Sremom Seng, Flower Farmer

New Business Loan Request

Loan Amount: US$500
Loan Term: 20 months

Description of business plan: Mrs. Seng Sremom, 29, and her husband, Mao Sophal, have been married for 2 years. They have one 13-month-old daughter. Until recently, they lived with Sremom's older brother and his family where they learned how to grow flowers. Now, they have a small, thatched home of their own and a neighbor has given them permission to farm his fallow land. Sophal also works as a construction mason, a skill he learned when only a teenager.

Sremom is requesting her first loan from MAXIMA in the amount of $500. She will use this loan to purchase flower transplants from neighbors to add to the few from her brother. In total, they plan to grow four different varieties of flowers. A portion of the loan will also be used to purchase fertilizer. From the time of planting, it will be 2-3 months before Sremom can begin picking the flowers. Some, she will bring to Phnom Penh to sell direct, others will be sold to a local buyer that visits the area. As the rotation of flowers will grow year-round, this will provide them with a steady income and financial independence.

Pon Chhum, Moto Repair + Washing

New Business Loan Request

Loan Amount: US$1,000
Loan Term: 20 months

Description of business plan: Mr. Chhum Pon, 46, and his wife, Nhem Phanny, have been married since 1983. They have five children, ages 8-25. Now, only the youngest daughter still lives at home and attends the local primary school. The rest are grown and married. Pon opened his business for repairing motos and bicycles two years ago. He later added a new service for moto spray-washing to increase profits. Phanny works tending her jasmine plants and also buys flowers from her neighbors to resell at the larger district market. She helped her family grow jasmine even as a girl, and has had her additional business of reselling for two years now. Prior to this, they were both vegetable farmers and rented their farm land from a neighbor. When he sold the land, Pon and Phanny were forced to find new work to support their family.

Pon is requesting his first loan from MAXIMA in the amount of $1,000. He will use this loan to purchase a water pump to more easily fill his tanks used for spray-washing from the river 200m behind their home. A portion of the loan will also be used to purchase parts for bicycle and moto repair. Additionally, Phanny will us this loan to purchase a 1-season contract for jasmine flowers. This contract will entitle her to care for her neighbors jasmine plants and pick an unlimited amount of flowers to sell, giving the family a stable income for many months to come. (Photo: Pon in front of water tanks)

Thyda Morm, Weaver

Update on Thyda Morm


Thyda, 35, and her husband, Sophal, live in a modest wood stilt home. Their home is on Koh Dach, the largest of the three islands in the Mekong outside of Phnom Penh. They invited us in and cleared a spot for to sit on the ubiquitous bamboo platform (that doubles as a sofa, table and bed) that everyone uses here. Thyda has been a weaver for 17 years, a skill she learned from her mother. Her husband is a weaver too and learned from Thyda six years ago. Before this he farmed, but now feels that he can earn a better income through weaving. One sister (also a weaver) with her son, and Thyda and Sophal's two children, ages 4 and 6, also share the home.

Thyda's loan of $300 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the third time she has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled Thyda to buy raw silk in bulk from the markets in Phnom Penh. Weaving is painstaking work. Thyda says they are each able to produce about ten pieces a month. They sell their goods to the local buyer for around $11 USD each, earning them each approx. $1.50 USD profit per day. Previously, the family also raised pigs, but has stopped for now because several of them died from an illness and they are afraid to risk the loss again. Thyda says they may decide to resume this again if they take a future loan.

Thyda complained that the cost of goods has been on the rise - everything from silk to rice to other foods is increasing, but their profits have not. She worries about being able to provide well for the family in the future. Now, her sister's son is of university age and the cost of providing for his basic needs at school is a burden. Thyda and Sophal want their own children to have a good education too. They hope that things will continue to improve so that the next generation will have more opportunity for their lives.

