Wisdom from a Kiva Intern

Five months ago, a group of thirty enthusiastic and passionate individuals from around the globe came together to be a part of Kiva's 16th internship class.

The diversity of the group was impressive. From new graduates based in California to mid-career professionals with international work experience, Kiva's 16th internship class contained a large breadth of knowledge, experience and personalities! Their internship period recently came to a close and a few of our interns took the time to reflect on what they learned during their time with us.

Name & Title: Mahsa Ashabi, Kiva Zip Fundraising Intern
Key Learning: I've always been someone who can appreciate both working independently and being part of a team, but being on the Kiva Zip team has provided me with an invaluable experience about how well those two can intertwine. Everyone I've worked with is incredibly motivated and self-starting, but always willing to offer insight and assistance. It has also shown me the importance of working somewhere where people are so dedicated to have their everyday work help others. It is inspiring to be part of an organization that thinks so much about their impact in everything they do and I'm so glad I got to be a part of it.
Favorite Quote: "Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in the world, but has not solved one yet." - Maya Angelou

Name & Title: Paige Lanier, Community Support Intern
Key Learning: The more difficult and more varied things you attempt, the faster you learn and grow.

Favorite Quote: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." - Lao Tzu

Name & Title: Joan Anway, Portfolio Management Intern
Key Learning: It is amazing to find a company that actually embraces the belief that everyone on the planet deserves to prosper. Kiva does this by offering market-based solutions for people without other resources - giving them ‘a hand up, not a hand down’. It’s a very inclusive work environment with true demographic, socio-economic and cultural diversity. Diving right in, looking for outrageous ideas, and coming up with new ways to look at things are also, unbelievably, truly embraced at Kiva!

Favorite Quote: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." - Goethe

Name & Title: Rourke Healey, Partner Marketing Intern
Key Learning: Life at Kiva has taught me the value of working with a community of people that genuinely care about each other and the work they do.
Favorite Quote: "Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for you being here." - Neil Gaiman


Name & Title: Shreya Bhaskran, Strategic Initiatives Intern
Key Learning: It is possible (not just a fantasy) to work for a company where everyone genuinely believes in the work they are doing and is happy to come in to the office each day. Kivans are kind, passionate, and innovative people and I have learned so much from this internship experience.
Favorite Quote: "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in." - Greek Proverb


Name & Title: Matt Robert-Daves, Kiva Zip Review Intern
Key Learning: Picking up the phone and calling someone is far quicker and more effective than sending a ton of emails.
Favorite Quote: "Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny." - C.S. Lewis


Name & Title: Andrea Vallejo, Review & Translation Intern
Key Learning: Have respect towards women that are stepping up their game and work passionately to bring meaning to their lives.
Favorite Quote: "Peace requires everyone to be in the circle - wholeness, inclusion" - Isabel Allende


Name & Title: Joey Kelmer, Development Intern
Key Learning: I didn't know that so many people, from such diverse backgrounds, could be brought together by the sole idea of making the world a better place. I didn't know that such a place existed in the professional world, until I started working at Kiva.
Favorite Quote: "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." - Dalai Lama


Name & Title: Joyce Kim, Kiva Zip Marketing Intern
Key Learning: I leave Kiva inspired by the highly intelligent and accomplished people who are willing to sacrifice salaries and job titles in order to contribute their time and energy to a mission that they believe in.

Favorite Quote: "Impossible isn't something that can't be done, it's just something that hasn't been done yet" - Anonymous



Name & Title: Hannah Cotter, Kiva Zip Review Intern
Key Learning: Knowing that strangers are willing to give you a chance to pursue your goals can be just as important as the economic oportunity that comes with it.

Favorite Quote: "Enjoy the little things in life because one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things." - Kurt Vonnegut


Name & Title: Abdullah Alothman, Strategic Initiatives & Impact Investments Intern
Key Learning: Teamwork, communication, and collaboration get the job done! Value the opinions of others, it gets you places!
Favorite Quote: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - Ghandi