A. Parda is 55 years old and is married with eight children. His wife works as a teacher in the local school.

For many years, Parda has lived very happily in his small house surrounded by his plantation and the "Good Morning" of a beautiful sunrise every day. He rises before sunrise and, with love and hope, he works the field that generates his family's income.

Parda is applying for a loan of 4,500 Somoni with which to buy the supplies necessary for the maintenance of his crop, including seeds and fertilizer. These supplies will guarantee the quality of the harvest to which he has dedicated many hours of work during many months.


More about Tajikistan and IMON International
Tajikistan is known for its rich history, which includes a key post along the Silk Road and the end of Alexander the Great's rule. It has also produced great thinkers, philosophers, scientists and poets, including Rudaki, Avicenna, Ferdowsi, Omar Khayyam, Jomi, and Rumi. The country is home to communities that still speak the ancient Sogdian language, epic mountain passes, and a civilization that dates back to the 4th millennium B.C. And, even today, it is a complex mixture of the Islamic faith, Soviet culture, New West culture and Central Asian traditions.

But Tajikistan is also the poorest of the former Soviet republics. The civil war, which ignited soon after its independence from the U.S.S.R., further damaged the already weak economy. In addition, 93% of the country is mountainous and only 7% of the land is arable. These conditions have resulted in high levels of unemployment and have forced hundreds of thousands to seek work in other countries, mainly Russia. While the people of Tajikistan are working to improve its agricultural production and manufacturing sector, nearly two-thirds of the population still live in abject poverty.

IMON's History
Since December 2007, IMON International has worked closely with Kiva and Kiva lenders to ensure that poor and low income clients represent a viable business proposition. Funds raised through Kiva have already been distributed to thousands of IMON International's clients and will continue to provide thousands more with permanent access to the varied financial services they need. To learn more about IMON International's work, please visit: www.imon.tj.