Li Suxia, China

The business Li builds today provides an education for her son tomorrow.

Thanks to a microfinance loan from Chifeng Zhaowuda, Li Suxia was not only able to increase her income and improve her family’s standard of living, but she was also able to send her son to one of China’s top universities. Just eight years prior, Li earned about RMB 1,000 (US$146) a month from her seed store. On this income, her family was barely surviving. One day, she received a flier advertising Chifeng Zhaowuda’s loan program. Li seized the opportunity and took out a loan of RMB 6,000 (US$879). This was enough capital to help her diversify her store’s selection of products, which quickly increased her profits and improved her family’s standard of living. Li recently took out a second loan of RMB 7,000 (US$1,025) to finance additional improvements. Her profits have grown to RMB 1,700-2,000 (US$249-$293) a month, and now, her son is now in his second year at Wuhan University.