Fund a Student Loan in Southeast Asia
How It Works
What is Zomia SPC?
Zomia SPC is a social purpose corporation launched in 2014 to increase access to higher education among students from marginalized communities. We do so by providing students from marginalized communities affordable education loans that are funded by philanthropic individuals and institutions from around the world.
What is peer-to-peer lending?
Peer-to-peer lending (often abbreviated “P2P”) occurs when one or more individuals lend money to another without the involvement of a traditional financial institution such as a bank. Zomia employs a peer-to-peer lending model tailored for higher education, in which individuals can contribute a small loan towards financing a student’s education. Learn about P2P lending on Wikipedia.
How can I support a Zomia student?
Supporting students is done with a credit card or PayPal account. To get started, either create an account or find a student to support via our Student Roster. If you choose this latter option then you’ll create your account at checkout. Creating an account is necessary to receive repayments and updates from students.
Where does Zomia work?
Currently, Southeast Asia. Zomia was launched to address the unusual disparity of opportunity that exists in the region, particularly among the Myanmar immigrant population in Thailand. While high-quality universities exist in Southeast Asia, the lack of traditional financing available to students from marginalized communities makes them prohibitively expensive.
Do my loans go directly to students?
It depends. If a loan is marked “pre-funded,” the student has already received funding from Zomia and lender funding is replacing Zomia funding. This allows Zomia to identify and support other students for future funding. Backfilling is critical to the Zomia model, giving students confidence they will be funded for a full term even before funding is secured on the website.
Loans marked “partially pre-funded” have not been pre-funded or disbursed in full. Zomia must secure additional lender contributions to meet the total funding need. In either case, loan funding provided by lenders can only be used to support student loans, and lenders are linked to the students they support for loan repayment. Lenders can search for pre-funded and partially pre-funded loans from Zomia’s student roster.
Do I receive interest on the loans I fund?
No. Although students repay you after they graduate, the act of lending to a Zomia student is still philanthropic in nature, especially if you adjust for inflation over time. Forfeiting profit enables students to borrow with peace of mind at an affordable rate. Neither Zomia nor our lenders profit from a student’s financial need.
Are my loan contributions tax-deductible?
No. Although the act of funding a Zomia loan is philanthropic in nature, it is not tax-deductible because you receive repayments after a student finishes school. If you are willing to forego future student repayments and would prefer a tax benefit, you may donate to Zomia via our fiscal sponsor, Partners Asia.
Will I get repaid? If so, when?
We strive to ensure that every lender is repaid in full, but we cannot guarantee anyone full repayment. Student loans are inherently risky, so you should never lend more than you can afford to lose. You can view our repayment stats on Zomia’s homepage “Lending Snapshot.”
Our History & Progress
Zomia Timeline
100 Student Loans in a Year!
Account Access Regained
Southeast Asia Reopens
Kyat Exchange Rate Pegged
Myanmar Military Takes Over
Covid Pandemic Hits
Zomia Mobile App Released
Fiscal Sponsorship Established
Lender Portfolio Launched
Vanderes Signs on as Funder
Student Repayments Expand
Wave Money Registration
"Not Just a Student" Launch
Our First Student Lender
Zomia Platform Launch
Lending Platform Development
Student Services Expand
Inaugural Class is Formed
SPC Incorporation
Student Applications Begin
A Name is Chosen
Experimentation Expands
Experimentation Begins
SPCs are Born
Inception
Lending Snapshot
Statistics & Sample Student Profiles
330
Number of Students
62%
Female Students
$1.51M
Funds Provided to Date
$4,827
Average Loan Amount
67
Number of Loans Repaid
102
Students in Repayment
$498,789
Student Repayments to Date
3843
Number of Student Payments
Sai Sai
Born in a conflict-affected part of Myanmar, Sai Sai has always excelled academically, winning several essay competitions and distinctions in high school. After graduating, he hopes to work for the United Nations or become an entrepreneur.
Amy
The only daughter of six, Amy grew up helping her parents earn income by selling sugar cane at school. She hopes to use her degree to contribute to Myanmar’s development as an entrepreneur or business owner.
Su Myat
The daughter of a former political prisoner, Su Myat dreams of reducing poverty and closing the wealth gap in Myanmar. In addition to English and her mother tongue (Burmese), she speaks Japanese and Korean.
Our Conviction
Talent and intelligence are universal—access to resources and opportunity is not.
Our Team
Members of the Zomia SPC Team
Poe Ei Phyu
Poe Ei Phyu, a Zomia alumna, serves as our Student Services Coordinator. Born in Myanmar, she has been living in Thailand for over 12 years, where she earned a BA in English Communications from Payap University and a M.Ed in Educational Administration from Assumption University. As the bridge between Zomia's students and our team, she plays a crucial role in ensuring student success and shaping the services we provide. She is excited about getting to know students old and new, as well as working with our partners and schools in the region.
Kirk Acevedo
Southeast Asia has captivated Kirk since he joined a college study trip to the Thai-Burma border. As an undergraduate, he led the American University Student Campaign for Burma, interned with the US Campaign for Burma, and launched Scholarships for Burma, a capital campaign of the Human Rights Action Center, to raise funds to send a Shan woman to college in Thailand. From 2012 to 2014, Kirk served as a volunteer with the Peace Corps in Cambodia. He holds a BA in International Relations from American University in Washington, DC.
Ryker Labbee
Before shifting to Zomia full-time in 2014, Ryker served as the Myanmar Country Director for Cascade Asia Advisors. He has volunteered in various capacities in Southeast Asia after first visiting the region more than a decade ago. Prior to catching the international affairs bug, he spent seven years as a consultant and technical architect with a systems integration firm then known as Equarius, Inc. Ryker holds an MA in International Affairs from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a BA in Computer Science from Pacific Lutheran University.
Wouter Kneepkens
Following university, Wouter spent several years in finance as an investment banker, at a hedge fund, and in private equity. During his MBA, he moved into the tech startup space and tried his hand at various ventures. He later moved to Singapore with his wife, Mirte, to get involved in impact while continuing his work in financial markets. At Zomia, Wouter is able to combine impact, entrepreneurship, and finance. He holds an MBA from INSEAD, an LLM in Financial Law from Erasmus University Rotterdam, and both an MSc and BSc in Business Administration from RSM Erasmus University.
Be Kalyan
In addition to serving as Zomia's student representative in Cambodia, Be Kalyan works as a conservator for the National Museum of Cambodia and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. She earned a BA in Archaeology in 2004 from the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh and completed an MBA in 2012 at the National University of Management. Kalyan has also volunteered with Apsara Arts Association, a nongovernmental organization working to train Cambodian youth in classical Khmer music and dance.
Ken Prayogo
Born and raised in Indonesia, Ken continued his studies in the United States, where he earned a BA in Information Systems and Operations Management from the University of Washington Michael G. Foster School of Business. His experience ranges from serving as a UNICEF chapter co-president to teaching high school students. Leveraging his newfound passion for technology, Ken serves as a technologist for Zomia, where he enjoys using his skills to help others gain access to quality education.
Sai Hseing Pha
Sai Hseing Pha is a health professional who recently earned a master's degree in Biomedical and Health Informatics at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. He also works as a freelance mobile health trainer with Shan State Development Foundation along the Thai-Burma border. In addition to serving as a student representative for Zomia, he became the organization's first loan recipient while studying at Mae Fah Luang University, where he earned a Bachelor of Public Health degree in 2014.