At the Clinton Global Initiative event in NYC a couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of witnessing an extraordinary gathering of individuals and organizations from around the world, all driven by a shared purpose — to make a positive impact on the world’s most complex challenges. It was a reminder that amidst the uncertainties of our world, amidst the difficulties and injustices, there exists a tremendous amount of passion, resolve and goodness.
Spotlights of innovation and resilience
While there were far too many people and organizations at CGI that inspired me to mention them all, a few from the event really left an impact. I’m sharing a snapshot of those with all of you:
Seeding hope through Social Capital (Asia Initiatives)
Imagine a village where every act of community service earns you credits. These credits are not just abstract numbers but currency for essential services like education and healthcare. A woman earns credits by helping build a community well, which she then exchanges for healthcare services for her ailing child. This was the concept shared by Geeta Mehta, the Founder and President of Asia Initiatives. She spoke passionately about how the organization plants seeds of hope in communities grappling with poverty with its novel Social Capital Credits (SoCCs) model. The reciprocity created by the model fuels both community spirit and self-sustenance, working towards poverty alleviation.
Empowering heroes amidst adversity (Superhumans)
Superhumans is an inspiring organization in Ukraine, responding to the challenges born out of the region's war. They operate rehabilitation centers equipped with state-of-the-art prosthetics and bionic limbs to help people injured in the war. What I thought was unique about Superhumans is their positive, empowering approach. Their approach is centered around enabling individuals to walk through the streets with their prosthetics, feeling like "superheroes'' rather than being ashamed. They are not just focused on physical rehabilitation but also fostering a culture of optimism, resilience, and a positive redefinition of identity amidst adversities.
Serving empathy with every meal (Heart of Dinner)
Listening to Yin Chang and Moonlynn Tsai talk about their organization Heart of Dinner was touching. The duo shared how their initiative was created during the pandemic as they were saddened to see the food challenges and social isolation among Asian American seniors in New York. They started delivering nutritious meals accompanied by beautiful, heartfelt letters to these seniors. Through their work, they built a community of care, demonstrating the power of localized efforts. I found their simple yet impactful approach to be inspiring, showing how empathy and action can significantly improve lives.
Technology and logistics to combat hunger (Nilus)
I was impressed to learn more about the operating model of Nilus, a Kiva Labs partner and tech-savvy venture on a noble quest to eradicate hunger by making healthy food and groceries more accessible for low-income individuals in Argentina, Peru and Mexico. Nilus Co-Founder and CEO Ady Beiter explained how they help reduce food prices by directly connecting leaders in remote communities with lower cost food that they can’t otherwise access and helping them pass on reduced costs to their communities. A unique aspect of their model is the empowerment of female community leaders, who foster circles of trust and organize the distribution among their neighbors. Nilus’ effective fusion of technology and community engagement was refreshing.
Kiva's pledge for change
Set among this inspiring backdrop, I couldn't help but feel an immense sense of pride in sharing Kiva’s bold commitments. During CGI, Kiva pledged two significant Commitments to Action (CTAs) that align closely with our mission and values.
Supporting refugees
The first CTA, which I had the privilege of announcing live from the event, centers on our promise to reach 75,000 refugees by 2026. This initiative underscores our unyielding dedication to addressing the refugee crisis, providing refugees with opportunities for financial access beyond immediate humanitarian aid, ultimately helping them rebuild their lives.
Supporting underserved women
The second CTA revolves around opening financial access for underserved women worldwide — a focus at the heart of Kiva’s model since our founding and our very first loans which were to women entrepreneurs. We've committed to directing loans to 500,000 women entrepreneurs with a focus on gender-forward financial practices, further advancing gender equity and economic inclusion.
Reflections and the road ahead
The inspiring organizations at CGI —Asia Initiatives, Superhumans, Heart of Dinner, Nilus, and many more — echoed a common ethos of addressing global challenges through localized, community-centered approaches. They showcased their unique expertise in tackling diverse problems, underlining the varied nature of the solutions required.
What resonated most with me is the affirmation that both individuals and organizations contribute most effectively when they leverage their strengths for the greater good. Kiva's strength lies in addressing injustice through crowdfunded microfinance, a model refined over more than 18 years. The spirit of innovation and resilience I witnessed at CGI 2023 reinforces our resolve to continue iterating, improving, and expanding our reach to serve more people. With each story of ingenuity and impact shared at CGI, the roadmap for Kiva is clear — to persist in our mission, continually learn from the global community of changemakers, and to amplify our efforts in creating a ripple of positive change across the globe.
Inspired and committed,
🙏💚
Vishal Ghotge
