Professor Udolph, who specializes in international social
work, connects students with Kiva to help them see principles in microfinance in action, which Kiva defines as
a general term for “financial services to low-income individuals to to those
who do not have access to typical banking services. [It’s] also the idea that low-income
individuals are capable of living themselves out of poverty if given access to
financial services.” (Learn more about Kiva).
Through the women lent to through Kiva, themes emerge
relating to women all around the world.
“If women have their own money, it increases their respect in their
families and communities. It helps
[students] see how a small amount of money can really help someone in another
country,” Udolph said.
Each semester, the class chooses a woman and a loan
through Kiva’s website, which provides information about the borrower such as
family size, occupation, and yearly income, how the money will be used, and how
receiving the loan will make a difference in the borrower’s life.
This semester, students chose to sponsor Zhuzhanna, a
woman in Ukraine, who requested a loan to repair her home and improve her
family’s living conditions. Udolph
credits the decision to loan to Zhuzhanna to the students’ understanding of the
impact of living conditions on overall quality of life, a concept studied in
the course.
In previous semesters, students have opted to invest in
and follow the journey of two women in Uganda, Betty and Annette, who each
sought a loan to expand her business and improve her economic situation.
The use of Kiva allows students to connect with a real
person and to see how the concepts in women’s and gender issues affect real
people. It also provides an opportunity
for students to not only observe the impact of microfinance on economic stability
but to be a part of that impact.
By investing in women around the world through Kiva, like
Zhuzhanna, Betty and Annette, students can “be a part of the concepts they’re
learning about. They watch it in
action. They own it,” said Udolph, so
much that students still ask about Betty or Annette semesters later. “Several students wanted to know about the
progress of the loan. They e-mail me and
ask for updates.”
International Perspectives on
Women, is a core Social Sciences and GPS course and is offered each semester. Register for this Course.