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Muk Kampoul district, Cambodia
Dec 16, 2007

Visith An, Farmer

Update on Visith An


Visith, 27, was away tending his fields the day we visited. His wife, Sopheap, and her mother graciously welcomed us in to their home. Their home is on Koh Dach, the largest of the three islands in the Mekong outside of Phnom Penh. We sat in the open living/ work space on the ground floor, underneath the raised wooden home above as we asked about the impacts of the loan. Sopheap, age 23, and her mother, 67, are both weavers. As is typical on their island, mother taught daughter to weave as a young girl after school. More recently, Sopheap has taught Visith how to weave too and he now helps during the off-season from farming. They have one daughter, age 2.

Visith's loan of $500 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the first time he has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled them to pay for the preparation of their fields and papaya seeds. The bulk of the loan, though, was used to purchase materials for weaving. They weave with both silk and cotton and sell each piece to the local buyer for $5 and $10 each respectively. The women complained that profits are down now, from $9-12, as the buyer says he's had to decrease his sales price too to compete with the other middlemen. They wish that they had some leverage, but for now they hope that prices will increase again. In the meantime, farming is helping them to supplement the family's total income.

The women explained that it's currently the season for planting papaya and showed us the remaining transplants which Visith has left to do. They rent this land and pay with trade of ripe papaya. It will be 6 months to 1 years' time before they can begin picking the papaya for profit. They have two different middlemen they work with who come to the ferry stop to buy, saving them the hassle of transport in to Phnom Penh.

When asked what their hopes are for the future, Sopheap responded that she wants to provide well for her daughter (and possible future children) and give her a good education. Her mother answered with the memory of times that were not so good in her country - she simply hopes to have enough food to eat every day. (Photo: Sopheap and mother)

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Muk Kampoul district, Cambodia
Dec 16, 2007

Phalla Keo, Mini-mart

Update on Phalla Keo


Phalla, 25, sat smiling behind her table of produce for sale when we arrived. She rose and left a neighbor in charge as she ushered us back to her home. Her home is on Koh Dach, the largest of the three islands in the Mekong outside of Phnom Penh. Phalla has been selling groceries for the past four years. She also farms and raises pigs and cows with her husband for added income. They have two children, ages 4 and 6, and another one on the way. Phalla's mother also lives with the family. She is a weaver and rice farmer.

Phalla's loan of $600 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the seventh time she has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled Phalla to keep her small store stocked. She carries a variety of vegetables, noodles, eggs and other products which she buys in Phnom Penh and resells in the village. It's a good business for her as it allows her to be at home taking care of the family and pigs. A portion of the loan was also used to purchase packaged food for the pigs. Phalla's husband drives a moto the half-hour trip to Phnom Penh every day to buy leftover slop from two different restaurants. They then boil this down and mix it with the expensive packaged food. Phalla tells us that she bought 18 pigs with the profits from her previous loan, but that 7 died from illness. She hopes to grow the remainder of the pigs over the next 4 months to 70 kilos each which will earn her 7,000 Riel ($1.75 USD) per kilo.

In the future, Phalla hopes that business will continue to grow so that she can provide a good education for her children. She would also like to begin stocking additional items to continue expanding her small store and better compete with others in the village.

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Muk Kampoul district, Cambodia
Dec 16, 2007

Sarorn Kun, Weaver

Update on Sarorn Kun


Sarorn, 47, and welcomed us in to her home the other day and wiped off a spot for us to sit on the ubiquitous bamboo sofa/bed/table. We sat in the open living/ work space on the ground floor, underneath the raised thatched home above. Sarorn is married with five children, ages 7-18, who are all attending local schools. Her husband is a construction contractor who builds homes in the commune. Sarorn learned to weave from her mother nearly 30 years ago. She says it's been good for her as it allows her to be at home raising her family.

Sarorn's loan of $200 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the third time she has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled Sarorn to purchase her silk thread from the local middleman in advance, thereby increasing her profits. Previously she had purchased both her loom and materials on credit and received minimal compensation for her labors. Now she is able to earn around $2.00 USD per day.

Though Cambodia woven goods are in increasing demand, both from locals and tourists, the prices the buyers pay for completed products have not compensated the weavers for this increase. Most weavers we met, like Sarorn, complained that they require the loans just to get by as any profits they make must go back in to purchasing new materials or providing for their family's basic needs. Still, she says, her situation has improved and she is happy.

