Welcome CEP, Kiva's newest field partner in Vietnam!

CEP's activities are mainly focused on Ho Chi Minh City, which is the largest city in Vietnam. With an official population of 6 million, the city continues to rapidly expand with its growing population of migrant workers. CEP currently has 25 branches located in Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Long An and Tien Giang. Their strong commitment to serving the poor is evident in the clients they select to benefit from their services. They target the most economically disadvantaged, with a focus on female heads of household and migrant laborers.

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of traveling to their head office in Ho Chi Minh City to learn more about their work and train them on posting loans to Kiva. During my visit, I learned about the many challenges of urban dwellers in Vietnam and the services CEP offers to support them. CEP plans to pilot their Kiva partnership at 4 branches in Ho Chi Minh City before expanding to branches outside of the city.

CEP's first Kiva loan, to help Son (pictured above) improve his store and pay his children's school fees, went live on the Kiva website on June 15th. Please support microfinance clients in Ho Chi Minh City by funding a CEP loan!