The Success of Norma Lim from the Philippines
“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a life-time.” Norma Lim is grateful to her parents who taught her the useful skill of fishing when she was young. But she is even more grateful to Mentors Philippines that taught her how to turn that skill into a successful business. As Norma Lim looks back on her life, and the struggles she endured, she is glad to be breaking the cycle of poverty for her family.
Norma was born and raised in the Philippines and was one of ten children. Her father was a farmer and her mother a fish vendor. Her parents worked very hard for their family, but it was always difficult to provide the necessities.
When Norma was a young child of nine years, she worked with her mother catching fish and then selling them in the market. She enjoyed the time she spent in the market and was a good student of the business.
Several years later, Norma found herself a single mother with three young children struggling to provide for her children’s needs. She labored doing the laundry of others in her neighborhood. This provided some income, but not enough for Norma to be free from her financial worries. While in this stage of her life, Norma encountered some health challenges and was confined to a hospital for a time. She is very grateful to her family that helped care for her children during this time.
As Norma’s health returned, so did her ambition to do more for herself and her family. She shared her feelings with a friend who introduced Norma to Mentors Philippines. Norma felt the excitement of providing better for her children. She eagerly took the business classes Mentors Philippines offers and qualified for her first loan. Norma decided to go back to the fish business. She remembered fondly her experience as a young child in the market with her mother. Now she had new business skills and finances. Norma was eager to get started. She purchased a fish cage and began catching fish. With each catch, Norma cleans and debones the fish to prepare them for sale in the market.
Today Norma has an income of $150 USD for each harvest from her fish cage. It became time to grow her business even more. She applied for another loan from Mentors Philippines and invested in a freezer to store her fish.
Norma can provide much more for her children today. With her steady income she knows that her children will be able to finish their studies and have every opportunity that she didn’t have. She wants to be someone that her children look up to.
Norma is thankful for the trust and opportunity she received from Mentors Philippines. She wishes for all to live in an abundant world, free of worry and stress.