In the future, Sarorn will teach her young daughter to weave though she emphasized she wants her to have a good education. That way, she can make the choice to do what she wants. She is saving to give her sons a higher education too. Her oldest son told us that he wants to be a teacher. (Photo: Sarorn with children)

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Dec 5, 2007

Yorn Chim, Weaver

Update on Yorn Chim


Yorn, 67, was sitting with two of her daughters in the open living/work space under her simple, stilt home when we arrived. Two beautiful, little girls were in the women's laps and stared wide-eyed at the barang (foreigner) in their midst. Yorn has been a weaver for nearly 40 years. She learned as a young girl, but later stopped (as most were forced to) during the Khmer Rouge regime. She was able to begin again in 1979, but has now stopped for good because her failing eyesight no longer allows her to do this meticulous work. Yorn has taught all three of her daughters how to weave and she now assists them with winding thread in preparation for the loom. Though Yorn is a widow, she's not left alone in her old age as all her girls are nearby. One daughter still lives at home with her with her husband and two children.

Yorn's loan of $800 is being repaid on schedule as of December. (This loan was incorrectly posted in the amount of $600, so the balance of the loan was covered through other funds available to this MFI) This is the sixth time she has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled Yorn to buy raw silk in bulk from the markets in Phnom Penh and thereby increase her profits. She is happy that she can help her daughters in this way as they have taken such good care of her since their father died.

Weaving is painstaking work. Yorn's daughters say they are able to produce one piece of more complex silk weaving every 7-10 days. A basic cotton piece takes 3 days. The silk can be sold to the local middleman for $45 per Kben (2 piece set), and the cotton for $5.50 each. This earns them around $2.50 per person/per day. In the future, Yorn hopes to purchase an additional loom and hire an employee to weave with them. She also hopes that her grandchildren will have the opportunity for a better education than she was able to provide for her own children. (Photo: Yorn with daughters and granddaughters)

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Dec 5, 2007

Heang Loeng, Weaver

Update on Heang Loeng


Heang, 53, and her daughter welcomed us in to their home the other day. We sat in the open living/ work space on the ground floor, underneath the raised wooden home above. Heang and her daughter weave at home, like many of the women in their commune on an island in the Mekong outside of Phnom Penh. Heang has three children, ages 28-33, who are all grown and married with children of their own. As Heang is a widow, and family is of the utmost importance to Khmers, one daughter (with her husband and two children) still lives with her. The entire time we spoke, Heang hugged her shy, young granddaughter who was sitting contentedly in her lap.

Heang's loan of $1,000 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the fifth time she has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled Heang to pay for the preparation of two looms and buy raw silk in bulk. A portion of the loan was also used to purchase a motor-bike so that her son-in-law, a machine repairman, can more easily commute to work.

Heang and her daughter have been weaving for nearly 15 years. Previously, Heang was a farmer. Her daughter began to learn weaving from a neighbor as a teenager and soon began teaching her mother. Now, they are both accomplished weavers and use this as the primary means for supporting the family. It takes them 7-10 days to complete one of the more complicated patterns which they sell to the local middleman for $50-60 per Kben (2 piece set). This earns them each around $2.50 USD per day. Heang complains that profits are down right now as the buyer is paying a little less for the finished product, though material costs have stayed the same. The only leverage Heang has is to buy her materials in bulk as she, as with most weavers we've spoken with, finds it too time-consuming and difficult to travel to Phnom Penh to sell her goods directly to the retailers. This is why the availability of a loan has become so invaluable to her.

In the future, both women's greatest desire is for the children to have the opportunity to stay in school and have a good education.

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Dec 5, 2007

Srey Nien Phy, Weaver

Update on Srey Nein Phy


Srey Nein, 34, was beaming from ear to ear as she welcomed us in to her home the other day. She remembered me, the barang (foreigner), from a visit I had with her neighbor a few weeks back and was more than happy to answer our questions about the impact the loan has had on her business and life. (The neighbor is also a Kiva/Maxima borrower and had recommended them to her) Srey Nein is married with two children, ages 7 and 16, who are both attending local schools. Her husband is a policeman in a neighboring commune (group of 3 villages) and also farms for the family's own use.

