Kiva Fellowship Motivation Statement

I would like to serve in the Kiva Fellowship program because it will give me the opportunity to empower the poor of underdeveloped countries by providing them with access to capital for their small businesses.

My grandfather peddled to nearby villages selling essential goods in order to feed his family of six and maintain his small flat. Yet, despite the fact that my grandparents were illiterate and faced financial hardships, they saw potential in my father and encouraged him to pursue an education.  Not only was my father the first member of his family to go to college, he also managed to secure a scholarship to earn his doctorate degree and eventually established himself as a successful entrepreneur in America.

My father’s story has been an inspiration to me.  If my father hadn’t seized the opportunities that in turn road-mapped his life, I wouldn’t be where I am today.  As a Kiva Fellow, I will become a channel through which the underprivileged will be able to connect to a network of financial support, thereby presenting them with desperately needed opportunities.

Coming from humble means, my parents have instilled in me the same values they were raised with, and have always stressed the importance of service.  During visits to India I observed women and children begging on the streets, while in San Francisco and Berkeley I witnessed men and women huddled on street corners in the dead of winter.  Cognizant of the distress around me, I have tried to alleviate it by volunteering my time at shelters and organizing groups to assemble and distribute holiday care packages.  I realize, however, that while I have provided temporary relief to those in need, I am capable of offering much more.

My desire to make a positive impact on society has been inherent in every career decision and volunteer effort I have engaged in.  Though all of my research positions are distinct from one another, the overarching theme among them has been to improve the delivery of healthcare to individuals.  As an Executive Chair for the Cal Undergraduate Public Health Coalition, I coordinated events to promote public health on campus and at local schools.  This past year, I organized the Relay for Life event in Newark, CA to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

The Kiva Fellowship will offer me the opportunity to completely immerse myself in the cause to eradicate poverty, by encouraging individuals and their families to create self-sustaining lifestyles. Additionally, it will serve as a stepping-stone that will help me pursue my goal of working for a nonprofit that further enables social improvement.  Not only will I bring with me my varied experiences, dedication and perseverance, but I also bring with me a passion for social mobility.  I would like to be considered as a Kiva Fellow so that I can help empower individuals.  In the past I may have fed someone for a day, but now I would like to teach a society to feed themselves for a lifetime.

Written by Kaajal Laungani as part of her Kiva Fellowship Application in October 2009.