Micromanaging A Brighter Future

Vietnamese version: Nguyen Nhu Hung – MFU Officer in Hai Lang
 
Mrs Kieu has had a harder life than most. Living in Hai Lang district in Quang Tri province, she struggled financially after her husband died and now her only son is facing similar difficulties as an adult.

The 62-year-old widow was unable to afford a proper education for her son while he was growing up and consequently his employment opportunities are limited. Now married with two children to support, Mrs Kieu’s son works as a bricklayer and earns around 1.8 million dong (US$85) a month, which has to cover not only his family’s daily living expenses, but also his mother’s.
 
“I wanted to raise some pigs or chickens, so I could help my grandchildren,” Mrs Kieu explained. “But I didn’t know who I could borrow the money to get me started from. We didn’t have any form of security for a loan, so potential lenders kept turning me away.”

Mrs Kieu’s fortunes changed, however, when World Vision’s Micro-Finance Unit (MFU) began serving her community in 2011. Guaranteed by a local farmers’ group, she took out a first loan of 4 million dong (US$190) to buy two sows and construct a pigsty.

“At first, I was worried about how I would be able to make the loan’s monthly repayments,” she recalled. “So I decided to work harder and cut down my spending on other items, which allowed me to get used to paying back the money every month.”
 
After one year, Mrs Kieu had repaid her first loan in full and her sty housed two additional pigs. Second and third loans have followed, allowing the entrepreneurial grandmother to expand her business with the aim of ensuring a brighter future for her grandchildren.

She now earns approximately 2 million dong (US$95) every month from raising pigs, which has meant her family’s standard of living has significantly improved. For example, she has been able to buy a cooker, electric fans, television sets and bicycles, as well as tastier food for her grandchildren.

Happily, Mrs Kieu said, “I don’t know what to say except thank you to the MFU for helping me and that I hope the programme will continue for a long time, so that other women can benefit.”