HomeKiva News • Article

Christians, atheists, nerds, activists unite to make change through Kiva lending teams

August 2, 2018

When we work together we can make monumental change, and Kiva lending teams are proof of this every day. Members of Kiva teams join forces to create impact, share loans they are passionate about and get competitive in the name of doing good.

In 2017 alone, 50% of loans made on Kiva were attributed to a team, with the top 10 teams lending $20.9 million to Kiva borrowers! So if you’d like to get more involved with Kiva and connect with other lenders, join one of our more than 35,000 lending teams today.

Check out some of Kiva’s largest teams below, or start a new one and invite your friends to change lives together!

Teaming up for good

Kiva Christians are more than 21,000 lenders united by their shared faith. Together they’ve lent more than $47 million to borrowers around the world.

Atheists, Agnostics, Skeptics, Freethinkers, Secular Humanists and the Non-Religious (or the A+ team for short) lend because they “care about human beings and understand that it takes people to help people.” With more than 39,000 members and a busy message board, they’re one of the largest and most active teams on Kiva!

The Mindful Bunch lends to improve the world for the better right now. By focusing on the present, the Mindful Bunch carries out lending as an exercise of mindfulness and positive change.

Women United is a team passionate about empowering women and improving their livelihoods. This team’s loans have contributed towards education, business and home improvement for women around the world.

Nerdfighters is one of the most popular lending teams on Kiva with 51,300 members. Their mission is to lend to “decrease world suck”, and they’ve developed a set of lending traditions that match their unique mantra.
International School of Bangkok and University of Iowa are just 2 of many teams where students and alumni of their respective academic institutions come together to lend a hand up to entrepreneurs around the world.

Bringing people together

Lending teams also build community for lenders by providing a platform where they can connect based on shared values, interests and geographic location. Plus, it’s always more fun to make an impact together. Even though each team is a little different, the underlying mission is always the same: to create opportunity for people around the world.

Already part of a community? Bring your group to Kiva by starting a lending team and inviting your friends, colleagues or family. Teams are also great ways to honor someone’s memory, celebrate monumental events or create competitions for social good at work or school.

Find out more about lending teams, or to start your own!