Microfinance & Entrepreneurship
The Shinta Mani Foundation is in Cambodia. It helps poor people in the countryside. One important way it helps is by giving small loans. These loans are called microfinance. People do not pay interest. They use the money to start small businesses.
Some people buy cows or chickens. Others grow vegetables or start small shops. Many women use the money to make and sell things. This helps them earn money for their families. They can buy food, send their children to school, and build better houses.
The Foundation also teaches people. They learn how to run a business. They learn about money, saving, and selling. This is called entrepreneurship. With help, people become stronger and more independent.
The Shinta Mani Foundation works together with hotels in Siem Reap. Tourists stay in the hotels, and part of the money helps the Foundation. This is a good way to support local people.
The Foundation is a good example of how tourism and business can help communities grow. It gives people hope and a better future.
__________________
Vocabulary:
Hope – A good feeling that something nice will happen.
Countryside – Land outside the city with farms and small villages.
A loan – Money someone gives you that you must pay back later.
Microfinance – Small loans given to poor people to start a business.
To pay interest – To give extra money when you pay back a loan.
Vegetables – Plants people grow and eat, like carrots or tomatoes.
To earn money – To get money by working.
To teach people – To help people learn something.
To run a business – To manage and work in your own shop or company.
Saving – Keeping money to use later.
Selling – Giving something to someone for money.
Entrepreneurship – Starting and growing your own business.
Independent – Able to do things without help.
To support people – To help people live or do something better.
Communities – Groups of people who live in the same place.
#################
10 questions, one answer only
1. What is the countryside?
A. A big city with many cars
B. A place with farms and small villages
C. A large shopping mall
2. What is a loan?
A. Free money from a friend
B. Money you give to the bank
C. Money you borrow and must pay back
3. What is microfinance?
A. A big bank in the city
B. Small loans to help poor people start a business
C. A way to save money in a jar
4. What does it mean to pay interest?
A. To give back the same money you borrowed
B. To give less money than you borrowed
C. To give back more money than you borrowed
5. What are vegetables?
A. Sweet food like cake
B. Plants we eat, like carrots
C. Drinks like juice or tea
6. What does it mean to earn money?
A. To spend money at the store
B. To get money by working
C. To give money to someone
7. What does it mean to teach people?
A. To help people learn something
B. To cook food for people
C. To drive people to school
8. What does it mean to run a business?
A. To clean a big house
B. To work for a boss
C. To manage and work in your own shop
9. What is saving?
A. Using all your money now
B. Keeping money for later
C. Giving money to friends
10. What does hope mean?
A. A bad feeling
B. A happy feeling about the future
C. A kind of food
_____________________________
1b, 2c, 3b, 4c, 5b, 6b, 7a, 8c, 9c, 10b
########################
Fill in (words below):
- People __________and work in the countryside.
- She got a loan to start a __________.
- Microfinance helps small __________ in poor villages.
- I must pay interest on my __________.
- They grow __________ in their garden.
- He works hard to __________ money.
- The teacher wants to __________ people new skills.
- She __________ a small business at home.
- Saving __________ is important for the future.
- We have hope for a __________ life.
earn, live, better, businesses, runs, loan, shop, money, vegetables, teach
###################
10 multiple-choice questions, more than one answer may be correct.
1. What can you find in the countryside?
A. Small villages
B. Big factories
C. Farms
D. Tall buildings
2. What is true about a loan?
A. You must pay it back
B. It is always free
C. You borrow it
D. You give it to others
3. What is microfinance for?
A. Helping rich people
B. Helping small businesses
C. Giving small loans
D. Building hotels
4. What happens when you pay interest?
A. You pay extra money
B. You pay the same amount
C. You pay less
D. It is part of a loan
5. Which of these are vegetables?
A. Carrots
B. Tomatoes
C. Juice
D. Apples
6. How can someone earn money?
A. By working
B. By watching TV
C. By selling vegetables
D. By sleeping
7. What do teachers do?
A. Teach people
B. Sell food
C. Help people learn
D. Plant trees
8. What does it mean to run a business?
A. To work in your own shop
B. To go jogging
C. To be the boss
D. To clean the house
9. What is saving?
A. Spending all your money
B. Keeping money for later
C. Not using your money
D. Throwing money away
10. What gives people hope?
A. A better future
B. No food
C. Good jobs
D. A new business
______________________
1ac, 2ac, 3bc, 4ad, 5ab, 6ac, 7ac, 8ac, 8bc, 10acd
##########################
Match the words (1–10) with the correct definitions (A–J):
Words:
- Countryside
- Loan
- Microfinance
- Interest
- Vegetables
- Earn money
- Teach
- Run a business
- Saving
- Hope
Definitions:
A. Give small loans to poor people to start a business
B. Land with farms, fields, and small villages
C. Plants people grow and eat, like carrots or tomatoes
D. Help people learn something new
E. To get money by working
F. Extra money you pay back with a loan
G. A good feeling about the future
H. To keep money for later
I. Money you borrow and must give back
J. To manage your own shop or company
Answer Key:
1 – B 2 – I 3 – A 4 – F 5 – C 6 – E 7 – D 8 – J 9 – H 10 – G
####################
True – false?
