Soknao Sen

Thank you for your loan. It has been disbursed to Soknao Sen by MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. in Cambodia. We are excited to watch this business grow. Over the next 12 - 18 months, MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. will be collecting repayments from this entrepreneur and posting progress updates on the Kiva website.

Soknao’s loan is being repaid on schedule as of April, 2008.

Soknao used her loan money to purchase silk materials and thread, not to buy a new loom as stated. The loan enabled her to prepare the loom she was using and continue weaving pamung, a traditional Khmer fabric used to make skirts.

Purchasing material with the loan helped her avoid buying from a middleman and will give her the liberty to choose to whom she will sell her final product. Preparing one loom can cost $180 in thread if purchased from a middleman; purchasing on her own, she spends only $165. In addition, she receives a better selling price: $10/piece compared to $9-$9.50 via the middleman. In 3-4 months, Soknao can produce 55-60 kben, or 110-120 pieces.

This income is just enough to cover everyday expenses and food for her and her mother. A few weeks ago her father died, so the weaving must now support the two of them. Soknao says she has never calculated her profit before, but knows it is just enough to purchase food and continue to buy more silk to weaving. Recently, she and her mother have had just enough to get by day to day, and to pay medical costs for her father who became very sick before he died.

Soknao and her mother are pictured.

Mrs. Soknao Sen has paid off the loan already and she would like to send the word, “thank you” to all the lenders who are very kind in term of sharing their income to support the people who really need money to expand the businesses.