Last year, VRE embarked on a new and important mission—self-sustaining projects—to end the vicious cycle of poverty in Vietnam's rural areas. We're pleased to report that these economic-development programs are thriving and making an impact on peoples' lives.

As of mid-2010, we have 82 families taking part in our goat-raising program in Phuoc Trung of Tien Giang province. We started with 60 participants, who received loans so that they could begin the development of commercial goat operations. Their repayments have gone into a revolving fund, which has allowed 22 more families to participate.

In the Long An province, we are currently serving 90 participants. We are reviewing the program and expect that 41 more families in Long An can take part as a result of money in the revolving fund.

The continuity of the projects depends on families sticking to good repayment schedules. Currently, participants repay on a monthly basis over the course of 18 to 24 months. VRE has a tracking tool to ensure that we can monitor outstanding loans and repayments. Thanks in large part to our presence and strong collaboration with local officials and villagers, we are proud to say that the repayment rate so far is 100% on all of our loans.

The excellent repayment rate is allowing us to consider expanding to other livestock, and we plan further research into income-generating activities for the villages.

In addition to the funding, participants also receive training in basic animal management. The projects are designed to empower the communes' women, many of whom do not have jobs. The programs provide an opportunity for women to meet and share ideas with each other—sometimes through quizzes and games—so there's a social benefit, too.