So after 6 months in Cambodia as a Kiva Fellow, and some travels through Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia, I’ve finally arrived in the Philippines for my next Kiva Fellowship stint.
at Clark Airport
I will be here for the next 3 months with ASKI-MFI. ASKI-MFI is a new Kiva field partners so I’ll be helping them set-up their Kiva processes, train ASKI staff, and interview Kiva clients in the field. I will be located in Cabanatuan City, Central Luzon, Philippines, but will be traveling around mainly through northern Luzon in Isabella province, the grain basket of the Philippines.
I’ve already been busy, and have so much work cut out for me. Actually, the day after I landed I woke-up at 5am for an 8am meeting in Manila with the head of the Microfinance Council of the Philippines. It was quite an interesting meeting, as I got the lay of the land regarding microfinance in the Philippines. Acronyms were flying all around the table, along with a lot of questions.
left to right: Teresa Dunbar (Kiva Fellow), Zoraida Libunao (ASKI-MFI), Emmeline Ardeno(ASHI-MFI), Edgardo Mercedes (Head of MCPI), John Briggs (Kiva Fellow) at the MCPI office.
