Reun Rim's Sucess Story

Microfinance enables farmers to generate more revenues

Reun Rim and her husband live in Samrith village, Prasat Sambor district, over 30 kilometers from the provincial town of Kampong Thom. They have two children who are at primary school. The family currently engages in farming and pig husbandry.

“Before I had bad living conditions, lacking food to eat and study materials for my children,” Reun Rim, 29, sadly recalled her past prior to her loan history. “I sold Nom Banchok [traditional Khmer noodle]. My husband made it for me to sell, and for other villagers in exchange for wages.”

Since she received credits from VisionFund in 2005, her family’s living conditions have improved. Her initial loan was US$ 100, and has then increased to US$ 1,000. She stopped selling the Khmer noodle, but expanded rice farming and raised pigs, which has enabled her to earn more revenues and create household assets.

 With increased income, Reun Rim’s family has sufficient food and resolve to send their children— Trea Traing, a 12-year-old  student at grade 5, and Trea Sidor, an eight-year-old at grade 3— to pursue their education at high grade.

“Due to the loans, I have many hens, two male pigs and one breeding pig with more than 10 piglets,” Reun Rim says. “I have rice paddies and two motorbikes….Previously I earned only US$ 0.5 to US$ 0.75, but now I can earn US$ 2.5 to US$ 5 per day.”

“And my children can go to school,” she adds. “I’m determined not to discourage them from education, but to encourage them to complete their education. I don’t want them to be farmers like me.”

“In the future, I want to work for VisionFund to help my parents get out of difficulty,” Trea Traing describes his future goals.