Srey Nein's loan of $1,000 has been completely repaid as of December (In only 2 months!). This is the first time she has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled Srey Nein to buy raw silk in bulk and thereby increase her profits. She explained that previously she purchased through the local middleman, but now finds it more cost effective to travel to Phnom Penh to buy her silk direct. This has been a considerable cost savings and she is quickly expanding her business. Having never had access to a large amount of capital before, Srey Nein was able to not only get a better price for her materials, but buy an additional loom and hire one employee too!

Now that she is able to earn more, Srey Nein hopes to continue borrowing so that she can purchase one more loom and hire a second employee. She also hopes to be able to save for her children's future so that they have the opportunity to be whatever they want. (Photo: Srey Nein with daughter)

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Dec 5, 2007

Comments

What a wonderful success story. I hope Srey continues to prosper and is able to provide a secure future for her family.

Posted by eLiz from Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Dec 5, 2007


This story is truly delightful. Congratulations Srey on being about to do so much so quickly. I hope to see your name again as you continue to grow your business.

Peace

Posted by Rev. Cori from Miami, FL
Dec 6, 2007


Sucesso !

Posted by Ricardo from Brazil
Dec 6, 2007

Srey Moch Aeng, Weaver

Update on Srey Moch Aeng


Srey Moch, 31, and her husband, Voeun Him, welcomed us in to the bustling work area under their stilt home. Five looms sat threaded with brilliantly colored silk. There was the distinguishable clatter of wood against wood (from the multiple screen templates that are set up to create the varying patterns on the cloth) from several women weaving. Nearby, an older man and woman, Srey Moch's parents, sat spinning thread on to wheels. It was the largest weaving operation we'd yet visited in the area, started by one woman - Srey Moch. She's an ambitious woman who learned to weave from a neighbor when only 15 years old. It was 9 years ago that she taught her husband to weave, and then other village women. Before borrowing from Maxima she had only two looms. Now, seven loans later, she has slowly added one loom at a time to expand her business.

Srey Moch's latest loan of $500 has been completely repaid as of December. This is several months ahead of schedule. This loan, funded through Kiva, enabled Srey Moch to buy raw silk in bulk at the markets in Phnom Penh and thereby increase her profits. Both Srey Moch and her husband can weave quickly - one piece every 2-3 days. The women she trains typically take four days per piece, for which they are paid $3/each and get free on-the-job training. If the quality is good, each piece can be sold to the local middleman for $15 USD per piece. A portion of the loan was also used for home improvements and to purchase additional products for the small mini-mart they also operate in front of their home.

Srey Moch is now teaching her young daughter to weave after school. She has a son who also attends the local primary school. In the future, she would like to borrow again to purchase one more loom and additional weaving materials. After that, I think she's going to need to build an extension!

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Dec 5, 2007

Lorn Chea, Farmer

New Business Loan Request

Loan Amount: US$1,000
Loan Term: 20 months

Description of business plan: Mrs. Chea Lorn, 47, and her husband have been married since 1998. They have seven children, ages 4-30. Two are still in school, but the others are grown and working. Lorn is a farmer and weaver, two skills she utilizes seasonally. She learned to weave from her mother when she was a girl and has now passed on that skill to her own daughter. Her husband also farms.

Lorn is requesting a fourth loan from MAXIMA in the amount of $1,000. She will use this loan to pay for the plowing and preparation of their fields. Lorn has already sprouted her tomato, watermelon and potatoes, and the transplants are growing quickly in the shaded area she's prepared in front of her home. She will also purchase papaya for planting. Everything is almost ready to plant and she estimates it will take nearly a month to get everything in the ground. It will then be 3 months before she can begin picking the vegetables and a full year for the papaya. In the meantime, they will support the family with money from the loan. As an added source of income, a portion of this loan will also be used to purchase silk materials and pay for the preparation of the loom for her daughter to weave.

