"WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER." PLEASE ACT NOW FOR ACTION NOW:KENYA

[Guest]

.

[RichardF]

http://www.kiva.org/about/aboutPartner?id=36

Action Now: Kenya has been PAUSED

Kiva has recently discovered during normal partner monitoring that Action Now: Kenya may not be in full compliance with some important Kiva policies. Kiva has been communicating with the partner and awaits further information from Action Now: Kenya’s Executive Director on these irregularities. Until we can investigate further, we are unable to share a more detailed explanation. In the interim, however, Kiva is preventing Action Now: Kenya from fundraising new loans on Kiva’s website by pausing them.

As Kiva obtains further information, we will share it with the lender community. We will be communicating with Action Now: Kenya's Executive Director through the end of December and January and look forward to providing an update in January as more information becomes known.  (emphasis added)

The fact of the matter is that Kiva can share more information on the situation.  It simply chooses not to do so.  What it can do is cite the "important Kiva policies" in question to give lenders an idea of the issues under review.  If Kiva had enough information to act, it had enough information to share.

[wind5001]

Richard,

I fully agree! Simply stating "some important Kiva policies" lets anyone draw his/her conclusion.

It will lead many to conclude that fraud, embezzlement, dislocation of funds, whatever else can come to your mind...and since all the previous fiascos, I think one is prone to only conclude the worst options. We do not know what these ominous important Kiva policies are. I think there are important policies that might not garner such drastic action:

Take for example journal updates. Some may think journal updates are an important Kiva policy (which I in fact do believe). Kiva itself gives it as one of its main teasers when you check out their site. They promise that Kiva policy is a journal update for EVERY loan or at least an impact assessment at the end. However, this principle is being violated hundreds of times daily by tons of MFIs. I have not seen Kiva act on this problem at all.

Another such policy may be speedy disbursal of loans so that the money can quickly go round and round. With the new P2-whatever system, this has been stretched, too. Repayments for many loans start at a later date than the loan term suggests. A speedy disbursal does not necessarily alter that repayment scheme...so who compromised this policy? We know that ANK takes time to disburse funds directly with the borrower by going and help them purchase the object. Maybe that is not as easy as just handing out the cash. Why a strict rule on that?

I don't know. Kiva leaves us in the dark. Panic is being created by an action that is again not really explained. Hmmm, have we seen that before? Not sure...

[Dottie b]

The fact of the matter is that Kiva can share more information on the situation.  It simply chooses not to do so.  What it can do is cite the "important Kiva policies" in question to give lenders an idea of the issues under review.  If Kiva had enough information to act, it had enough information to share.

They might have information, but that doesn't mean it's appropriate to share it prematurely.

I understand that people are concerned, but I don't think it's appropriate for the details of an investigation - pretty much any investigation - to be made public until it's completed and the party being investigated either exonerated or accused of specific improprieties. It's not like we as lenders can take any action in the case. And our opinions aren't worth any more now than they will be after the explanation.

Kiva has told us there are issues concerning their policies; they are undertaking an investigation, which is not complete; they have paused ANK loans while they investigate; and they told us when they will give us an explanation (January). And while we'd like to know sooner rather than later, I think Kiva is doing the right thing. We'll just have to control our imaginations and our panic.

Of course, I do hope we will be given all the relevant details when the investigation is completed!

JMO

Dottie B

[RichardF]

They might have information, but that doesn't mean it's appropriate to share it prematurely.

Let me be more explicit.  Kiva knows which policies they invoked to take the action of pausing this field partner.  They can name those policies without disclosing the specifics of any investigation.  There's really no point in me going any further.

[Mona]

What a pity! After coming back from my Christmas holidays, I discovered that another of my favorite loans from ANK has been refunded:
 

I really really hope that the problems concerning ANK will soon be sorted out and that this wonderful lady will get again the opportunity to apply for a credit:

http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=76578


Susan Atieno is single, 29 years old, and she has one child. She also takes care of her aged parents and her 14-year-old niece, whose mother is sickly. Susan lives in Kibera where she also operates a pharmacy.

Susan started her business last year. This was after saving 15,000 KEN through previous employment. She underwent training as a pharmacist at Sega Mission Hospital, got her diploma, and started working as an assistant nurse at the Gotnange clinic. In 2003, she went to Nairobi where she was employed at Uholo Medical clinic in Kariobangi for several years. Then she left to work as a volunteer at Lea Toto Organization in Kibera.
While employed in those various places, Susan saved about $200 (15,000 KEN). She used her savings to start off her pharmacy in the Raila area in Kibera, a place she chose due to low rental rates for houses. Due to the growing population in Kibera and the need to give better health care and access to medicine, Susan wants to increase her existing stock of drugs at the pharmacy.
Therefore, Susan is requesting for a loan of $200 (15,000 KEN), which will enable her purchase various drugs such as antibiotics, and pain killers. Susan also has a vision to open another pharmacy in another part of Kibera. She thanks Kiva lenders in advance.

[wind5001]

BTW: Ebony Foundation still has 2 (in letters: TWO) stars...I don't know what for, but I really do miss perspective here...

and WedCo is not even paused...

[Natasha]

Oli, I have to say I quite agree. I am really perplexed at how ratings and paused status have been determined this year. Take MIFEX for example...

[Visitor Number 1]

An update for AN:K was posted on a separate thread:

http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,321.msg52629.html#msg52629

I'm already sensing that there is support for AN:K to be given a second chance.  Not disbursing loans to the intended recipients is a serious violation.  At least with MIFEX, the recipients got 85% of the disbursement.

Like the old adage goes:
Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.

For anyone in favor of reinstating ANK, I would like to know your reasons despite this serious breach of Kiva policy.

[Tatiana]

Cause we have a soft spot for AN:K, and we all kind of hope it was an non-intentional administrational error or something.

No, I don't want to justify anything, but AN:K's focus is on the poorest of the poor, and we've heard numerous accounts of what a great job they are doing helping people out of poverty.

[RichardF]

This loan to Beatrice Muraguri has been paying back just fine.  Even though the Kiva posting has useful information, it still leaves me with questions.  For example, did the businesses receive loans for the requested amounts but from a source other than Kiva?  If the situation is something like that, then it just as well could be some sort of administrative communication issue, rather than deliberate deception.  I'm willing to wait for more details before I pass judgment on this one.