COMMENT CAMPAIGN - Encouraging MFIs to post journals

[Guest]

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[Evelyn Yvonne Theriault]

Greetings to all, but especially new KIVA friends:
From time to time KIVA friends have had discussions about how we would love to see more journals (and especially journal updates) from the MFIs so that we can track the progress of the businesses we've invested in. and also because we think it helps motivate KIVA investors. On the other hand, it has been noted that regular updates would be very onerous for some of the MFIs who are understaffed, or live in areas where it's difficult to reach the businesses etc. so we probably shouldn't get too cranky if there aren't enough journals since the primary responsibility of the MFI is to disburse loans not entertain us!
Nevertheless, to encourage those MFIs who would be able to post more regularly, it was suggested that we LENDERs SHOULD BE SURE TO ALWAYS POST COMMENTS ON OUR BORROWERS' PAGES so that the MFIs know that we value their journals.  It can be as simple as a note of congratulations, or you might want to personalize it with a simple question (example 2 comments at HELLEN KAVURA http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=comment&id=53061&ent=61703).
If you're a really eager beaver, then you might also want to post a supportive comment midway through the loan. Many of the MFIs are new to the KIVA process and I'm convinced that as the loans close and the MFIs start to read over the accounts they'll notice that lenders are interested in their journals!

[abc]

Thank you for this reminder, Evelyn.
I know that *I* have been negligent in posting any sort of comment.
I cannot expect someone to write if I'm not willing to do it myself.
I will work on turning that into a regular habit.
I appreciate your comments.
Ann
who sometimes fears she has *too much* to say and should keep her yap shut at times

[Evelyn Yvonne Theriault]

Ann
who sometimes fears she has *too much* to say and should keep her yap shut at times
[/quote]
We have hundreds of "lurkers"  who never post so we're just evening out that bell curve!
Evelyn

[abc]

Start yap
Thanks, Evelyn. I feel better. I didn't know if it was just New-to-Kiva and New-to-KF
fervor that has me so abnormally chatty. Now that I realize that you and I are
shouldering the communicative load of dozens of others, I feel soooooo good.
Close yap

Ann
Don't Worry Be Yappy

[skbasket]

ok, so I am technically still a newbie, so my comments may be either interesting and valid or not, but regardless, here are my two cents...

I have a total of 30 loans in the active stage.  I looked at all 30 loans, and 8 or them have comments other than my own.  That's just over 26%.  I know the comments are not long, (most are a sentence or two), but they are there.  That is much higher than the MFI journal rate of about 10%.

When MFI's post journal entries, they write more than a sentence or two.  Most are a few paragraphs long. 

Obviously the posting of comments on each loan does little to impact whether an MFI posts journal entries or not.  Are we wasting out time?  Are these comments even read by anyone out in the field, or are they mostly read by other lenders?  My personal feeling is that while the MFI's are obviously made up of good people, they do not really care about making a contact or relationship with a long list of lenders for each loan.

What Kiva can do, is help with this connection.  The MFI's just want to do their jobs, and have the money to fund their many loans.  The lenders, on the other hand. want a personal connection to these loans.  That makes Kiva then, the connection.  They provide the means to micro-finance.  They are the ones that can influence the MFI's to post more comments or journal entries, and in so doing, create more dollars, and more loans to fund. 

Personally, I would be happy with just a comment here and there from the MFI. 

Sorry for the rambling...  I don't know if any of this made sense.  I'm just sitting here wondering whether I shoudl be posting comments or not...

Sandy

[abc]

No no no, Sandy, I appreciate your comments. I'm probably newer than
you are and so much of all this is new to me, especially the topic
of journals. Thanks for saying what your take is.

[wthepoo]

Obviously the posting of comments on each loan does little to impact whether an MFI posts journal entries or not.  Are we wasting out time?  Are these comments even read by anyone out in the field, or are they mostly read by other lenders?  My personal feeling is that while the MFI's are obviously made up of good people, they do not really care about making a contact or relationship with a long list of lenders for each loan.

I agree, Sandy,

I would like to know (maybe someone actually knows this and can enlighten me?) if the MFIs get an alert when a comment is posted regarding one of their journals.

So far, I always left a brief comment when a loan had been disbursed - just to let the MFI know that I appreciate their work and would love to get an update, eventually. But I am not even sure that they will read it... or if so, care.

I, too, think that Kiva should try to further encourage MFIs to provide at least one (!) rather individual update for every loan (the willingness to do so is one of the pre-requisites of becoming a Kiva-MFI), possibly soon after it has been repaid. It need not be long and it need not have a photo (though both would of course be nice), I just want to know if the loan honestly was able to help.

Best wishes,
Wolfgang.

[Evelyn Yvonne Theriault]

Hi Sandy, Wolfgang and others
I've had NO UPDATE JOURNALS from my borrowers, and this is even though my students have left what I think  are interesting comments on their sites, and I have left additional, follow-up comments on some.
However, in a former discussion on this topic some posters had mentioned that although some MFIs might not have time/resources to respond, in some cases the MFIs were just not used to the concept that we would love to see updates. After all, the whole KIVA model is quite revolutionary and each month there are MFIs who have just started this whole process. Regarding whether the comments are read by the MFIs and/or borrowers, it seems to be different in each case. Do I think my comments make a difference?
I don't really expect much change in the short run, I just think that over the long run most MFIs will look at their websites and some may start to post more updates.
KIVA is in its infancy and if it's had the vision to create these tools for potential inter/action between lenders and borrowers, I'm certainly willing to carry on a one-way monologue with these MFIs/borrowers in the hopes of someday nudging a response from them!

Evelyn

[Jan & John]

Do I think my comments make a difference?
I don't really expect much change in the short run, I just think that over the long run most MFIs will look at their websites and some may start to post more updates.
KIVA is in its infancy and if it's had the vision to create these tools for potential inter/action between lenders and borrowers, I'm certainly willing to carry on a one-way monologue with these MFIs/borrowers in the hopes of someday nudging a response from them!

Evelyn

Agreed...
I will continue to post comments and lately I am actually beginning my comments with ...

to: and the name of the poster, name of the MFI

followed by a thank you for allowing me to help with the loan and a request to please pass my best wishes to the borrower. health, happiness, success - all that stuff

then ending with a statement that we look forward to more progress updates.

No results yet but I will continue to comment.

on sort of the same topic (not really - did anyone read Matt Flannery's latest blog?
http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/kiva-chronicles/archive/2008/06/22/catfood-and-commoditizatio

We really are still building relationships between the lenders and the borrowers with the MFI's in the middle just trying to do their thing.  Perhaps if we are willing to actually show ourselves as people - they will in turn respect us as such.

jan

[Evelyn Yvonne Theriault]

Are we wasting out time?  Are these comments even read by anyone out in the field, or are they mostly read by other lenders?

Sandy

1.  A recent KIVAFRIENDS thread referred to a blog by Matt Flannery (in which he somewhat incautiously raised the wrath of cat-lovers everywhere  ). If you go to that blog it mentions that a KIVA fellow in Africa was "showing the entrepreneurs his lender" and at another point in the blog it mentions a "printout of ... lenders". I am sure that as time goes on more and more of our borrowers will get to see KIVA website materials and this is why I think if we - with the luxury of laptops and time - continue posting comments they will eventually bear fruit!
2.  Even if some are being read only by other lenders, that is also a way to build community among ourselves. Just as the Lender pages inspire me and my students, so do the comments.
Evelyn

Link to Social Edge - Matt Flannery Blog (Cat lovers - do not open!)
http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/kiva-chronicles/archive/2008/06/22/catfood-and-commoditization