JWOC’s Microfinance program has made more than 200 loans in the last year, and has worked with well over 500 borrowers since its inception in 2006, achieving a nearly 100% repayment record.  Loans in the $100-300 range are disbursed in 5 cycles each year — and a new cycle launched just last week. Borrowers came in and worked with the student volunteer loan officers to sign and thumbprint their loan contracts, get a copy of their weekly repayment schedule… and receive their funds!  I had the pleasure of acting as official photographer for the day:

Sunday is collection day, so I headed out with one of the teams on their weekly run.  I got to meet some of the borrowers and learn more about their small business ventures:

Sells vegetables and other goods at the Phsa Leu Market where I bought my bike:

Expanding the business at their barbershop:

On a street where everyone had some kind of business, sells fruit (papayas & pineapples) to market and local neighborhood:

Grows and sells chilis, cabbage and other vegetables:

Sells shellfish in as much of the year as possible and augments with vegetable sales in the rainy season.  (Note a couple of things!  The completely adorable, blissed-out baby in the hammock.  The shells completely covering the ground — I cannot figure out how the little kids were running around barefoot without just shredding their feet.  Ouch!!!)

An extended family of 17 living together who took out a loan to be able to sell shellfish at the market:

And back home, the team tallying up and wrapping up at the end of the day: