Kiva Fellows Training

I knew that I should have blogged each day that I spent in training, but with social events, visiting friends, studying Cambodian, and reading up on microfinance, I never found the time to sit down and write anything coherent. In retrospect, a little blurb would have been better than nothing at all. As the memories quickly transform themselves into fleeting images and sound bites in my head, I can’t help but think that training was anything short of amazing.

I spent the weekend in Palo Alto, where I slept on my friend Ben’s floor. On Sunday night, I went to stay with my friend Cory, who will be a Kiva Fellow in Uganda. We left early Monday morning for Kiva’s San Francisco office (which is technically in the Mission district) not really knowing what to expect. The three-story office was in a warehouse-y neighborhood, and looked just like an aging apartment, complete with fading light-blue paint and a carpeted staircase. Kiva occupies two floors, and we sat in the middle of a 40 x 30 ft room (bordered by small offices and cubicles) for the duration of the training.



The training itself was very well executed, especially considering that the current director of the program started last May and has only trained two sets of fellows before us. We learned about the specifics of how Kiva operates, its goals, our duties as fellows, and how to handle difficult situations that others have encountered before. The training was well planned, with no training section longer than about 80 minutes. It felt like a very engaging and intense version of college, but admittedly, more fun. I found myself asking many questions and suggesting ideas, primarily because I was so genuinely interested. The others seemed equally engaged, since they raised many astute points I didn’t even consider.

The other fellows at the training were probably the most impressive and exciting part of the experience. I was among talented businesspeople and social achievers, all with impressive lists of prior accomplishments. Some founded their own socially-minded companies, and some had worked in challenging roles in banking and consulting. One person was a senior economist in a Kuwaiti firm. However, the most impressive characteristic of the trainees was not their achievements or drive, but their genuine concern for making a positive difference through Kiva, as well as through their careers. Never have I witnessed talent so devoid of selfish concerns, nor felt so immediately comfortable in a group.

After completing the training, I felt empowered and inspired. Through my exposure to the fellows and to Kiva’s crew, I was reminded that however small, I will make a difference.

What a wonderful week!