From thought-provoking reads to new perspectives, these recommendations reflect the values that unite us and fuel our shared mission of unleashing the economic power of the Global Majority.

Take a look at the books that have influenced our journey in 2024, and maybe discover your next great read along the way!

The book serves as a good reminder that humanity, communication, and collaboration are all interconnected drivers of progress, and encourages a deeper appreciation for the evolving networks — both human and technological — that define our lives.“

“This book weaves a storyline about racial and ethnic inequality in various permutations across the globe, while also exploring the human response to it. In reading it, I gained a new understanding that technology and the legal system, while tools to combat these issues, do not solve the problems themselves. To do so, we need dedicated, passionate people driving these tools in order to effect change.

It also taught me a good lesson––helping individual people won’t always bring about systemic change, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful to the people you have helped. I recommend the book for those who like historical and modern fiction rooted in reality. Isabel Allende always writes in a way that puts you in the middle of the story which I also appreciate.”

“James” is a reimagining of Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved person who accompanies Huck along the Mississippi. Seeing the world through James’ point of view is revelatory—a journey through the many ways that racial identity is constructed and lived, and a reminder that every person has a story.

I’ve been recommending this book to everyone this year, but especially to people who say they don’t read “literary fiction”—it’s a page-turning plot that also challenges you to think, and the humanity will break your heart open if you let it!“

“There are several themes that I’ve taken to heart from this 500+ page memoir, like focusing on solutions rather than “admiring” the problem, and giving oneself permission to choose joy despite the perceived futility of one’s individual actions. That said, I keep coming back to this last line that encapsulates the essence of Power’s story and message: “People who care, act, and refuse to give up may not change THE world, but they can change many individual worlds.”

When I feel overwhelmed and ask myself, “Will all my efforts have been worth it?” I ground myself by reflecting on the stories of real people I’ve had the privilege to hear. In those moments, the answer is always a simple and resounding yes.

For anyone who is passionate about social impact, I highly recommend this book. Fighting the good fight, at work and in life, is hard and exhausting, but reading Power’s stories and reflections made me feel less alone and injected some much-needed fuel to keep me going.“

“This book is all about the intersection of creativity, business, and leadership. The insights on cultivating the right balance between processes that provide stability, while simultaneously embracing ambiguity that fosters innovation deeply resonate with Tala’s culture. I’d strongly recommend this to anyone interested in understanding and unlocking creative thinking.“

“This autobiographical graphic novel and coming-of-age story provides a powerful perspective on events—both personal and historical—that challenge how we perceive life, education, and freedom. Each time I revisit it, I’m reminded not to take anything in life for granted and that everyone deserves a second chance.

Not only is the book visually stunning and funny, but also deeply insightful. It taught me valuable lessons about empathy, the importance of community, and perseverance. I’d recommend it to anyone in need of a little direction. It offers the chance to walk in others’ shoes and listen to their stories, allowing empathy to flourish.“

The post Books That Changed the Way Talazens Think in 2024 appeared first on Tala.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tala established the COVID-19 Rebuild Fund to support customers providing essential services to their communities. Through the fund, we offered specialized 0% interest loans to hundreds of entrepreneurs across Mexico, the Philippines, and Kenya providing health care, food, education, and related logistics. 

In the two months since distributing the loans, we sought to better understand the impact of the Rebuild Fund and how these businesses were adapting to a new normal. Here are some initial insights from a survey of recipients across our markets. 

All experienced significant strain at the start of the pandemic. Many struggled to maintain inventory facing a lack of capital, disruptions in their supply chains, limited available items in supermarkets, mobility restrictions and curfews. 30% of respondents in Kenya had to reduce the number of their employees before receiving their loan and 21% in the Philippines had to close down entirely before the Rebuild Fund helped them reopen.

Businesses added new food and medicine, offered credit and more. A majority of entrepreneurs added delivery services and takeout options. Many now take orders on apps like Whatsapp to minimize exposure to customers and offer credit to customers who can’t afford to pay. Despite their own hardships, over 21% of recipients in all markets donated goods and services to frontline workers. Customers like Fridah in Narok, Kenya, who runs a hotel employing more than five people. Fridah uses her hotel to supply neighboring schools and health centers with lunch and volunteers her time to spread health information. 

