Shinta Mani Foundation – micro loans (A1)

the road to independence


In Cambodia, many families live in poor villages. They do not have enough money for school, doctors, or good jobs. Giving just money for help is not enough. People need a way to help themselves.

The Shinta Mani Foundation gives small loans without interest to people in these villages. Banks usually want big money or something to keep if people cannot pay back. But the Foundation trusts people and gives small loans to help.

These loans are often a few hundred dollars. People use the money to start or grow small jobs. Some buy animals like cows, buffaloes, or chickens. These animals give food and money. Others open small shops, buy sewing machines, or make crafts to sell. Some families buy bicycles or motorbikes to go to markets or jobs.

People must pay back the loans, but they do not pay extra money. Paying back the loans makes people proud. When the loans are paid back, the money is used to help other people.

Because of the loans, families have more money. They can send their children to school. They eat better and go to the doctor when sick. Small businesses help the whole village.

The Shinta Mani Foundation helps people to help themselves. Small loans can change lives and build a better future.


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Vocabulary:

Village: A small place where people live, like a small town or home area.

To be enough: When you have what you need, not too little or too much.

To help oneself: To do things by yourself, without waiting for others.

A loan without interest: Money you borrow that you must pay back, but you do not pay extra money for borrowing.

Big money: A lot of money.

To pay back: To give money back to the person who lent it to you.

To trust somebody: To believe someone will do what they say.

To start a job: To begin working.

To grow a job: To make your work or business bigger.

A sewing machine: A machine that helps you make clothes by joining pieces of cloth.

To make crafts: To make things by hand, like art or useful objects.

To sell: To give something to someone for money.

A market: A place where people buy and sell things.

To be proud: To feel happy because you did something good.

To be sick: To feel bad in your body or have a disease.

The whole village: All the people and homes in the village.

To change lives: To make people’s lives better.

To build a future: To work and plan for a better life later.


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Multiple-choice test, each question has only one correct answer:


1. What is a village?
A) A big city
B) A small place where people live
C) A kind of food

2. What does “to be enough” mean?
A) To have what you need
B) To want more things
C) To lose something

3. What does “to help oneself” mean?
A) To do things by yourself
B) To wait for others to help
C) To take things without asking

4. What is a loan without interest?
A) Money you borrow and pay back with extra money
B) Money you borrow but do not pay back
C) Money you borrow and pay back without extra money

5. What is “big money”?
A) A little money
B) A lot of money
C) Free money

6. What does “to pay back” mean?
A) To give money to someone else
B) To give money back to the person who lent it
C) To keep money

7. What does it mean “to trust somebody”?
A) To believe they will do what they say
B) To not know someone
C) To be angry at someone

8. What does “to start a job” mean?
A) To finish work
B) To begin working
C) To stop working

9. What does “to grow a job” mean?
A) To make your work bigger
B) To lose your job
C) To take a break from work

10. What is a sewing machine?
A) A machine that makes food
B) A machine that helps make clothes
C) A machine that cleans houses

11. What does “to make crafts” mean?
A) To make things by hand
B) To watch TV
C) To play sports

12. What does “to sell” mean?
A) To give something for money
B) To buy something
C) To throw something away

13. What is a market?
A) A place to buy and sell things
B) A type of car
C) A big school

14. What does “to be proud” mean?
A) To feel happy because you did something good
B) To feel tired
C) To feel sad

15. What does “to be sick” mean?
A) To feel bad in your body
B) To feel happy
C) To feel hungry

16. What is “the whole village”?
A) Some people in the village
B) All the people and homes in the village
C) A city far away

17. What does “to change lives” mean?
A) To make people’s lives better
B) To break things
C) To sleep all day

18. What does “to build a future” mean?
A) To work and plan for a better life later
B) To eat food
C) To watch a movie


__________________

1-B 2-A 3-A 4-C 5-B 6-B 7-A 8-B 9-A 10-B 11-A 12-A 13-A 14-A 15-A 16-B 17-A 18-A
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Match the Words with Their Meanings

Words/Phrases

A. A loan without interest
B. To sell
C. A market
D. To help oneself
E. To grow a job
F. To trust somebody
G. To be enough
H. A sewing machine
I. To build a future
J. To start a job
K. A village
L. Big money
M. To change lives
N. To pay back
O. To be proud
P. To be sick
Q. To make crafts
R. The whole village

Meanings

  1. To feel bad in your body
  2. A place where people buy and sell things
  3. To begin working
  4. A machine that helps you make clothes
  5. To give something to someone for money
  6. Money you borrow and return with no extra money
  7. To make something better for many people
  8. A small place where people live
  9. To do things without waiting for help
  10. All the people and homes in a place
  11. To work and plan for a better life
  12. To return money you borrowed
  13. A lot of money
  14. To make your work or business bigger
  15. To feel happy because you did something good
  16. To make things with your hands
  17. To believe someone will do what they say
  18. When you have what you need

___________________
A-6, B-5, C-2, D-9, E-14, F-17, G-18, H-4, I-11, J-3, K-8, L-13, M-7, N-12, O-15, P-1, Q-16, R-10
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Multiple-choice test, 3 answer choices , one only correct


1. What is a loan without interest?
A) Money you borrow and pay back with extra money
B) Money you borrow and do not pay back
C) Money you borrow and pay back with no extra money

2. What does it mean to sell something?
A) To give something for money
B) To throw something away
C) To take something for free

3. What is a market?
A) A place where people buy and sell things
B) A place to go to school
C) A house for animals

4. What does it mean to help oneself?
A) To wait for help
B) To do things by yourself
C) To sleep early

5. What does it mean to grow a job?
A) To stop working
B) To make your work or business bigger
C) To move to another village

