When we arrived at the home of Say Mey, the loan officer could barely be heard above the roar of the rice milling machine. Both Say Mey, 43, and her husband stared with a bit of astonishment at me, the barang (foreigner), as the officer told them why we had come. After the mill was turned off and the shock had worn away, they were more than happy to answer our questions about the impact the Kiva loan has had on their lives.
Say Mey has been a weaver for almost 20 years. She weaves at home, like many of the women in her commune across the Mekong outside of Phnom Penh. They have one son, 14, (not two as previously reported) who is attending the local school.
Say Mey's loan of $300 is being repaid on schedule as of October. 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 Say Mey and her husband to improve both of their businesses. Say Mey used a portion of the loan to travel to Phnom Penh, where she purchased her silk thread direct, instead of through the local middleman, thereby increasing her profits. The remainder of the loan was used to purchase a rice milling machine where they can earn money by charging locals to mill their rice for them. Before they bought the mill, they used to pay another man in town to mill the rice they grow for personal use. Now they are able to save this money and earn an even greater income than Say Mey can earn through weaving.
With the extra income the family has earned, in addition to money they've saved, Say Mey was able to purchase a new moto. This is much more reliable for her trips into Phnom Penh, she said, and now the old one is used only for transporting rice. In the future, they hope to be able to support their son to continue his education so that he can be whatever he wants. (Photo: Say Mey's husband with rice mill)
MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Nov 4, 2007
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