Building a world where anyone can go to college. Join us.
The problem
Believe it or not, in most countries, college loans just don't exist. Imagine: No matter how smart you were, how hard you worked or how good your grades were, if you didn't have a bunch of money up front, you just couldn't go to college. Your ability to raise a family, move up in the world and achieve your potential are forever limited, not because you didn't have that potential but because you never got a chance.
What we're doing today
Together, we're changing that.
Around the world, Vittana lenders are helping students get access to higher education for the first time. Students receiving Vittana loans are able to focus on their studies instead of worrying about whether they'll be forced to drop out. Not only are more students able to finish college, but people who never dreamed of college are now able to go for the first time.
How does Vittana work?
-
Vittana works in developing countries to help build new student loan programs, often providing the first and only access to college loans in those countries. Our expertise is in building effective, strong student loan programs.
-
Students from those programs then appear on our website. Today, students from 5 different countries in Latin America and Asia have been uploaded to the site.
-
People from all over the world — people just like you and me — can then choose a specific student and, by making a micro-loan of $25 or $50 to that student, help him or her get access to higher education. Because the cost of higher education is much less in these countries (often under $1,000), a few co-workers, a youth group or some friends can completely fund a student's loan and help that student take a giant step forward in his or her life.
-
Once a student graduates (in 12 months or less) and starts working, he or she begins to repay the loan. That money is repaid directly to you, the original lender.
And it's working: the success rate of Vittana loans is approximately 97%, new countries are being added every 1-2 months, and, in countries like Vietnam and Nicaragua, students are lining up and forming waitlists for Vittana loans.
The Impact of a Student Loan
A college education has the power to completely change someone's life. Yes, by finishing college, a student can earn more money to support his or her family — on average, Vittana graduates earn 200-300% more than they would have otherwise. But often, many other less quantifiable but far more powerful things happen. Imagine the self-confidence of a single mother who goes back to school and is able to finish. Imagine what kind of a role model an older brother becomes when he's the first to graduate college in the family. Imagine how a whole town can be lifted up by a new doctor, engineer or teacher.
Help a student get access to higher education. Make a loan today.
The bigger picture
There's a chance to do something even bigger here.
If higher education is so powerful, if the students want college loans, if the repayment rates are so wonderful — if everything is so great, why aren't other organizations providing college loans?
Today, students in developing countries can't get college loans because they're stuck in a Catch-22. Because the traditional banks have never invested in students before, there isn't a track record of them getting loans, graduating and repaying — and because there isn't a track record, those same banks won't invest in them. However, until someone starts doing so, not one student gets a loan, graduates and repays.
Together, we're breaking the Catch-22. Instead of waiting for the traditional banks to invest millions, a dozen of us can invest $25 and enable a student to finish college. Every time a Vittana student gets a loan, graduates and begins repaying, that's one more person who is building that track record. As our programs improve, as the track record grows, the Vittana community demonstrates more and more that students are worth believing in.
The dream of the Vittana community is to create something so much bigger than all of us. We aren't in this for market share or profit, but to help build a world where anyone can go to college.
Vittana is an Indian word for "seed." A seed, with just a little water and a little love, can grow into a beautiful, amazing, self-sustaining living thing. With just a little love, this too can become something amazing.