Loan Raised: $1,000

Lenders to this business:
Kay Columbia, MD KivaFriends.org
Olivia
TERRY CALGARY, Alberta
Joe Beaverton, OR
Laura Burlington, NC
LAS VEGAS, NV
Lending Hands Tallahassee, FL United States
Jennifer Annapolis, MD
Sarbjit San Francisco, CA
Hai Aliso Viejo, CA
San Antonio, TX
elaine bloomfield hills, MI
Minerva BELTSVILLE, MD
Judy Wyoming, MI
Girl Power loan club los angeles, CA
Nightfall Oklahoma City, OK
Flo Rocklin, CA
Danny
Scott Warrington, PA
William San Marcos, CA
Kenan
Naveen rochester hills, MI
William Saint Joseph, MO
Kenneth Federal Way, WA
Sandra Morgan Hill, CA
Walter Rodney, Ontario
Theresa Longmont, CO
Mercedes Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Zahava Hillside, NJ
John and Emily Bellingham, Washington
Cathy Bellingham, WA
ivey lafayette, AL
erik & jennifer Seattle, WA
Denise Prince George, British Columbia
Richard Tivoli, NY
Chris Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Canada
Cynthia New York, NY
Arsenia Covina, CA

Sovann Ek, Farmer

Update on Sovann Ek


Pov, 42, and his elderly aunt welcomed us into their home the other day. His wife, Sovann, was away for the day running errands, but he was more than happy to sit and answer our questions about the impact the loan has had on their lives. Like his parents before him, and their parents, Pov is a farmer. He's been doing it all his life. Actually, he's a jack-of-all-trades as we were soon to discover. Besides farming, Pov also works as a moto-taxi driver in the off-season. Even more impressively, he's skilled at playing a traditional instrument called "Ta Khe", and drums, both of which he makes himself! He has a regular gig, with a few other village men, playing at a lunch for tourists that visit the island in addition to playing for various local festivals and events. Pov and Sovann have four children, ages 12-28, three of whom are attending the local school. Their oldest daughter is married and lives at home with her young daughter. His aunt also lives with them and helps with cooking and taking care of the home.

Sovann's loan of $700 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the third time she has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled them to pay for the plowing and preparation of their fields for planting. The cost of plowing is 6,000 Riel ($1.50 USD) per square meter, which adds up quickly for a sizable plot of land. Now, they own two of the three plots that they farm and rent a third for $300 - 500 per year. Throughout the year they are able to plant three different cycles of tomatoes and corn. They also grow bananas. They have a local buyer who comes to their farm every day during picking time to purchase the produce. Though prices are constantly fluctuating due to supply and demand, they estimate they make about 50% profit for the money spent on the farm.

In the future, Pov hopes to save enough money so that they can purchase additional land (instead of renting) and to expand his crops to include papaya, which is a more costly item to grow, but reaps higher profits. He and Sovann also hope to save enough money to rent an apartment for their oldest daughter to live in Phnom Penh and sell the produce directly. As for their young sons, they're pushing them to stay in school and get good grades so that they can eventually attend university and have the opportunity to be whatever they want. (Photo: Pov playing the Ta Khe)

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Dec 2, 2007


Comments

This brings joy to me heart to see the difference we can make to help people out.

Posted by billnewcomer from portland, oregon
Dec 3, 2007

Ny Phat, Grocery Store

Update on Ny Phat


Ny, 32, greeted us in front of her busy grocery store / eatery the other day. As is common here, the store is an extension of the open front room of her house with additional display tables in front. Ny motioned to us to sit down on the ubiquitous bamboo wood platform that everyone uses here. There were children running around and old women purchasing produce with the traditional, checked-pattern cloth called "krama" over the heads. We began asking Ny about her life, family and the effects of her loan between transactions with customers.

