Ny, age 35, welcomes us with a broad smile while two sleepy, little girls stare in wonder at the barang (foreigner) in their home. We sit in the open living/ work space on the ground floor, underneath the raised thatched home above. Ny holds an infant in her arms whose smiling just a big as his mother. I can hear pigs snorting from somewhere nearby.
Ny's loan of $150 is being repaid on schedule as of November. 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 Ny to continue to purchase baby pigs and food for resale. As she bounces her son on her lap, Ny describes her business to me. One baby pig costs $30 USD, but after five months of care and feeding each is worth $150. It's less than $1/day profit, but the business allows her to be at home to take care of her young children. Previously, Ny had sold vegetables at the local market. She made the transition around 10 years ago to allow her to raise a family. Her husband also helps to support the family as a moto-taxi driver in Phnom Penh.
Each loan that Ny has taken has allowed her to buy new pigs, make small repairs to both the pens and their home, and keep the family clothed and fed. Of her seven children, aged 4 months to 15 years, four sons are of primary school age and attend at the local school. She hopes to borrow again in the future to continue expanding her business and keep her children in school. (Photo: Ny with children and pigs)
MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Nov 7, 2007
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