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
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