Sophath and her daughter, Srey Aun, welcomed us in to their home the other day. Sophath was rocking her newborn grandchild, Srey Aun's baby, in a hammock while we talked. She began with a bit of family history - she's been widowed for three years and has five children who are now all grown and married. Srey Aun is the only one still living at home with her and she's happy for that as she enjoys helping with the baby.
Sophath's loan of $500 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 Sophath to buy 200 additional jasmine plants for her garden. The cost for each small plant is 700 Riel (0.18 USD) and in 3 months time the bushes are large enough to begin bearing flowers for picking. It takes up to a year for them to bloom prolifically and each blooming season lasts for around 7 months. During this time, Srey Aun journeys to the markets in Phnom Penh by moto-scooter to sell the flowers (which they make into offering arrangements used in Buddhist ceremonies) to vendors. Some flowers are also used for jasmine tea.
Jasmine prices fluctuate dramatically throughout the year, they explained. During the rainy season the flowers are in abundance and highly scented, but during the dry season the supply is so low that sale prices can quadruple from 10,000 to 40,000 Riel per Kilo ($2.50 to $10 USD). The women also purchase bananas from farmers in their village to resell. The Cambodian climate is well-suited for bananas, and though the profit margins are low, they are able to earn a steady income year-round.
In the future, Sophath hopes to continue expanding her jasmine garden and also begin purchasing a larger variety of fruits to resell.
MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd.
Posted by Tami Rowan from Kean Svay district, Cambodia
Nov 19, 2007
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