Empowering i-Kiribati women towards self relience

Founded in 2019 by friends and classmates Andrea Gooch, JD Borg, and Melody Jensen, Kindling Kiribati is a microfinance program in South Tarawa, Kiribati.

Quickly joined by Brent Thorn, Dave Hermann, and Ruth Cross, Kindling Kiribati launched a pilot program in the summer of 2019. Today, we seek to “Kindle” the flame of Kiribati by partnering with local organizations and providing insights and support to other international organizations working in Kiribati.

Our history

2019

  • Launched in-country intern program
  • 300+ participants in our first business class 
  • 12 microloans issued in our pilot program 
  • 16 additional loan issues in the fall program 
  • Hired two female employees for local operations

2022

  • 240+ graduates from 10 communities in our classes in South Tarawa
  • 176 loans distributed to small women-owned businesses 
  • 2,502 learning hours taught in our business classes 
  • $10,000 AUD renewed grant awarded from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China

 

2020

  • Disbursed $7,900 AUD in loans to 19 women 
  • Provided 6 loans to repeat borrowers 
  • $10,000 donation received from Richfield Rotary 
  • Reassessed and provided flexibility through Covid-19 lockdowns

2023

  • Built a sanitation block at the Domestic Violence Center in Tarawa
  • 2nd-highest loan year and provided loans to 109 new borrowers
  • $83,000 AUD raised through grants and crowdfunding 
  • Collected loan repayments to full repayment recovery

2021

  • First grant received from People’s Republic of China Embassy of Kiribati 
  • 21 loans provided, 80% repayment rate, 291 average loan size distributed 
  • 1,000+ learning hours in our business development classes 
  • Expanded teaching to communities across South Tarawa

2024

  • Our journey continues! Kindling Kiribati is actively looking for new partnerships and continues our microfinance program
  • Our internship program returns to Kiribati for the first time since COVID-19

Our theory of change

Kindling Kiribati’s mission is to help Kiribati women build self-reliance and create global citizens through our internship program. Our mission is two-fold because we know of the transformational power of the program for everyone involved. Women in Kiribati build critical business skills through our courses and many apply for loans to grow or create businesses, empowering them to work toward self-reliance through increased earning potential. Our internship program is an opportunity for students to apply what they are learning in school and share their expertise with communities in Kiribati, all while learning about a new area of the world and gaining cross-cultural understanding.