6. What does it mean to trust somebody?
A) To believe someone will do what they say
B) To not talk to someone
C) To take money from someone

7. What does it mean to be enough?
A) To have what you need
B) To have too much
C) To ask for more

8. What is a sewing machine used for?
A) To make clothes
B) To cook food
C) To wash hands

9. What does it mean to build a future?
A) To think about the past
B) To plan and work for a better life
C) To go to the market

10. What does it mean to start a job?
A) To begin working
B) To stop working
C) To sleep at work

11. What is a village?
A) A small place where people live
B) A very big city
C) A shopping mall

12. What does big money mean?
A) A little money
B) A lot of money
C) Old money

13. What does it mean to change lives?
A) To help people have a better life
B) To forget your name
C) To go to sleep early

14. What does it mean to pay back money?
A) To lose the money
B) To give money back
C) To hide the money

15. What does it mean to be proud?
A) To feel happy because you did something good
B) To be hungry
C) To be tired

16. What does it mean to be sick?
A) To feel good
B) To be busy
C) To feel bad in your body

17. What does it mean to make crafts?
A) To build a house
B) To make things by hand
C) To drive a car

18. What is the whole village?
A) A part of the village
B) One family in the village
C) All the people and homes in the village


_______________________
1-C, 2-A, 3-A, 4-B, 5-B, 6-A, 7-A, 8-A, 9-B, 10-A, 11-A, 12-B, 13-A, 14-B, 15-A, 16-C, 17-B, 18-C

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Fill-in-the-gap sentences


1. A __________ is a small place where people live.
A) market B) village C) loan

2. We use a sewing __________ to make clothes.
A) machine B) shop C) table

3. The family wants to __________ a small shop.
A) pay B) sell C) start

4. They go to the __________ to sell food.
A) school B) market C) village

5. She makes __________ at home and sells them.
A) money B) crafts C) cows

6. A loan without interest means you pay back __________ money.
A) less B) no extra C) big

7. He feels __________ because he works hard.
A) proud B) sick C) tired

8. When I am __________, I go to the doctor.
A) proud B) sick C) enough

9. They want to __________ a better future.
A) sell B) trust C) build

10. The money is __________ to buy food and go to school.
A) big B) enough C) proud

11. I __________ my friend to help me.
A) trust B) sell C) pay

12. He wants to __________ the money next month.
A) eat B) pay back C) be proud

13. She wants to __________ things in the market.
A) help B) sell C) sick

14. People feel happy when they can __________.
A) help themselves B) be big C) village

15. The __________ village works together.
A) sick B) enough C) whole


______________________

1-B, 2-A, 3-C, 4-B, 5-B, 6-B, 7-A, 8-B, 9-C, 10-B, 11-A, 12-B, 13-B, 14-A, 15-C

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Scramble exercise – which word/s are we looking for?:


  1. aelvlig
  2. onal
  3. rtsut
  4. rkemta
  5. gnwsie cmhaine
  6. stcafr
  7. drpou
  8. kics
  9. ypa ckab
  10. tarst

_________________-

1-village, 2-loan, 3-trust, 4-market, 5-sewing machine, 6-crafts, 7-proud, 8-sick, 9-pay back, 10-start

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True, false:


  1. A village is a small place where many people live.
  2. To sell means to buy something.
  3. A sewing machine helps people make clothes.
  4. A loan without interest means you pay extra money.
  5. People feel proud when they work hard and do well.
  6. To pay back means to give money you borrowed.
  7. A market is a place where people sell things.
  8. If you are sick, you feel healthy.
  9. To trust someone means to believe they will do the right thing.
  10. To start a job means to finish it.
  11. Crafts are things people make by hand.
  12. To help oneself means to wait for others to help you.

___________________

  1. True, 2. False, 3. True, 4. False, 5. True, 6. True, 7. True, 8. False, 9. True, 10. False, 11. True, 12. False

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Fill in – words below


1. Q: What is the Shinta Mani Foundation?
A: It is a __________ that helps people in villages in Cambodia.

2. Q: What do they give to people to help them?
A: They give small loans __________ interest.

3. Q: What is a loan without interest?
A: It is money you can borrow and pay back __________ extra money.

4. Q: Who can get these loans?
A: People in villages who want to start or grow a small __________.

5. Q: What do people do with the money?
A: They buy animals, start shops, or buy machines to make __________.

6. Q: Why do people feel proud?
A: Because they can help themselves and pay __________ the money.

7. Q: How does the loan help children?
A: Families can send their children to __________with more money.

8. Q: What does “help oneself” mean?
A: It means to work and make your life better by __________

9. Q: What happens when people pay back the loan?
A: The money goes to help other people in the __________.

10. Q: Why is this program important?
A: It helps people build a better __________ with their own work.


______________________

back – future – without – village – business – group – school – without – crafts – yourself.
___________________

Answer:


1. Q: What is the Shinta Mani Foundation?
A: It is a group that helps people in villages in Cambodia.

2. Q: What do they give to people to help them?
A: They give small loans without interest.

3. Q: What is a loan without interest?
A: It is money you can borrow and pay back without extra money.

4. Q: Who can get these loans?
A: People in villages who want to start or grow a small business.

5. Q: What do people do with the money?
A: They buy animals, start shops, or buy machines to make crafts.

6. Q: Why do people feel proud?
A: Because they can help themselves and pay back the money.

7. Q: How does the loan help children?
A: Families can send their children to school with more money.

8. Q: What does “help oneself” mean?
A: It means to work and make your life better by yourself.

9. Q: What happens when people pay back the loan?
A: The money goes to help other people in the village.

10. Q: Why is this program important?
A: It helps people build a better future with their own work.