From Malnutrition to Plentiful 

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​​​​​​“Thanks to World Vision’s microfinance loans, my chicken raising business has grown significantly, which helps me not only earn more money, but also enable me to improve nutrition for my kids and pay their tuition fees. I’m extremely happy and want to thank World Vision for helping me with the capital,” said 37-year-old Mrs Vu Thi Hue. Hue lives with her husband and three daughters in Tien Lu district, Hung Yen.

Five years ago, when Hue gave birth to her third daughter, she was earning just US $44 per month from casual work in a rice field. This was not enough for their daily costs of living and the tuition fees for her two elder daughters, and resulted in malnutrition in her new baby. When World Vision’s Tien Lu AP set up a nutrition club in her hamlet, Hue joined the club to get more information to take care of her daughters. Armed with the knowledge and skills provided from nutrition club, she wished she had capital to raise pigs and chickens and improve the nutrition of the family.

In 2015, with the encouragement from her neighbor, she borrowed US $440 from VisionFund. After one year, she had not only repaid her loan but also earned an addition monthly income of US$22 from raising five piglets. This increased income helped her improve the nutrition of her daughters and cover her elder daughters’ tuition fees. “As my tuition fee is now paid in a timely manner, I was no longer embarrassed by my classmates because of the late payment reminder from my teacher. Moreover, my sisters and I eat chicken more frequently instead of only on the Lunar Tet holiday”, says Hue’s 13-year-old daughter.

Following the success of the first loan, Hue applied for a second loan to raise chickens as well as piglets. “The chicken raising business is highly effective; our daily meals are more nutritious from eggs and chicken meat. I will use the extra income from selling chicken to buy a bicycle for my oldest daughter. She can use the bicycle to go to school with her younger sister,” says Hue happily. So far, Hue has borrowed US $880 through two loan cycles and her family income increased from US $67 to US $110 per month.

She is looking to the future with hope: “After settling this loan, I will take another loan to expand my business because it is highly profitable. I hope MFU will stay here as long as possible to help me and other women in my village to change our lives”.