Thay, Vietnam
Mrs. Thay is a 28-year-old mother of three from Tan Phu, in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The government forcibly relocated people from the cities to this remote area after the war. Most were city dwellers with little or no agricultural experience.

The Friendship Bridge came to Tan Phu, and Mrs. Thay wanted to take out a loan. Her husband was very reluctant to allow her to become part of the program, as he saw no way of repaying the money. Mrs. Thay argued that without a loan, they and their three children would surely starve. She was finally able to overcome his skepticism, and joined a group of four other women to apply for a loan.

Mrs. Thay received a loan of US$100 and began a pig raising and basketmaking business. Her children now eat regularly, and she is not a&aid to speak up for herself or tell her story with pride.

Name of microfinance programme: The Friendship Bridge
Source: Microcredit Summit 1997 - Institutional Profiles.


Hari Srinivas - hsrinivas@gdrc.org
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