Most used their loans to stock their businesses and pay employees. In the Philippines, where the customers faced one of the strictest lockdowns in the world, a few customers used their loans to cover household bills and groceries. 

The Rebuild Fund helped entrepreneurs grow their income. A majority in Kenya and Mexico (62% and 65%) reported earning higher incomes after receiving their loan. 24% earned more in the Philippines and 42% able to maintain their current income despite hardship. Majorities in Kenya and Mexico were also able to serve more customers and zero businesses in any market have closed since receiving assistance from the fund.

Beyond finances, the Rebuild Fund had a positive emotional impact. A majority of respondents reported lower levels of worry and increased feelings of positivity. The feeling of being supported also grew significantly. In these uncertain times, that feels as important as anything. 

We are encouraged by the Rebuild Fund entrepreneurs’ remarkable resilience and will continue to monitor their success.

The post Tala’s Rebuild Fund entrepreneurs adapt to COVID-19 appeared first on Tala.

This past holiday season, to show our appreciation for our customers across the world, Tala helped over 70 customers reunite with family and friends. Through a global campaign on Facebook, we asked customers to tell us in a one-minute video who they wanted to see most at Christmas and where they needed to travel to make it happen. We then fully covered travel and celebration expenses for select customers at no cost. As we all move further into 2020, here are a few of their stories.

In the Philippines, Joseph hadn’t seen his family in years after moving from his home in Davo for work. Joseph wrote to us nominating his father as his “holiday hero.” After sharing a touching video of his father reading a letter to him and his siblings, we helped Joseph travel from from Clark to Davo to spend Christmas with his parents. You can see their reunion below.

He even shared this homemade video from his travels!

In Mexico, Maria shared that her husband had been been away from her and their two little girls working out of state for several months. We covered his return as well as their Christmas party to ensure their holiday season was a special one. Maria shared that “when I gave the news to my daughters, it was the most incredible moment.” Here are a few pictures from their celebration.  

Finally, in Kenya, we helped over 40 people reunite with family and friends. This included Fahima, who wanted to travel from Nairobi to Narok to see her mother and attend her uncle’s wedding. Here are a few pictures from Fahima’s reunion with family at the wedding below.

Watch all the customer videos on our Facebook pages in Mexico, the Philippines, and Kenya! We were grateful for all our customers and proud to have made a few of their holidays particularly special.

Thanks to everyone who shared their story!

Learn more about Tala’s customers here.

The post Home for the Holidays appeared first on Tala.

In 2017, Emmanuel was supporting himself by offering rides on a motorbike, or Boda Boda, in Kabarnet Yet, the informal taxi business in Kenya was growing rapidly, and as more and more drivers hit the streets, supply soon exceeded demand in his village. Competition became fierce and Emmanuel struggled to find customers. 

Moreover, Emmanuel didn’t own his motorbike, instead renting it by the day. “I could hardly manage. Sometimes I would end up with only 50 shillings (around 50 cents USD) at the end of the day after paying out 500 shillings,” he remembered. 

He planned to move to Nairobi to turn things around. 

“My wife was pregnant and I had to live a life,” he explains. “I asked for a security job in Nairobi, but it was a very difficult situation because I had a month to work before getting paid. I needed a house and money to commute. I asked my parents and my friends but nobody could help me. I needed at least 10,000 shillings. But I had Tala. I borrowed 12,000 shillings ($115) and secured a house and I had some change to commute to work. When I got the salary, I repaid. This opened many doors.” 

Emmanuel’s security job placed him in a radio room, where he discovered his passion for radio. After working for a little over a year, he used the experience to land a job as a radio controller at a wildlife conservatory in Nanyuki with a better salary and work he found more interesting. 

Emmanuel attributes his success to taking advantage of a series of small opportunities, starting with his move to Nairobi. And for the millions of people like Emmanuel, having a trusted financial partner can help make leveraging those opportunities a little easier.  

