Sont Oo Tehtwin : Social microfinance in Myanmar
In Myanmar, to survive, vulnerable people set up informal income-generating activities, such as a small store, a street restaurant, a workshop or a livestock farm. But they find it hard to develop and make these activities profitable, due to a lack of access to credit and training.
Comprehensive support for success
In 2014, Entrepreneurs du Monde created Sont Oo Tehtwin (SOO) to support these extremely vulnerable families in Dala, Seikkyikhanaungto, Twanteet Kawhmu, south of Yangon in Myanmar.
SOO contributes to improving their living conditions by helping them increase their micro-business income, resilience and health. The organization offers them unsecured loans, a savings account, training and advice.
2023 key figures
84%
women
57%
for agricultural and livestock activities
€243
average loan
My business is doing well now!
I produce dried fish. In 2019, SOO granted me my first loan of 600,000 kyats (€270) to launch my production. Then, with each loan, I bought and smoked more and more fish and increased my sales and income.
During the crisis period, I found it difficult to sell my products and ran out of money to repay my loan. At that point, SOO helped me a lot: my repayment schedule and amounts were adjusted.
I was able to get through the crisis and bring my production back up to pre-crisis levels. Now I want to buy heat lamps to dry the fish during the rainy season: I’ll be able to continue drying enough fish despite the lack of sunlight. I’m even thinking of becoming a wholesaler: I’m steadily increasing my production and will soon be able to sell some of it to food stores.
DAW Thet Thet Mar
A methodology for the poorest
In order to welcome poor entrepreneurs, SOO does not ask for deposits, guarantees or liability.
Instead, it asks them to meet in groups of 20-25 people, and meets with them every month to manage loan repayments and savings deposits, and to run a training course.
These training courses cover topics such as economics: how to calculate costs and sales prices, manage stocks and cash flow, adapt to customer demand and competition, marketing and promotion, etc.; social: how to acquire rights and self-confidence, prevent common illnesses and domestic violence, adapt to climate change; and agricultural: how to use fertilizers efficiently.
