loan is special because: it improves living conditions through access to clean water and sanitation.

Valentina is 59 years old and lives in a small village in Moldova. She works at the local kindergarten, and her husband takes on seasonal work in agriculture. They live in a modest home with their children and grandchildren.

But like 80% of rural Moldovan households, their house wasn’t connected to a water supply. Valentina had to walk long distances to fetch water from a distant well – a daily task that was time-consuming and physically demanding.

With her Kiva loan, Valentina was able to connect her home to the local aqueduct and install a bathroom inside the house. This simple infrastructure has dramatically improved her family’s comfort, hygiene, and wellbeing – something so many of us take for granted.

🪞 Gliseria’s Story – Peru

Loan: $10,000 | Status: Repaying | RAW staff loaned: $200

This loan is special because: it supports artisans with working capital at 0% interest.

Gliseria is an artisan from Peru who crafts beautiful reverse-painted glass and hand-carved mirrors, inspired by nature and Peru’s rich cultural traditions. She’s been selling her art since 2017, overcoming hardship and uncertainty with relentless creativity and drive.

As a child, Gliseria loved drawing, but life required her to work from an early age in whatever jobs were available. Despite this, she always dreamed of creating something meaningful. Today, her workshop is a place of passion and purpose – where she transforms ideas into stunning designs.

With her Kiva loan, Gliseria purchased wood and glass in bulk, giving her the materials she needs to fulfill orders and grow her business. Her dream is to employ other local artisans and provide them with the same opportunity she was given.

🧵 Sarunya’s Story – Thailand

Loan: $1,725 | Status: Repaying | RAW staff loaned: $200

This loan is special because: it creates employment opportunities for vulnerable women in remote rural areas.

Sarunya is a young woman who lives in an isolated hill village in Thailand. Born with a heart condition, she’s never been able to take part in strenuous physical work like farming. As a child, she struggled to keep up with her peers, and as an adult, she couldn’t contribute to the family’s income through traditional labour.

But then she discovered hammock weaving – a perfect fit for her strengths. It’s work she can do from home, with no heavy lifting or exposure to the elements. Since starting, Sarunya has greatly increased her income and quality of life. She’s even been able to buy her own motorbike – a milestone of independence and pride.

Each hammock she weaves carries her signature, a quiet statement of resilience and joy.

What is Kiva and how does it work?

Kiva is a global non-profit with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive. With over $2 billion in loans funded, the model is simple and impactful.

How a Kiva loan works

1. Someone applies for a loan to grow their small business, pay school fees, invest in clean energy or improve their home.
2. A Kiva lending partner disburses the funds and shares the story online.
3. You lend a minimum of $25 (or more) to help crowdfund the full loan amount.
4. Once fully funded, Kiva sends 100% of the loan to the lending partner.
5. The borrower puts the money to work.
6. They repay the loan over time. Kiva’s average repayment rate is a remarkable 96.4%.
7. You get repaid and can lend the same money again to support another borrower!

Why this matters to travellers

As travellers, we rely on the welcome and hard work of local people – guides, guesthouse owners, artisans, cooks – who are the very heart of tourism to make our journeys special. Kiva gives us a way to return that kindness and continue supporting local communities long after our trip ends.

It’s a beautiful way to:

• empower women and families
• support small, sustainable businesses
• foster economic resilience in travel communities
• be a more conscious global citizen.

We’re proud to support Kiva, and we invite you to join us

Visit www.kiva.org to learn more, read real borrower stories, and start lending today. For as little as $25 you can travel the world, change a life, and come right back to do it all again.

Main image by Varun Kulkarni from Pixabay