“Tala has been the best thing that I have ever had. It was Tala who gave me that first chance, that first trust, that first step. And now I’m here. I’ve brought my family to Nairobi. We have a really nice house and my kid is going to school. Everything is rolling out positively, thanks to Tala.”

The post How Emmanuel turned one small opportunity into better life for his family appeared first on Tala.

In 2016, Aimee was living with her husband and daughter in Payatas, the largest informal settlement in the Philippines. Her husband worked but they struggled to raise enough to get a new place. Out of work, but a talented cook, Aimee dreamed of starting her own food stall business, not only for the extra money but for the independence. However, she couldn’t raise the money to start it. 

She applied for loans from several banks but was denied each time because she had no credit history. Each time she applied, she attempted to navigate a complex and exhausting web of paperwork and forms she did not have or was unfamiliar with. The system was not set up for her. 

And Aimee was not alone. There are three billion people around the world who are striving to break through into middle class but lack access to basic financial services. Encouragingly, due to economic growth, better business opportunities, and cheaper services, this global middle class will see their incomes rise and in ten years could swell to five billion. 

Yet despite this trend, an overwhelming 73% of the population in Southeast Asia and over 77 million people in the Philippines alone are still unbanked. 90% of all payments in the Philippines are still in cash, and a robust national ID system has yet to be established. This prevents people like Aimee from accessing capital to improve their livelihoods. That’s where Tala comes in. 

After hearing about Tala from a friend, Aimee downloaded Tala’s mobile app and applied for a loan. Using alternative data Aimee provided from her smartphone, Tala approved Aimee for 1,000 pesos, or around $20. She was ecstatic. It wasn’t a lot, but it was a start after being rejected many times before. 

Aimee took her $20 to the market and bought the ingredients to make tocino, a filipino style bacon and local breakfast delicacy. She sold the tocino to her neighbors and earned 200 pesos, or $4, in profit in just one week. While small, Aimee realized the potential of the business and set out to grow her loan limit to grow her business. 

“I started with just 1,000 pesos. I thought about how I could grow my limit, so discipline kicked in. I offered my products to neighbors and nearby offices. Over time, my limit increased as my business continued to grow as well. From a starting loan of 1000 pesos, I’ve now achieved Gold status with Tala (reserved for Tala’s best borrowers) ,” Aimee explains. 

“Tala is really like a companion that supports me and helps me achieve my goals. It’s so easy to get a loan from Tala. I can always count on it.”

In just two years, she was able to double her family’s income and has raised her loan limit to over $200. They have since moved to a bigger apartment in a safer neighborhood. She was even able to use the profits from her food stall to open another business selling beauty products. Aimee’s story is not only inspiring but valuable in determining where to prioritize efforts around financial inclusion. Digital accounts and payments are important but even a bank account does Aimee no good if she has nothing to put into it. Digital credit uniquely allows Aimee to control her cash flow and provides the capital needed to grow. 

We started this company to help people like Aimee and we’re humbled by her drive and success. 

The post How Aimee turned $20 into two thriving businesses appeared first on Tala.

As a full time recruiter at a start-up and a student, for four years Sarahi’s days began at 6:00 AM when she headed to work and didn’t end until 10:00 PM after her last night class ended. After hustling so hard, Sarahi still found herself a few certifications away from graduating with her degree in psychology.

Additional fees attached to final exams and certificates were more than she anticipated and made finishing the semester difficult. She turned to Tala to cover what she needed.

“Because of Tala, I was able to finish my college degree,” she explains. “In my last month, I had to pay for my certifications, graduation exams, and other documents, along with food, rent and transportation. I couldn’t have finished my degree without Tala’s support.”

For now, she’s enjoying having a little more time but she is still trekking ahead. Her goal now is to save enough to get her Masters in reproductive health — an issue that she’s incredibly passionate about. 

Congratulations on your graduation, Sarahi! We’re excited to see what you’ll do next for the world.

The post How Sarahi Used Tala to Finish Her Degree appeared first on Tala.