Meet Miss Sovannary Tem.  Sovannary is single and lives with her parents on an island of the Mekong River about fifteen kilometers from Phnom Penh in Cambodia. She has been a silk weaver since 2002, a skill she learned from her sister.  She has her own business but she would like to grow so she needs a loan.

When I started Emily Rose I lived in Reston, VA, worlds and worlds away from Cambodia in both distance and lifestyle.  To fund my new business venture I was lucky enough to receive a “package” due to an exit from corporate life.  It wasn’t much – and I slowly built Emily Rose without borrowing money – but had I needed to borrow I had plenty of options.  I am lucky enough to live in a country that encourages entrepreneurship.  I could have applied for a bank loan, taken out a line of credit, or even used my credit cards.  We are so blessed to live in a country where effort is rewarded and anyone can become anything.  Despite the rough economy the American Dream lives on – I know, my Dad moved us here across an ocean so that we could be a part of it.

I learned about Sovannary through a fantastic website called kiva.org.  It has apparently been around for quite a few years but I have just discovered it and am thrilled to have done so.  Kiva.org is a micro-lending facilitator.  What they do is match up folks who would like to support entrepreneurs not lucky enough to have access to the American Dream (like us) with everyday folks living in locations around the world without such luxuries as small business loans, credit cards, etc…  You can loan an amount as small as $25 to support the development of an individual striving to better themselves and their community.  Keep in mind this is a loan, not a charitable donation.  You know exactly where your money goes, exactly who you are helping and then… you get it back!

Sovannary is no slouch – she has already borrowed and repaid two previous Kiva loans.  Now she wants to create a new business selling finished silk fabric, so she is requesting another loan of $600 to help her capital.

Emily Rose Doll Clothes is proud to have contributed to Sovannary’s dreams and hopes for her continued success.  We plan on building up a Kiva fund and continuing to support as many new entrepreneurs around the world as we are able.  Long live the American Dream… now transferrable