Kiva empowering Sierra Leoneans through credit database

Schan Duff, Vice President of Strategy for Kiva, a San Francisco-based tech charity that is using blockchain to create an online ID database in Sierra Leone allowing people who struggle to get loans to prove their credit history, speaks during the launching of the system in Freetown, Sierra Leone August 21, 2019. REUTERS/Copper Inveen

Kiva, a San Fransisco-based tech charity, us using blockchain to bring more Sierra Leoneans into the financial system.

Kiva is using blockchain to create an online ID database in Sierra Leone allowing people who struggle to get loans to prove their credit history, according to REUTERS.

Kiva and President Julius Maada Bio officially launched the system in the capital Freetown on Wednesday. Bio hopes it will bring more Sierra Leoneans into the financial system.

Kiva facilitates small loans in 80 countries, but Sierra Leone is the first country to implement an online credit system designed by the organization.

“This visionary step here today guarantees that Sierra Leoneans are not excluded from … the global digital economy,” Bio said at the launch.

Story credit: REUTERS