Helping My Keep Her Community Moving
In the mountainous Cam Thuy district of Thanh Hoa province, transport is more than convenience. It is a lifeline. The steep, winding roads connect small villages scattered across the hills, linking people to schools, markets, and hospitals. For families in this region, a working motorcycle is not a luxury. It is the essential bridge between isolation and opportunity.
For 33-year-old My and her husband, motorcycles are not just a mode of transport. They are the centre of family life and the foundation of their livelihood. For 15 years, the couple have run a small but trusted motorcycle repair and spare parts shop in their community. Through careful work, attention to detail, and a commitment to fairness, they have built strong relationships with their neighbours and regular customers who rely on them to keep their engines running smoothly.
Their workshop sits by a busy local road, often lined with bikes waiting for repair. On any given day, My’s husband might be fitting a new chain, patching a puncture, or replacing a worn tyre, while My welcomes customers, manages orders, and handles the bookkeeping. Together, they make an effective team. Their work has not only sustained their family but also made a tangible difference in a region where good mechanics are few and far between.
Yet even the most dedicated entrepreneurs face barriers that determination alone cannot overcome. For My, the challenge is access to working capital. The shop’s success has grown through word of mouth, and demand continues to rise. But without enough funds to buy stock in larger quantities, she is forced to restock only a few items at a time. This limits how many customers she can serve and reduces her profit margins.
The roads in Cam Thuy are rough on vehicles. Frequent rain, loose gravel, and sharp stones mean flat tyres, worn tubes, and oil leaks are a constant problem. When these parts are not available locally, people have to travel long distances to buy them elsewhere. My’s shop has become a trusted place where customers know they can find quick and honest help, but a shortage of essential supplies has been holding her back.
To change this, My applied for a loan from Thanh Hoa MFI, a local partner of Lendwithcare. With the funds, she plans to buy 100 sets of motorcycle tubes and tyres, along with 20 cartons of engine oil. These supplies will allow her to meet the needs of more customers and take advantage of bulk purchasing, which will help improve her profit margins. Most importantly, it will create stability and growth for her family’s future.
Microfinance may seem like a small act, but its impact reaches far beyond numbers on a page. For My, this loan represents confidence and opportunity. It gives her the means to take her business from survival to sustainability. It also brings peace of mind, knowing that she can continue to support her family and ensure her two children, aged twelve and four, have the security and education she wants for them.
The effects will ripple outward. Each customer My helps is someone who can get to work safely, transport their goods to market, or take their child to school. Each litre of oil or set of tyres she sells helps another family stay connected and productive. This is the quiet power of enterprise, showing how one small business can sustain a network of lives and livelihoods.
Stories like My’s show why microfinance matters. It empowers capable, hardworking people who already have the skill and determination to succeed. It gives them the resources they need to grow, invest, and build a better future for their communities.
At the City of Liverpool Rotary Club, we are proud to support Lendwithcare and entrepreneurs like My. By pooling small contributions from members and supporters, we help fund loans that create lasting impact. Each loan helps families earn a living with dignity and independence. The money is repaid, reinvested, and circulated to others who need it next, multiplying the effect again and again.
Through My’s story, we see how something as simple as a set of tyres or a bottle of engine oil can become a tool for empowerment. It keeps people moving, keeps children learning, and keeps communities connected.
With this new investment, My is not just expanding her shop. She is expanding her future and contributing to the wellbeing of everyone who depends on her work. Her success reflects the heart of what Rotary and Lendwithcare stand for, helping people lift themselves and others through enterprise, hard work, and shared opportunity.
Change does not always come through grand gestures. Sometimes it begins with a simple act of trust, a small loan, and the belief that when people are given a fair chance, they can do extraordinary things.
Together, through projects like this, we are not just supporting businesses. We are helping build stronger, more resilient communities where people like My can thrive and where progress is measured in real lives improved, families supported, and futures rebuilt with hope and pride.