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Update on Savy Kech
Entrepreneur: Savy Kech
Location: Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Amount Repaid: $68.00 of $400.00
Entrepreneur: Savy Kech
Location: Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Amount Repaid: $68.00 of $400.00
http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&action=about&id=17433
This entrepreneur is funded by a Kiva loan administered by Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. Savy lives on the shore of the Mekong River east of Phnom Penh. This is the second loan he has taken out with Maxima. His loan is being paid off on schedule.
Savy, 22 years old, derives his primary income from weaving. He used the funds from this loan to buy silk and nylon thread for his loom. Male weavers, while not unheard of, are a distinct minority in this area – especially those who work on their own i.e. not with their mothers. Savy has been weaving for six years. He learned the craft from an older sister. Of his six siblings, all weave to make their livelihoods.
Also rare for his community, Savy and his young wife live in their own house, not with either set of parents. When we visited, they had a second loom set up in the live/work space under their house on which she will weave. Ironically, she learned to weave five years ago from her uncle. They purchased the second loom from a neighbor for US $75. he says a loom will last for about ten years.
Before taking out loans with Maxima, Savy worked on a barter system with a middleman in the village. He would take weaving materials on consignment. When finished, the middleman would take two finished pieces and pay Savy for a third. This arrangement gave all the leverage to the middleman. Savy says he is making more profit now. On the downside, his cost of materials – especially silk, continues to climb. There also seems to be more supply than before because the sales price of finished cloth continues to go down. This situation is similar for many weavers we’ve interviewed. This time of year, finished goods prices are even more depressed. Many festivals coincide with the end of the rainy season. It is also the official beginning of the wedding season. People need money for things like donations at pagodas, wedding gifts or other costs. Consequently, the weavers make and sell more cloth now than at any time paradoxically running the price for their goods down when they need money the most.
Savy and his wife, typical in this area, farm enough rice for their family. They also have three cows. Savy’s mother lives in the house with them and helps with their child and with housework. He says he plans to continue weaving. When he saves more money, he wants to buy and raise a few pigs, as well. Longer term, he and his wife want to have one more child and save as much as possible for both children’s education.
Posted by Darin Greyerbiehl from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Nov 7, 2007
This entrepreneur is funded by a Kiva loan administered by Maxima Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd. here in Cambodia. Savy lives on the shore of the Mekong River east of Phnom Penh. This is the second loan he has taken out with Maxima. His loan is being paid off on schedule.
Savy, 22 years old, derives his primary income from weaving. He used the funds from this loan to buy silk and nylon thread for his loom. Male weavers, while not unheard of, are a distinct minority in this area – especially those who work on their own i.e. not with their mothers. Savy has been weaving for six years. He learned the craft from an older sister. Of his six siblings, all weave to make their livelihoods.
Also rare for his community, Savy and his young wife live in their own house, not with either set of parents. When we visited, they had a second loom set up in the live/work space under their house on which she will weave. Ironically, she learned to weave five years ago from her uncle. They purchased the second loom from a neighbor for US $75. he says a loom will last for about ten years.
Before taking out loans with Maxima, Savy worked on a barter system with a middleman in the village. He would take weaving materials on consignment. When finished, the middleman would take two finished pieces and pay Savy for a third. This arrangement gave all the leverage to the middleman. Savy says he is making more profit now. On the downside, his cost of materials – especially silk, continues to climb. There also seems to be more supply than before because the sales price of finished cloth continues to go down. This situation is similar for many weavers we’ve interviewed. This time of year, finished goods prices are even more depressed. Many festivals coincide with the end of the rainy season. It is also the official beginning of the wedding season. People need money for things like donations at pagodas, wedding gifts or other costs. Consequently, the weavers make and sell more cloth now than at any time paradoxically running the price for their goods down when they need money the most.
Savy and his wife, typical in this area, farm enough rice for their family. They also have three cows. Savy’s mother lives in the house with them and helps with their child and with housework. He says he plans to continue weaving. When he saves more money, he wants to buy and raise a few pigs, as well. Longer term, he and his wife want to have one more child and save as much as possible for both children’s education.
Posted by Darin Greyerbiehl from Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia
Nov 7, 2007
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