New Field Partner: Bringing life-changing technology to rural Indonesia with Kopernik

We’re excited to announce our new partnership with Kopernik in Indonesia!

When we talk about the best ways to alleviate poverty in developing countries, we often bring up issues around education, clean energy, healthcare, savings and more. But poverty can also be tackled by establishing large-scale distribution networks to connect technology suppliers with users in remote areas. This is exactly why we partnered with Kopernik!

Like in many developing countries, small kiosks are very popular in Indonesia and account for 85% of the Indonesian retail market. But unfortunately, the prices of the goods vary because of high and unreliable transportation costs, and people find it hard to afford many technologies that could significantly improve their lives. These include products that provide safe water, solar light, clean cooking and more.

Kopernik is committed to addressing these supply chain challenges by distributing technology products via “Tech Kiosks” located inside rural shops, which significantly reduce costs and increase availability.

Founded in 2009, Kopernik connects technology makers with local partners in remote areas to address needs like clean water, electricity, food security and healthcare. And by launching health kiosks in remote locations in Indonesia, it helps rural retailers sell simple but life-improving technologies to their communities.



Sumarti and her daughter are Kiva borrowers looking to buy more stock for their Tech Kiosk.

Kopernik has completely changed the concept of product supply in rural markets. It has modified the distribution culture of goods in villages, introduced product catalogues, increased after-sale support and made a wide variety of new products accessible to people living in rural areas.

How does it work?

To establish Tech Kiosks in their stores, shop owners must fill out an application, receive an onsite visit and pass an interview. If they are selected, they receive training on product specifications, maintenance, after-sales service, data collection and reporting requirements. They then select which products they want to sell from a catalogue based on community needs and product demonstrations, and also receive promotional materials.

Today, the organization works with 50 local partners who have distributed over 20,000 technology products and changed the lives of more than 100,000 people in Indonesia.



Kopernik's website catalogue of different life-changing technologies.

If you believe that providing access to technology in remote areas helps people improve their living standards, then these loans are the right choice for you!

LEND TO KOPERNIK PARTNER TODAY! Many lenders are interested in these loans, so we’re sorry if we’re out for now. More are on the way!

Have questions about Kopernik? Want to learn about microfinance in Indonesia? Send queries our way at blog@kiva.org.

Images courtesy of Kopernik.