Leading within the community

With money received as wedding gifts, Zar and her husband started a retail business three years ago. In addition to running the shop, they grow rice for family consumption and Zar is also a seamstress and her husband is a barber who also helps in the shop.

A neighbor told her about VisionFund and Zar attended a presentation in April 2017 where she applied for an individual loan of 1m Myanmar Kyat. The loan was used to expand the shop to further increase profits.

From her profits she helps nine orphan children who live in the community. She provides them with books and pens for their education. She encourages them to work hard and each month she gives a prize to the child who gets the highest marks at school.

In February 2018, Zar applied for a second loan of 2m MK which she invested in purchasing more goods for the shop and a refrigerator. Cold soft drinks are one of her biggest sellers and give her the most profit.

For the immediate future, she wants to invest in motorbike accessories as there are a lot of motorbikes in the community. She already sells gasoline in small one liter plastic water bottles.

Zar and her husband have an infant daughter and they have already agreed that they will support her in whatever she wants to do when she grows up.

She says, “I am trying hard, that’s why I feel I’ve succeeded. I mentor and give advice to my friends and relatives and help others with their businesses. I tell them how to invest and buy and also advise them not to take money from unofficial money lenders who charge very high interest rates.”

“If I have a friend who needs money, I will lend it to them but, if they need more, I encourage them to go to VisionFund.”

Her father was sitting nearby listening – and when asked what he thinks of his daughter’s business acumen he proudly said, “She makes very clear decisions, she doesn’t hesitate. She is very brave to buy these items for the shop. She dared to invest without hesitating, that’s why she’s been so successful.”