- The Shinta Mani Foundation helps people in the countryside.
- People get big loans from the Foundation.
- Microfinance gives small loans to help start a business.
- People must pay interest on the Foundation’s loans.
- Many people grow vegetables and sell them.
- The Foundation teaches people how to run a business.
- Saving money is not important.
- The Foundation gives people hope for a better life.
- The Foundation builds shopping malls.
- Some people earn money by selling things they make.
____________________
false: 2,4,7,9
##################
Vocabulary – in categories – remember the vocabularies
1. Money-related words
- Loan
- Interest
- Saving
- Earn money
2. Business-related words
- Microfinance
- Run a business
- Teach
- Entrepreneur
3. Farming-related words
- Vegetables
- Countryside
- Sell
- Grow
4. Emotional/Feelings-related words
- Hope
- Support
- Independent
- Teach
5. Activities-related words
- Earn money
- Teach
- Sell
- Run a business
6. Community-related words
- Communities
- Support
- Teach
- Help
7. Words for what you can do with money
- Save
- Borrow
- Pay
- Earn
8. Words for people involved in businesses
- Entrepreneur
- Teacher
- Farmer
- Worker
9. Words for things people do to make money
- Run a business
- Sell
- Earn money
- Teach
10. Words for things related to loans
- Pay interest
- Loan
- Borrow
- Save
##################
Fill in – do you remember the words missing?
Dialogue:
A: Hi! Do you live in the __________?
B: Yes, I do. I live on a small farm.
A: What do you grow on your farm?
B: We grow __________like carrots and tomatoes.
A: Do you sell your vegetables?
B: Yes, we __________ them in the local market.
A: How do you earn money?
B: I earn money by selling vegetables and working in a __________.
A: Do you know about microfinance?
B: Yes, it’s when people get small __________to start a business.
A: Have you ever taken a loan?
B: Yes, I took a loan to _________ seeds for my farm.
A: Do you have to pay __________ on your loan?
B: Yes, I pay a little __________each month.
A: How do you _________ money?
B: I save a little money every month in my bank.
A: What gives you hope for the future?
B: I hope my farm will grow, and I can help my __________
_____________________
countryside – vegetables – sell – shop – loans – loans – interest – interest – save – community.
##################
Interview with a representative of the Foundation – fill in:
Interviewer: Good morning! Can you tell me about the Shinta Mani Foundation?
Representative: We help people in the __________ with small loans.
Interviewer: What kind of help does the Foundation give?
Representative: We give __________ loans to start businesses.
Interviewer: Do people have to pay back the loan?
Representative: Yes, with a little __________.
Interviewer: Who can get a loan from the Foundation?
Representative: People in the countryside who need __________
Interviewer: What do people do with the loans?
Representative: They __________ tools or seeds for their business.
Interviewer: How does microfinance help the community?
Representative: It helps people __________money and be independent.
Interviewer: Does the Foundation __________ people how to run a business?
Representative: Yes, we offer business training.
Interviewer: How do people __________money with the Foundation?
Representative: They can open a savings account.
Interviewer: How does the Foundation give people hope?
Representative: We __________ businesses and improve lives.
Interviewer: Can the Foundation __________people in other ways?
Representative: Yes, we also support education and jobs.
#####################
Interviewer: Good morning! Can you tell me about the Shinta Mani Foundation?
Representative: We help people in the countryside with small loans.
Interviewer: What kind of help does the Foundation give?
Representative: We give microfinance loans to start businesses.
Interviewer: Do people have to pay back the loan?
Representative: Yes, with a little interest.
Interviewer: Who can get a loan from the Foundation?
Representative: People in the countryside who need money.
Interviewer: What do people do with the loans?
Representative: They buy tools or seeds for their business.
Interviewer: How does microfinance help the community?
Representative: It helps people earn money and be independent.
Interviewer: Does the Foundation teach people how to run a business?
Representative: Yes, we offer business training.
Interviewer: How do people save money with the Foundation?
Representative: They can open a savings account.
Interviewer: How does the Foundation give people hope?
Representative: We support businesses and improve lives.
Interviewer: Can the Foundation help people in other ways?
Representative: Yes, we also support education and jobs.