Microfinance - Training our Scholarship students

I am Sovann, the Microfinance Program Manager at JWOC, going to write about what is Microfinance at JWOC and its importance. So what is Microfinance?

“Microfinance” is the financial services for poor and low-income clients offered by different types of service providers in Cambodia. Moreover, JWOC’s Microfinance program was born to help small entrepreneurs access financial services and improve the income from their small businesses especially those unable to access loans from other institutions in Cambodia. As a part of this program we also offer courses to borrowers so they can gain knowledge of business plans, water filters, hygiene training and budget training.
It also provides potential knowledge to scholarship students for their future career because they all have to work closely with local community, this includes all types of borrowers. They also get training about all aspects of Microfinance: Loan assessment and credit valuation, bad debt solving and advertising techniques before they start working with JWOC MF program. They also get ongoing training from the MF Program Manager. Here are some students who are working in MF sector in Siem Reap.

Mengty, JWOC loan officer leader, is studying in year three in Finance and banking at BBU. Now he is working for YCP microfinance as an accountant. He got training in how to use E-Trust System which is similar to the system which is used by his company.

Heang, JWOC loan officer, is a third year student at BBU in Siem Reap. He is working for Piset organization as credit officer. He attended the training which was conducted by Sovann, MF manager from JWOC. From this cause it helped him to get a job as a credit officer. It also makes him easier to work with the community and borrowers. He knows how to do loan assessment, how to do advertising and solving the problems that he faces. 

Visoth, JWOC loan officer, is fourth year student in the field of IT at BBU in Siem Reap. But he is working as credit officer at AMK. Because he got the training from JWOC, he can work in the different field from his university major.

Therefore, Microfinance program at JWOC is very important for all JWOC scholarship students. It helps to improve the students career which fits to the field they are studying at school.

I would like to say thank you for spending time reading this blog. I am looking forward to writing more about something else next time.

My first impressions as Free Classes Program Manager

Hi my name is Khoeurn and I am the current Free Classes Manager at JWOC. I want to tell you about my experience getting the job and what it means to me.

As life can be changed in minutes, we humans need to be ready for new things. I have got a job which is very interesting and challenging, the Free Classes Project Manager. There are several impressive things about this position.

I remember when I had applied for the job, I had butterflies in my stomach on the interview day. After applying for this position, I was confirmed to be interviewed. There were many good quest ions I have never been asked and I was looking forward to receiving some news from the office. At the end, I was given the job as a Free Classes Project Manager. I was really happy, since graduating with JWOC it has been such an incredible journey.

 

All the staff here are helpful. They help me a lot. I feel very warm in working and communicating with JWOC. I have learned hundreds of new things from day to day. Moreover, in my team, all the members are friendly, hard-working and strong. We work, help and achieve the same goal. We are running classes together.

All the classes at JWOC are lovely. There are different activities that children can practice to sharpen their skills or talents. The classes are running for everyone who needs help. I appreciate the children classes very much. There a lot of children coming every day. I hope that these children will be ones who develop a small country, my country, Cambodia, in South-East Asia.

Finally, I do love the management team.  They are strong, smart and creative. I am a new member in this team and I want to be strong, smart, creative and conceptual also. I will try my best to lead my team to be strong and valuable. I want to be part of developing and changing my community for the future.

Thank you for reading and good luck for you!

As we reach the halfway mark for 2014 we are able to look back and be proud of our achievements. To keep up to date with everything that has happened so far this year take a look at our newsletter by clicking here. The theme for the newsletter is 'Building for the Future' where we asked our scholarship students about their perspective on how JWOC's projects will impact the future of Cambodia.

Read our newsletter

Chhoeun - Looking back, what have I learnt?

My name is Mao Chhoeun. I come from Kampong Svay District, Kampong Thom Province. I have been volunteering in JWOC for around four years with the Clean Water Project and Microfinance Project beginning in October, 2010. I am very happy to join with the team in Clean Water Project and Microfinance Project. The Clean Water Project is a new experience for me.


I have been learning many skills from this project, such as how to survey villagers, hygiene training and ceramic filter training. All of these skills are very good for me. The Clean Water Project is a very special project that I really enjoyed joining and I was able to improve my leadership and teamwork within our community.

I have been volunteering with the Clean Water Project for around two years and I changed from Clean Water Project to Microfinance Project. I am a loan officer. I really enjoy working with the Microfinance team. I have been learning many skills from this project such as how to complete loan applications, communication with villagers, and balancing the cash from borrowers and reporting to the Microfinance Project Manager. Part of this is working in-groups, leading and inspiring each other.

I really love all programs at JWOC. All of these programs are very important to share with our community. JWOC has made many opportunities for me, other students and people in community. JWOC is a good organization that has been creating many projects for supporting peoples and students alike. Especially, JWOC has a Scholarship Program for the students in the community that they don’t have enough money to continue their studies at university. I love the slogan of JWOC “See a problem, solve a problem”.


Being part of this community has given me more opportunity than I had in my life before, it is very different now. I got a Scholarship from JWOC; this provides me the information to get to know everything in our community. Understand Cambodian culture and US culture, working in-groups, project training and many other workshops. This program has made me a better person. I really love all the staff at JWOC they are very friendly and they make me happy every time and I really enjoy working with them.