Born in India and raised in Nigeria, Arushi came to the U.S. in 2006 to pursue a degree in Economics from West Virginia University. After graduating with an MS in Economics at Tufts University in 2012, she spent 5 years in various strategy and analytics roles across the financial industry. This made her realize the importance of credit in spurring entrepreneurship and increasing overall levels of economic activity. Her experiences while living abroad made her aware of how difficult it is for a small business owner to gain access to capital at reasonable interest rates. Arushi is passionate about learning about the possibilities that lie at the intersection of technology and finance, particularly in emerging markets. She is extremely excited to combine her domain knowledge and passion for international development to support local field partners in West Africa in strengthening their relationship with Kiva and to see first-hand the impact of microfinance in the field.