Status of Partners

[Guest]

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[cpbailey]

Hey, I just looked at the partner page on Kiva.  On status they now have active, closed, paused, and pilot.  I think it is great that they have these different status marked!  Actually, I suggested it long, long ago.  But I am wondering about some of the meaning behind the status.  For example, closed with loans probably means that Kiva isn't going to make any loans in the future unless something big changes.  But closed with no loans could mean that it isn't viable for legal or legislative issues; no loans are likely to come about with a huge change in the other countries' laws.  Or it could mean that it is in process and still not open.  And what does pilot mean?  BRAC Uganda is a pilot, yet it has more loans than all but two other partners in Africa!  So what is different about pilot status? 

Once again clarification and more information leads to more questions than answers at Kiva...

What can ya do?   

Colette

[rusty2]

To become active rather than pilot I'm guessing that an MFI must be listed with Kiva for 6 months or maybe a year??? Your best guess?!  The longest an MFI is listed with pilot is 5 months.  I looked at the closed MFI's and only one seems to have active loans. The remainder have either defaulted on all loans or have no loans active.

A definition of the "status" of MFI's would have been a nice touch.

I am finding that it is increasingly easier to become discouraged when dealing with Kiva.  I hope they can get their act together sooner than later.

[cpbailey]

Rusty,

Yeah.  I noticed that pilot was reserved for new partners, but why does that matter when BRAC Uganda is the 10th highest loans ever for any partner and they are just now collecting their first payment (about 50% collection rate for the few loans they have).  So my question is what is the relevance of the term pilot?  It isn't amount of loans allowed, at least for BRAC.

Currently BRAC has 17 loans available for investing in plus $260,600 in raised but not disbursed loans and over $479,000 in active loans.  Maybe this is a terrific organization, but this exponential growth in less than two months seems less than wise.

I didn't check all the other top ten in loans every made, but after taking into account repayments BRAC is even higher standing in loans currently outstanding.  This because only $4647 has been repaid since the December 22 start of partnership.  (Loans started to disburse January 6)

If it is support the partner receives, then great.  If it is a time period to evaluate the risk factor, then I can buy into that. 

So if time is the only element, then a sort of age of partners is adequate.  If there is something else that pilot signifies, then what is it?  I am just so 

Colette

[wind5001]

Interesting questions, Colette...

Haven't seen Ben around here in quite a while. I am sure he could give us some insight! Have you forwarded the query to him?

Oli

[AccountAbility]

This is another example of lack of communication on the part of Kiva.  We even added a locked thread on Kiva Friends for Announcements, so that a quick post about something like this might get wide coverage quickly.  Eventually the website itself should explain the column.

Kiva has chosen not to avail itself of that thread for all but the trivial.  If they think that putting an announcement here is somehow playing favorites with Kiva Friends, then they need to add a "What's New" section on the Kiva Website. 

Dan

[MissLena]

...then they need to add a "What's New" section on the Kiva Website.

It's called "Kiva Blog" ... but it's not getting used.

My proposal to Kiva (mentioned elsewhere) essentially involves me maintaining this blog, and a presence here, for Kiva. 

Still haven't heard from them, but still hoping...

'Lena

[Buchanan Family]

I'm just curious... has anyone received an explanation on the meaning of the paused status?  The status itself is self-explanatory but I'm just wondering why - such as in the case of FDM.

[AccountAbility]

A definition of the "status" of MFI's would have been a nice touch.

Don't worry.  It's just a status symbol.   

Dan
(It must be Friday night)

[Natasha]

I'm just curious... has anyone received an explanation on the meaning of the paused status?  The status itself is self-explanatory but I'm just wondering why - such as in the case of FDM.

Just wondering whether there was an update that I may have missed regarding FDM? 
Why has it been paused?

[Peter S]

Just a guess, but perhaps FDM is paused because of the 20% (? - I think) limit Kiva imposes on how much of a Field Partner's loan capital can be from Kiva.  I believe James Maina recently mentioned that limit as being the reason why Ebony Foundation is currently paused.

FDM is quite a small MFI ($373,000 gross loan portfolio as of Dec 31st 2006 according to financial data on their MIX page) so with Kiva funding of $112,000 in the 8 months they've been a partner, it would be quite easy for them to hit that percentage funding limit?