Ny's loan of $700 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the fifth time she has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled her to purchase additional items for her grocery store as well as a new moto-scooter for her husband, a construction contractor, to get to and from work. Ny has been running this store for the past 8 years. She sells many items such as sauces, noodles, crackers, cookies, sodas, beer, gas cylinders, fresh meat and produce. What makes her store unique from the five others on the island though, is her small eatery. Here, locals can eat fresh-cooked Chinese noodles by day or sip coffee by night. It's a thriving business which keeps her busy from 7 AM 'til 9 PM every day. Every day too, she rises early to go to the larger district market to stock up on her fresh items.

In the future, Ny hopes that she will be able to borrow again to continue expanding her business. She plans to begin stocking rice and other items that are currently unavailable in the village. If business continues to prosper, she feels confident that she will be able to provide a good education for her two daughters, ages 5 + 9, so that they have the opportunity to be whatever they want. (Photo: Ny with daughters)

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Dec 2, 2007

La Suong, Boat Builder

Update on La Suong


La, age 45, and wife Noeurn, 36, live in a modest wood and thatch stilt home. The day we visited, La was out working with his boat-building crew on the other side of the island, so we spoke with his wife. Noeurn is a weaver and stay-at-home mom. She weaves at home, like many of the women in her commune on an island in the Mekong outside of Phnom Penh. It's a skill she learned from her mother when she was young. Now she has passed on that learning to her oldest daughter. Noeurn and La have four children in total, ages 1-18, two of whom are attending the local school.

La's loan of $1,000 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the fourth time he has taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled La to purchase materials for his trade. La has been a boat builder for more than 18 years. It's a skill he learned from his father as a young man. He works with a team of 10-20 men who are all partners. The size of the crew varies depending on the size of boat that has been commissioned - a smaller sized cargo boat or larger ferry boat. Typically, the buyer pays in advance for some of the material costs - wood, iron, motor parts - which seems logical as the sales cost of the boats ranges from $25,000 - $35,000 USD. This is much more money than all these men combined could earn in years! There are always unforeseen costs though, and this loan helped cover some of the added expenses. A portion of the loan was also used to purchase raw silk in bulk for Noeurn's weaving.

Noeurn confesses that La is getting older and won't be able to do this demanding work for many more years. She hopes that in the future they will be able to save enough money to open a small grocery store in front of their home and start raising pigs so that La won't have to work so hard. (Photo: Noeurn weaving)

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Dec 2, 2007


Comments

La and Noeurn, we were glad to learn more about your work and we thank you for your regular payments on this loan. We had no idea the boats you work on were so large, La! We imagined small fishing boats, but not something as large as a ferry boat! This is hard work indeed, and we hope someday you can achieve your goal and start your grocery store and raise pigs. Noeurn, will you continue weaving even when you have your grocery store? We wish success and good health to your whole family.

Tami, thank you for this Journal, we always like hearing about the people we partner with and we appreciate your insightful comments. Thanks!

Posted by Diane and Charlie from Saratoga, California, USA
Dec 2, 2007

Thet Chay, Grocery Store

Update on Thet Chay


Thet, 20, greeted us in front of her small grocery store the other day. It was a busy morning with village women picking over the fresh produce displayed in baskets arranged on the floor. Sharing the floor space, the small store was packed with cases of beer and other goods. Bags of cookies, crackers, seasonings and shampoos hung from above. Thet and her mother (previously pictured) have been running this store for four years. Her husband is a moto-taxi driver (married in 2002), and they have one 4-year-old daughter.

Thet's loan of $500 is being repaid on schedule as of December. This is the third time they have taken out a loan through Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. This new loan, funded through Kiva, has enabled Thet and her mother to purchase additional items for the store to better compete with the other village stores nearby. Every morning, Thet's mother travels to the larger district market to stock up on fresh meats and produce for the day. It's a good business for them as it allows the women to be at home together and take care of the family. A portion of the loan was also used to make necessary repairs to Thet's home. The simple stilt home at the rivers edge still retains its wooden front, but the other walls have been replaced with corrugated siding, and the roof is new.

Thet hopes that business will continue to prosper so that she can provide a good education for her daughter (and future children). She would also like to make future improvements to the home as well. (Photo: Thet with daughter at home)

MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Pon-Nhea Leu district, Cambodia
Dec 3, 2007